Development, Research, & Events Intern

Summary: Aksarben Foundation is committed to fostering a thriving Nebraska by engaging business and community leaders. They are seeking a Development, Research & Events Intern to support fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorship development, and event execution across various initiatives. Responsibilities: - Conduct research on prospective donors, sponsors, foundations, and grant opportunities - Assist with donor prospecting, cultivation, and stewardship strategies - Support sponsor outreach and relationship management efforts - Maintain accurate donor and sponsor records within CRM systems - Prepare donor profiles, briefing materials, and meeting summaries - Assist with tracking fundraising activities and sponsorship commitments - Support donor recognition and stewardship activities - Draft thank-you letters, donor communications, and follow-up materials - Assist with cultivation plans and engagement strategies - Help coordinate meetings with donors, sponsors, and community leaders - Assist in planning and executing Foundation events and programs - Support sponsor fulfillment and donor hospitality activities - Coordinate donor, sponsor, and VIP engagement activities before, during, and after events - Assist with registration, event logistics, and attendee management - Support event budgeting, tracking, and post-event reporting - Work collaboratively with the Marketing, Communications & Events Intern on volunteer engagement and event execution - Attend occasional evening and weekend events - Assist with project tracking and reporting - Support data collection and basic impact reporting - Participate in team meetings and special projects as assigned Required Qualifications: - Strong research, organizational, and project management skills - Excellent written and verbal communication abilities - Interest in nonprofit development, fundraising, donor relations, sponsorships, or community engagement - Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines - Professionalism and discretion when handling donor, sponsor, and organizational information - Strong attention to detail and follow-through - Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams - Basic familiarity with AI tools (such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot) for research, writing support, and productivity - Willingness to learn CRM and donor management systems - Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with staff, volunteers, and community partners Preferred Qualifications: - Business Administration - Nonprofit Management - Public Administration - Marketing - Communications - Economics - Data Analytics - Related fields Required Skills: Fundraising, Donor relations, Sponsorship development, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, CRM systems, Project management