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GIFT's Internship Program

To help us re-design our program, former interns, their mentors and site supervisors filled out surveys, talked with us in focus groups and one-on-one about what they loved and what we can do to make our program better.

Then, we read research about leadership development programs and interviewed our allies in the social justice, fundraising, and training & education communities, to learn from them. Now, we're participating on the planning team for the Leadership and Race project of Leadership Learning Community's Leadership for a New Era initiative. We'll spend the rest of 2010 designing a program model that's responsive to the changing needs of social justice groups based in communities of color. 

Have a suggestion for us? Email manish[AT]grassrootsfundraising[DOT]org.

Be on the lookout for a bold, beautiful new internship program in 2011!

Meanwhile, check these pages for other training opportunities:

• Training and Consulting
• Money for Our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference
• Fundraising Academy for Communities of Color
• Institute for Conservation Leadership's Complete Fundraiser Program

"This program exceeded our expectations...[Our intern] accomplished a ton of work, particularly on our database, and major donor relationship building strategy... Having a GIFT intern put grassroots fundraising into conversation within the organization in a really helpful way... Grassroots fundraising is more integrated into the daily work of Critical Resistance than ever before. "

- Ari Wohlfeiler, Critical Resistance

I am at day four...as a Development Associate of [a social justice organization]. A year ago it wouldn't have even crossed my mind that this would...be possible. I feel really comfortable there...and I feel I have the skills needed....I can see doing more of this long-term...(be proud of yourself, [GIFT staff])...

- Former GIFT intern, who was recruited to a development position within weeks of completing her internship

Our internship program is a response to our movements' need to develop more activist-fundraisers of color.

Through our 6-month internship, we train and pay community organizers of color to strengthen the grassroots fundraising programs of the social justice groups they love.

Each GIFT intern gets extensive training, mentorship from seasoned fundraisers, peer support, and special access to all of GIFT’s resources.

Our graduates leave the program with fundraising skills and experience, deepened political analysis and connection to a global network of more than 100 alumni.

Past internship sites include the Center for Third World Organizing, Colorado Anti-Violence Program, Project South, Grassroots Leadership, Just Communities-Central Coast, and more.

We’re scheduled to start accepting applications in Spring 2011 for our 2011-2012 program. Contact Manish Vaidya at manish[AT]grassrootsfundraising[DOT]org or at 510-452-4520 x301 for more info.

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GIFT recruited 8 extraordinary women of color for our 2007-2008 internship cycle.  Read why participants love our program.

Our internship class of 2008 hanging out in Denver

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