Foundations Grant Writer INTERN

The Focus on the Family Internship Program provides valuable experience, professional and spiritual development, and lasting friendships for over 30 college upperclassmen each summer. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Focus on the Family has nearly 700 employees who work to achieve the mission of enriching the lives of families, engaging the culture, advocating for life and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The work is meaningful, the culture is rewarding, and the purpose is eternal.

Foundations Grant Writing Intern - Job Description

What you would be a part of:

Focus on the Family is a Christian non-profit media ministry that offers practical, everyday help to families at every age and stage of their journey. We encourage kids and adults to grow in their faith; we prepare men and women for marriage and show them how to cherish one another for a lifetime; we provide training and support for moms and dads so they can navigate real-time parenting challenges; and we stand up for all human life, from conception to natural death. We are unashamedly pro-family, pro-life, and pro-Jesus.

As a Grant Writing intern, you would be working on the Foundations team to learn about fundraising through foundation grants including how to research for funding prospects, how to make initial contact with a new foundation, communications strategies, how to write an Letters of Intent (LOI)/proposal/report and relationship development.

Responsibilities – What does a day in the life look like?

• Writing letters of intent, proposals, and reports to be sent to a foundation
• Composing communications with foundations including updates on Focus projects
• Interfacing with various Focus departments to get updated information and figures for reports
• Excavating and summarizing solid articles for our quarterly publication FoundationWise
• Providing support to the team by helping compose personal communications with foundations
• Researching prospects through our research tools: FoundationSearch and MatchGrant

Goals – What do we want you to learn and grow in?

• Learn the foundation fundraising process
• Learn how to write an LOI/Proposal/Report
• Gain understanding in various approaches to foundation fundraising and how to identify the right one for the foundation being approached
• Gain understanding of the importance of communications in foundation fundraising

Experience – What are we looking for in a candidate? Experience – What are we looking for in a candidate?

• Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Non-profit Management or similar
• High attention to detail
• Proven experience in journalistic style writing
• Strong research skills
• Ability to follow detailed instructions and procedures
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite
• A writing portfolio may be requested during interview process

As a non-profit ministry, Focus on the Family is committed to hiring staff who are dedicated to sharing the gospel and live by biblical truths. Therefore, all candidates must:

• Exemplify Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us...”
• Pursue the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
• Be a consistent witness for Jesus Christ; maintaining a courteous, Christ-like attitude in dealing with people within and outside of Focus; adhering to the Standard of Moral Conduct (http://media.focusonthefamily.com/fotf/pdf/about-us/human-resources/moral-policy.pdf) and Statement of Faith (https://www.focusonthefamily.com/about/foundational-values/); upholding Focus on the Family's ministry in prayer
• Demonstrate behaviors aligned with Focus on the Family core values (https://www.focusonthefamily.com/about/foundational-values/)

Additional Notes:

This position is an intern position only.  There will be no compensation or pay with this position, but a $3500 honorarium, workday lunch, and housing for out-of-town students will be provided.

Only upperclassmen college students need apply for the summer internship.

Transportation is the responsibility of the intern and may be a condition of acceptance.

Helping Families Thrive in Christ! Focus on the Family is a 501c3 Christian Non-Profit Ministry.