Summer 2026 Grad or Undergrad Intern, Development Department- Leadership & Planned Gifts

The ACLU seeks an Undergraduate or Graduate intern in the Development Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York City. This internship is Hybrid.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated undergraduate or graduate students or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship. 

The Team:

The ACLU’s passionate community of donors and activists is stronger than ever.  The mission of the ACLU’s Development Department is to unlock the full potential of donors and the ACLU as partners in the creation of a more perfect union.  We pursue our mission by building long-term donor relationships and organizational partnerships, by demonstrating impact in response to threats, by engaging donors how they wish to engage, by taking interest in our donors and facilitating personal action, by being accountable stewards of their funds, and by asking donors to consider giving the ACLU their full support.    

The Leadership and Planned Gifts Team works with individual donors who are supportive of the ACLU’s work by developing individualized solicitation and stewardship plans.  

What You’ll Do:

The intern will learn about the range of work within the Leadership and Planned Gifts team through attending team meetings and taking on individual assignments.  Additionally, the intern will be exposed to the work of other teams within the Development Department.

Your Day to Day

• Data analysis of donors/prospects and database management
• Digitizing paper archives
• Learn about and conduct basic prospect research, to deepen our knowledge of their financial capacity and inclination to make a major gift to the ACLU
• Monitor current events and curate list of resources for portfolio managers
• Support donor engagement by drafting emails and helping with thank you calls
• Participate in staff's donor strategy discussions
• Assist with small group gatherings intended for donor education, cultivation and stewardship  

What You’ll Bring:

• Interest in a career in development, and especially prospect research or major gifts face-to-face fundraising
• Good writing skills and verbal communication skills
• Experience with Microsoft Office
• An ability to analyze data

Future ACLU-ers Will:

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict

Internship Logistics:

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship is full-time and hybrid from our New York City office.
• Time Commitment: Full-time (35 hours/week)
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks. This internship has a start date of: May 26th or June 8th
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit.
  • Below are the stipend rates:
    • $20/hr for undergraduate students or equivalent experience
    • $24/hr for graduate and law students or equivalent experience

Why the ACLU:

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us. 

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must formally submit an application. The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.