Philanthropy Intern

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

National Housing Trust (NHT) has been dedicated to creating and preserving affordable housing for almost 40 years. We build, preserve, and finance affordable housing and use that expertise to inform and advance resident-focused solutions to strengthen the broader affordable housing industry.

NHT has a staff of 60+ across the following program areas: Policy, Lending, Real Estate Development, and Community Outreach and Impact. Our hallmark is our cross-functional, integrated approach to innovating, demonstrating, and amplifying solutions to the affordable housing crisis in the U.S.

ABOUT NHT’S PHILANTHROPY & COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

The Philanthropy and Communications team, under the direction of the Managing Director of Community Outreach and Impact, provides support to the program areas across NHT. Philanthropy leads NHT’s fundraising efforts. Philanthropy’s daily responsibilities strengthen fundraising processes, increase and diversify revenue, and improve grant management. While they have distinct responsibilities, Philanthropy and Communications collectively drive towards the goals of increasing NHT’s brand visibility, expanding the organizational network, and implementing systems and processes that capture the breadth of our external relationships (donors, funders).

POSITION

The Philanthropy Intern will gain experience in donor relations, grant prospecting, data entry, and nonprofit CRM tools like Salesforce. This role is ideal for someone interested in fundraising, communications, or nonprofit management. This position will report to the Philanthropy Coordinator.

This position will start in July 2025 and conclude in December 2025. This part time position is DC-based and qualifies for a hybrid work schedule.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising Support

• Support stewardship efforts including campaign follow up and database tracking


• Help draft and review donor communications, including acknowledgment letters and appeals


• Collaborate with program teams to capture success stories


• Assist in planning and execution of funder events or stakeholder convenings

Grant Prospecting and Management

• Conduct research on grant opportunities and prospective funders


• Support preparation of grant materials and proposals


• Join prospecting meetings and grant kickoff meetings to capture notes and support project coordination for each phase of the grant lifecycle

Database Maintenance

• Maintain and update donor and grant records in Salesforce


• Assist in data entry and generation of donor/prospect reports


• Assist in the creation of dashboards that track grant pipelines and clearly communicate with leadership

Communications Support

• Draft language and content for Philanthropy newsletter


• Event photography to capture content for website and social channels


• Update website to reflect organizational successes and draw potential donor and funder attention

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?

This is a great opportunity for a current college student or recent graduate. Candidates will ideally have experience or demonstrated interest in non-profit work such as affordable housing. Other qualifications include:

• Professionalism and discretion when handling sensitive donor information


• Experience using Salesforce or willingness to learn


• Detail-oriented and organized


• Experience catering communications to a varied audience


• Strong computer aptitude skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite Programs


• Excellent interpersonal and organizational communications skills, including verbal and written.


• Ability to integrate thoroughness and attention to detail with a big picture, strategic vision.


• High collaborative work ethic and positive attitude.


• Commitment to NHT’s mission, including a deep dedication to assisting low-income families.


• Availability to attend occasional local in-person events, sometimes outside of work hours

COMPENSATION

This is a part-time position (approx. 10-20 hours per week) and pays $20/hr.