Foundation Relations Development Intern

About the Program:

WRI is a fast-paced and growing organization, with experts and staff around the world. As we grow our programs and impact throughout our global network, we are enhancing our global fundraising capacity to resource our ambitious strategies.

The Global Development Department (GDD) supports WRI programs and international offices with fundraising. The GDD is organized into four teams grouped by fundraising sector: corporate, government, foundation, and individual philanthropy.

This position will work closely with the Foundation Relations team. This is a central role in WRI's Global Development Department (GDD) and offers a valuable opportunity to learn about fundraising strategy, donor cultivation and stewardship in a growing organization. The position requires good coordination and administrative skills, familiarity with or a strong interest in working with industry standard knowledge/customer relations management tools, ability to juggle numerous priorities, and an interest in learning about fundraising in a global context.

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington DC. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

What you will do:

Knowledge management systems (60% time)

• Update foundation records, activities and follow-up actions in WRI's relationship management database and task management software, including contact details, key foundation data, and tracking of key opportunities, activities, and engagement.

• Develop knowledge resources and tools that share insights about top climate and development donors and major philanthropic trends.

• Contribute to funder prospect research for specific WRI strategic priorities.

Internal communications (30% time)

• Provide administrative support (scheduling, agenda, note-taking, follow-up on actions) for Foundation Relations teams, especially our regular fundraising check-ins with our several International Offices and Programs.

• Write content for internal newsletters.

External communications (10% time)

• Support with grant acknowledgment letters and other donor
  communications.

Internship Learning Outcomes:

Through this internship, you will:

• Be part of one of the world's leading research and action organizations working to tackle climate change, while improving people's well-being and livelihoods, and safeguarding nature

• Gain insights and practical experience in working at a large, matrixed, global organization

• Build essential skills in developing and keeping up-to-date knowledge products that are essential in fostering fundraising and partnership development.

• Have a unique opportunity to gain exposure to the art and craft of fundraising from foundations and learn about many of the largest and most sophisticated climate and development funders globally

• Learn to use a complex, industry standard cloud-platform CRM system (Salesforce)

• Develop key meeting coordination skills - learn to prepare agendas and improve notetaking in business context, and eventually, meeting facilitation.

What you will need:

• Currently pursuing or completed an undergraduate degree in marketing, sales, public policy, business administration or related field

• A demonstrated interest in working with fundraising, research, donor cultivation and stewardship

• You are interested in building practical experience in using relationship management data systems and tools

• You have some experience (gained in a professional or academic capacity) with synthesizing information, notetaking, meeting coordination and data management

• You are proficient in written and spoken English. Other language skills are desirable.

Compensation

The pay for this internship opportunity is $20/hourfor undergrads; $22/hour for graduates and $24/hour for PhD students.

Length of Contract:

This is a full-time, 3-month internship with a flexible start and end date.

Location:

• This is a hybrid internship that will be based out of our Washington D.C. office.

• You will be required to work in the Washington DC office at least 8 days per month.

How to Apply:
Please submit a resume with a cover letter by March 31, 2026. Applicants mustapply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of applications from qualified candidates.

About Us:

World Resources Institute works to improve people's lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

Internships at WRI are learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, and other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of our work. We strive to attract diverse, intellectually driven candidates who have a passion for sustainability and development. WRI provides many internship opportunities throughout the year in all our programs.

WRI is committed to advancing gender, racial, and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.

Our mission and values:

WRI's mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Independence, Integrity, Impact, Partnership and Care.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission, including equal opportunities inemployment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.

Our People team carefully reviews all applications.

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