Fall 2026 Undergraduate Intern, Leadership and Planned Gifts - Development Team

The ACLU seeks an Undergraduate Intern in the Leadership and Planned Gifts as well as the Corporate Engagement Teams in the Development Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY.  This internship is hybrid.

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.   The Corporate Engagement team works with companies to raise funds, advance shared advocacy goals, elevate the ACLU brand and help the ACLU to reach new audiences.   

The intern will learn about the range of work within the Leadership and Planned Gifts and  Corporate Engagement teams 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.    

• →Data analysis of donors/prospects and database management including digitizing paper archives.
• →Learn about and conduct basic prospect research, of individuals and/or businesses' history supporting civil rights related work  
• →Monitor current events and curate list of resources for portfolio managers.  
• →Assist with small group gatherings intended for donor education, cultivation and stewardship, including ACLU's Creatives for Freedom Concert   

The internship is open to undergraduate or graduate students. Interns should possess the following: 

• 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 
• Commitment to diversity within the office; A personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance 
• Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts 
• Commitment to civil liberties, civil rights, and social justice 
• Commitment to the mission of the ACLU 
• Valid work authorization for those seeking a stipend from the ACLU 

• Location: Our Internship Program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. Candidates for this internship can select a fully remote or hybrid (part in-person and part remote) arrangement.
• Time Commitment: This internship requires a part-time commitment of 10, 15 or 20 hours per week with preference for 20.
• Internship Duration: Part-time internships extend for a 12-week period and begin either September 08 or September 21st.
• Stipend: A stipend is available for those students who do not receive course credit and are lawfully authorized to work. Students who receive outside funding are eligible for a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of ACLU’s stipend amount for that term, if applicable. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below is the stipend breakdown:
  • $20/hour for undergraduate students or equivalent experience

This internship must be tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.

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.

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 benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. 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.