Development & Communications Intern

POSITION: Development & Communications Intern LOCATION: National REPORTS TO: Director, Individual Giving SUPERVISES: N/A FLSA STATUS: Nonexempt HOURLY RATE: $22 TRAVEL, TIME COMMITMENT & Duration: Local In-Person External Meetings: 0% 20-25 hours per month through December 31, 2026 with the possibility of extension ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION LIFT is on a mission to break the cycle of poverty by investing in parents. Through direct work with families, engaging technical assistance partnerships, and by advocating for policies that drive systemic change, we’re fighting poverty by lifting two generations at once. Our team culture is rooted in deep respect for the parents we partner with and for each other. We’re looking for dedicated team members who share our vision that, 25 years from now, LIFT is no longer needed because we have helped build a social service system grounded in Hope, Money, and Love, where all families can thrive. We’re guided by mission- and strategy-aligned leadership grounded in kindness, curiosity, relationships, and a commitment to equity. Explore our benefits and what it’s like to work at LIFT below –or download our Benefits & Culture Overview to learn more. *LIFT operates sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, DC, and New York. This position may be done remotely from any state where LIFT currently operates. POSITION OVERVIEW This is a part-time internship requiring approximately 20 hours per month through December 31, 2026, with the possibility of extension. This role will report to the Director, Individual Giving, and will work closely with the Communications Manager. This part-time Development & Communications intern will support LIFT’s fundraising-focused communications efforts and external-facing communications. The internship is writing-driven, with responsibility for developing donor-facing communications, social media, and organizational content, creating compelling stories and content that engage supporters, strengthen relationships, advance fundraising goals, and broaden LIFT's reach and visibility. AS THE DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATION INTERN YOU WILL… Development Draft and edit donor-facing communications and development content that engage supporters, communicate impact, and strengthen relationships with donors and partners. Create and refine templates and adaptable content that can be used across multiple cities, ensuring consistency while tailoring messaging for local contexts. Support the development and execution of fundraising-focused communications strategies that effectively engage and retain donors. Develop clear, concise, and compelling written content that reflects both local impact and a broader national perspective. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to gather input and ensure alignment on messaging, while working independently. Proofread and edit content with a high level of attention to detail, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and consistency in tone and branding across materials. Explore opportunities to enhance communication through visual storytelling, including basic graphic design and video content to support fundraising efforts. Support broader development and communications activities, including event preparation, coordination, and administrative support as needed Communications Manage LIFT's social media presence day-to-day — writing and building posts, maintaining a consistent content calendar, and adapting content across platforms. Support the writing and editing of external content including the monthly newsletter, blog posts, and the annual report. Copy edit across external materials, serving as a reliable second pair of eyes on accuracy, consistency, tone, and brand. Track relevant news, research, and field conversations to surface content opportunities. OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and compelling content for a range of audiences, including donors, partners, and social media audiences. Experience or interest in development and fundraising communications, donor engagement, and mission-driven storytelling. Fluency with social media as a communications tool. Comfortable writing copy and creating content for LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and Facebook, and maintaining a content calendar. Ability to work independently in a remote, flexible environment. High attention to detail, including proofreading for accuracy, consistency, and grammatical correctness. Self-motivated with a willingness to learn and grow skills in areas such as fundraising strategy, graphic design, and multimedia content (e.g., video). Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to contribute to longer-term projects by managing timelines, tracking tasks, and meeting deadlines. LIFT’S COMPETENCIES All LIFT employees embrace and demonstrate our organization-wide core competencies: Communication: You share information with relevant parties in a clear and timely manner; effectively engage with and present to others; and write and verbally communicate in a manner that conveys understanding of relevant information and issues. Accountability: You take responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work and achieve results with appropriate levels of oversight. You receive feedback in a constructive manner. Inclusiveness: You help create a work environment that appreciates diversity and encourages equity by treating others with respect, listening to, and demonstrating appreciation for others’ perspectives, and using culturally sensitive language. Teamwork: You work effectively with others throughout the organization and promote cooperation and commitment within your team to achieve goals and deliverables. Results-orientation: You focus on results and desired outcomes, keeping team and organizational goals in mind. You use sound planning to achieve goals and get the job done. Problem-solving: You take the initiative to solve problems. You exhibit resourcefulness, innovation, and adaptability to new situations. Don’t think you have everything for this role but are still interested? Please don’t hesitate to apply. We’d love to hear from you! LIFT is an equal opportunity employer and believes that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants. LIFT’s goal is for our people to reflect the communities in which we live and serve and to ensure representation of people of color, those who identify as women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities in our organization. WHAT WE OFFER Hourly rate: $22/hour. LIFT’s compensation philosophy is to pay competitively for our non-profit sector and ensure equity across the organization. The compensation range we offer represents a good faith estimate of what we may pay for the position at the time of posting. To ensure we meet our equity and inclusion standards, where a candidate is placed in the range will be assessed based on the market for the position, their qualifications, internal equity, and budget. We will discuss where you are likely to fall within the posted range during the recruitment process, and LIFT will present our best salary offer first. TO APPLY Please visit www.whywelift.org/careers to apply and submit a resume.