Location: Remote (with weekly virtual meetings; travel opportunities may be available)
Commitment: One semester or the full academic year (September–May preferred) | 10–20 hours/week (flexible up to 20 hours per week)
Salary: $16-18.50/hr
Reports to: Assistant Executive Director of Development
About NAfME
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is the nation's leading organization dedicated to advancing music education by supporting music educators and ensuring every student has access to a high-quality music education. The Development team works to secure philanthropic support through individual giving, corporate partnerships, foundations, sponsorships, and fundraising initiatives that expand opportunities for music educators and students nationwide.
Position Summary
NAfME is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented and reliable undergraduate or graduate student interested in nonprofit fundraising, philanthropy, communications, marketing, or business development. This internship provides hands-on experience in all aspects of nonprofit fundraising, including prospect research, corporate partnership development, donor communications, marketing, and campaign support.
The intern will work closely with the Development team on projects that directly contribute to growing philanthropic support for music education across the United States.
Primary Responsibilities
Prospect Research & Donor Development
- Research prospective individual, corporate, and foundation donors using publicly available resources.
- Build prospect profiles highlighting philanthropic interests, giving capacity, and alignment with NAfME's mission.
- Maintain prospect lists and assist with donor pipeline development.
- Identify new funding opportunities and strategic partnerships.
Corporate Membership & Partnership Outreach
- Support outreach to current and prospective corporate members.
- Assist with corporate membership renewal efforts.
- Research new companies aligned with music education and arts philanthropy.
- Prepare outreach materials, sponsorship packets, and customized proposals.
- Track outreach activity and responses.
Fundraising & Development Projects
- Assist with annual giving initiatives and donor stewardship.
- Support grant research and funding opportunity tracking.
- Help organize donor cultivation events and virtual engagement activities.
- Prepare donor acknowledgment letters and stewardship materials.
- Assist with campaign planning and fundraising initiatives.
Marketing & Graphic Design
- Design draft digital marketing materials using Canva or Adobe Creative Suite.
- Create fundraising one-pagers, infographics, presentations, social media graphics, and donor impact reports.
- Assist with updates to donor-facing webpages and digital resources.
- Ensure materials align with NAfME branding standards.
Administrative & CRM Support
- Update donor and prospect information within CRM systems.
- Assist with data entry, reporting, and document organization.
- Prepare meeting materials and presentations.
- Support additional Development projects as assigned.
Preferred Qualifications
- Current undergraduate or graduate student in nonprofit management, communications, marketing, public relations, business, music, arts administration, or a related field.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
- Interest in philanthropy, fundraising, nonprofit management, or corporate partnerships.
- Comfortable working independently in a remote environment.
Preferred Skills
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Canva; Adobe Creative Suite is a plus
- Experience conducting online research
- Strong writing and editing abilities
- Familiarity with CRM or database systems is a plus
- Social media content creation experience is helpful
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the internship, the intern will have experience in:
- Prospect research and donor identification
- Corporate partnership development
- Nonprofit fundraising strategy
- Annual giving and donor stewardship
- Grant research
- Marketing and fundraising communications
- Graphic design for nonprofit campaigns
- CRM and donor database management
- Professional nonprofit operations
Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate is curious, creative, organized, and passionate about making a difference through education and the arts. They enjoy research, storytelling, relationship-building, and creating compelling marketing materials that inspire philanthropy.
What You'll Gain
- Meaningful experience with a national nonprofit organization
- Direct mentorship from fundraising leadership
- Portfolio-worthy fundraising and marketing projects
- Exposure to major gifts, corporate partnerships, grants, annual giving, and nonprofit communications
- Networking opportunities with leaders in music education and philanthropy
- Academic credit (as allowed by the academic institution)
- A flexible work schedule
This internship is ideal for students considering careers in nonprofit development, fundraising, communications, marketing, corporate partnerships, arts administration, or philanthropy.
Application Process:
Please submit a CV and cover letter via e-mail to Human Resources at hr@nafme.org. Please include Development Intern, along with your first initial and last name in the subject line of your e-mail message.
NAfME provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, NAfMEcomplies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which we employ staff. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
