Fundraising and Nonprofit Management Intern

The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is a dynamic, member-driven and impactful organization committed to promoting and sustaining the growth and development of the local restaurant industry while providing our members legislative and regulatory representation, marketing and small business support, programming, and events.

RAMW offers year-round internship opportunities and is currently seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Fundraising and Nonprofit Management Intern to join our team. The successful candidate will play a critical role in building and maintaining the infrastructure that supports fundraising and membership operations, with primary focus on research, database management, strategic communications, and donor prospect development. This internship provides a unique opportunity for individuals interested in gaining hands-on experience in the operational foundations of nonprofit fundraising and membership management, including:

Training in donor research, prospect identification, and database management.
Hands-on experience with fundraising strategy development, including email and text messaging campaigns.
Practical experience managing donor and member data, ensuring accuracy and generating insights from organizational databases.
Opportunities to support event planning and execution while building a professional network in nonprofit management.

Key Responsibilities

Working closely with the Vice President of Operations and Administration and Managing Director, major responsibilities of the Fundraising and Nonprofit Management Intern include:

Donor and Prospect Research: Conducting research to identify, profile, and track current donors, past supporters, and prospective funding sources, including corporations, foundations, and individual donors. Maintaining detailed records of research findings and prospect information.
Database Management and Development: Building, maintaining, and updating donor and member databases with accurate contact information, giving history, engagement data, and relationship notes. Supporting data integrity, generating reports, and assisting with database optimization.
Strategic Communications Development: Assisting with designing and drafting fundraising and membership communications, including email campaigns, text messaging outreach, personalized donor appeals, sponsorship packages, and acknowledgment correspondence.
Campaign Strategy Support: Contributing to the development and execution of fundraising campaigns and membership drives, including annual giving programs, sponsorship initiatives, and renewal campaigns through email, text, and digital channels.
Donor and Sponsor Tracking: Maintaining detailed tracking systems for donor cultivation, stewardship activities, sponsorship fulfillment, and relationship management. Supporting follow-up communications and ensuring timely acknowledgments.
Membership Operations Support: Supporting membership recruitment and retention through research, data analysis, outreach coordination, and tracking of membership engagement and renewal cycles.
Event Support: Assisting with planning and logistics for fundraising events, member engagement activities, and donor cultivation events, including database coordination, attendee tracking, and post-event follow-up.
Board and Committee Support: Supporting board and committee operations, including preparing materials, coordinating meeting logistics, tracking action items, and maintaining documentation.
Materials Development: Assisting with creating fundraising and membership materials, including impact reports, grant research summaries, sponsorship benefits documents, and member communications.
Collaboration: Working collaboratively with cross-functional teams to ensure fundraising and membership data systems support organizational priorities and advance the association's mission.

Qualifications

Undergraduate or graduate student with coursework or demonstrated interest in nonprofit management, fundraising, database management, philanthropy, public administration, or related fields.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in data entry, record-keeping, and research.
Excellent written communication skills, with ability to craft compelling messages for email, text, and digital fundraising communications.
Comfort working with databases, spreadsheets, and technology systems; experience with donor management software is a plus.
Strong research skills and ability to gather, organize, and synthesize information from multiple sources.
Ability to problem solve and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Self-motivated with strong organizational skills and willingness to work independently on behind-the-scenes operational tasks.
Computer competencies, including proficiency with G Suite tools (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides) and comfort learning donor management and membership database systems.
Collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively as part of a team.
Experience in the local food, beverage, and hospitality industry is a plus.

Apply Today

Internships are 18 to 24 hours per week in person at the RAMW office and paid $20 an hour. To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and three samples of work to internships@ramw.org with the subject line “RAMW Internship Application: Fundraising and Nonprofit Management - (Your Name)”. Work samples should include at least one academic sample (coursework, papers, projects completed for classes) and at least one applied sample (work completed for internships, student organizations, volunteer roles, independent projects, or other non-classroom settings).

RAMW is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or beliefs.

About RAMW

For more than 100 years, RAMW has advocated and provided a community for more than 1,400 entrepreneurs and small businesses in the greater Washington area. We count among our members beloved neighborhood spots, family-owned businesses, homegrown restaurant groups, and national and regional favorites. Together, we are one of the largest job creators in the District and leading contributors to revenues.