What are the responsibilities and job description for the Development & Grants Intern position at NAMI Illinois?
NAMI Illinois, the statewide organization of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is seeking a Development & Grants Intern to support fundraising, grant writing, and donor engagement efforts. This role offers a meaningful opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven organization working to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by mental health conditions through education, support, advocacy, and public awareness.
The Development & Grants Intern will play a key role in helping sustain and expand this work by supporting funding strategies and philanthropic partnerships. The intern will work directly with the Manager of Development and Grants in a collaborative, mentorship-focused environment. We want this to be an impactful experience for you just as much as it is for us! This internship, when possible, aims to align the experience with the interests and career goals of the intern/interns.
What You’ll Do
- Conduct research on foundations, corporate partners, and grant opportunities aligned with NAMI Illinois’ mission
- Support grant prospecting, tracking, and reporting processes
- Assist in drafting and editing grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and funder communications
- Conduct outreach to companies to support the development of new funding partnerships
- Assist in maintaining donor records and development systems
- Support donor acknowledgment and stewardship efforts
- Collaborate on fundraising campaign ideas and donor engagement strategies
- Assist with planning and execution of a community event (anticipated August)
- Contribute to special projects related to statewide program expansion and mental health advocacy
Experiences You Will Gain:
- Grant research and the full grant development lifecycle
- Writing for philanthropic audiences, including proposals and funder communications
- Donor stewardship and relationship management
- Corporate partnership development and outreach
- Fundraising campaign strategy and execution
- Event planning within a nonprofit setting
Qualifications:
- Current undergraduate or graduate student in journalism, nonprofit management, public health, communications, social work, or a related field
- Strong writing and editing skills are required for this role
- Interest in nonprofit development, philanthropy, and/or mental health advocacy
- Alignment with the mission of NAMI Illinois
Details:
- 10–15 hours per week
- Semester-based or summer internship opportunities available
- Hybrid or remote options available (Chicago-based organization, Intern manager located in Woodridge, IL)
- Internship may be completed for academic credit or a stipend of $1,000-$2,000 per term, dependent on the candidate's experience
How to Apply:
- Please email a brief explanation of why you are interested in the internship (no formal cover letter is needed), your resume, and a sample of your writing to development@namiillinois.org
- Subject line: “Development & Grants Intern – Your name”
- The sample of your writing can be anything that showcases your writing abilities. Please send a recent formal academic research paper, short story, discussion piece, etc. that was written by your brain and not AI.