Development & Communications Intern

Organization

CARPLS Legal Aid

About the Role

The Development and Communications Intern helps CARPLS raise the support needed and tell the story of the people served. This is a hands-on role for a college student or recent graduate who wants real portfolio pieces and a close look at how a nonprofit funds its work and shares its mission. The internship is 16 hours a week, January to August 2027.

Key Responsibilities

Communications (70%)

• Help plan, write and design posts for Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, and keep the content calendar up to date.
• Work with program staff and volunteers to gather client stories, photos, and event coverage.
• Track engagement and help pull numbers for monthly and board reports.
• Update pages, news posts, and event listings on our WordPress site, and check for broken links and outdated information.
• Write and format blog posts and client success stories.
• Apply CARPLS brand guidelines across graphics, flyers, presentations, email, and fundraising pieces.
• Help build and organize our library of photos, logos, and templates.

Development (30%)

• Research foundations, corporate giving programs, and government funding opportunities that fit CARPLS's mission.
• Keep our grant calendar of deadlines, reports, and funder requirements up to date.
• Draft prospect profiles and gather data and attachments for grant applications and reports.
• Enter gifts, update donor records in Salesforce, and help prepare acknowledgment letters.
• Help plan the Golden Gavel Gala and Professionals Board events, from sponsorship tracking to event-day check-in.

Qualifications

Required

• Currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a bachelor's or graduate program (Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Nonprofit Management or a related field preferred).
• Strong writing, editing, and research skills.
• Comfortable with Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, including how each one works for organizations.
• Organized and reliable, with the ability to manage several tasks and deadlines.
• Able to handle confidential donor and client information with discretion.
• Able to work independently and as part of a small team, and available for occasional evening events with advance notice.

Nice to have

• Experience with Canva, Adobe InDesign and/or Illustrator.
• Experience with WordPress, Salesforce or another CRM.
• Photography or short-form video skills.
• Prior fundraising, events or nonprofit experience.
• Interest in nonprofits, legal aid or social justice.

What you'll gain

• Published and portfolio-ready work across grants, social media, web, and print.
• Experience on both sides of a nonprofit: how it raises money and how it tells its story.
• Regular mentorship and feedback from the Director of Development and the Marketing and Communications Manager.
• A close-up look at how legal aid serves Cook County residents.

Compensation

$17.50 per hour.

Position Type

Internship