Internship Program

Internship Program

Applications for the 2025–2026 Academic Year Internship Program are now closed.
 

If you would like to be notified about future internship opportunities, please complete the internship interest form.


The 2026 Summer Internship Program application is scheduled to go live in February 2026. This program runs from late May/early June 2026 through mid-to-late August 2026.

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2023 GLI Interns

The Gilder Lehrman Institute supports two internship cycles each year: academic-year internships and summer internships. While most internships are for college students, there may also be internships for high school and graduate school students. Internships are generally available in a variety of departments, including accounting, curatorial, development, digital, education, and marketing.

Please email internships@gilderlehrman.org if you have questions about our internship program.

Development Intern

The Organization

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) is the nation’s leading American history organization dedicated to K–12 education. The Institute’s mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources. Since its founding in 1994, the Gilder Lehrman Institute has created powerful and meaningful ways to teach and learn history. Focusing on primary sources, the Institute offers teacher seminars, online courses, exhibitions, digital materials, and print publications that enable students of all ages and backgrounds to study the nation’s past.

The Institute brings the work of today’s leading historians into classrooms and homes around the globe. Through public events, publications, posters, videos, exhibitions, essays, and a dedicated website rich in primary sources, the Institute brings every period of American history to life. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School network comprises fourteen million students and 97,000 teachers from more than 37,500 schools worldwide.

The Role

Interested in fueling the impact of a mission-driven organization? GLI’s Development team is looking for you! 

We are currently seeking a Development Intern, reporting to the Associate Director of Development, to support the Development Department, which is charged with raising $5 million per year.

Position Overview

The intern will perform the following duties:

  • Salesforce Data Entry and Cleanup 
    • Update Salesforce with contact data and related documents, such as donation-related documents and research profiles
    • Recurring Salesforce maintenance to clean up bad or inaccurate data
  • Donor Communications
    • Based upon skills and experience, create and design fundraising collateral  
    • Create and send acknowledgment letters to donors in a timely manner
    • Retain and file donor correspondence 
    • Support mailings and campaigns
    • Work with the marketing team to ensure timely creation of invitations for events
  • Donor Research
    • Develop research profiles on individual and institutional prospects and donors 
  • Meeting and Event Support
    • Track RSVPs and share updates with internal stakeholders
    • Support Development and Donor Communications Coordinator and Events Manager in event-related tasks, such as school outreach, packing day-of materials, setup, and cleanup

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree
  • Commitment to GLI’s mission and enthusiasm for communicating the mission to external audiences
  • Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications
  • Experience with Salesforce and WealthEngine a plus

Skills to Be Developed

  • Fundraising data management
  • Non-profit fundraising operations

Compensation

  • $16.50/hour

Internship Term

Immediate start through May 2026. The term could possibly extend beyond May.

Hours per Week

15–20

Work Location

Hybrid, with at least one day of in-person work at GLI’s Midtown office weekly.

To Apply 

Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume in a single file to internships@gilderlehrman.org. Please include “Development Intern” in the subject line of your email. Please also let us know how you heard about the role. 

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, sex, gender identity, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, height, weight, or any other legally protected status. Frequently cited statistics show that women and people from underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, GLI encourages you to apply.

Contact Information

internships@gilderlehrman.org 

 

What past interns have said

“I learned extremely valuable professional skills . . . My position allowed me to experience a bit of everything—market research, database management, Salesforce, Drupal, etc. I reference this a lot with other potential employers, and they are always impressed. The internship helped me learn what it is like to try to balance both work and school and how to communicate professionally.”

“I felt welcomed and appreciated by my advisor! I loved that . . . my opinions were asked and considered throughout GLI projects.”

“The most valuable part for me was meeting other interns and full-time staff with a shared love of history and non-profit work. Through them, I got a better sense of how I could apply my history major to a career.”