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Internships: Internship Detail

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Internship: Development Department Intern
Date posted: 10/28/2009 Deadline: Ongoing
Contact: Rob Taylor Field: Arts
Employer Name: World Arts West Compensation:
Location: Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, and several off-site locations for events. Hours: 14-18 hours per week
Email: Rob@worldartswest.org Web: http://www.worldartswest.org
Phone: No phone calls please. Fax:
Supervision/Evaluation: Directly supervised by the Director of Development for the organization. Evaluation provided through weekly check-in. Will also work closely with the Executive Director and the Director of Operations. Letter of recommendation will be provided at conclusion of internship. Paid/Unpaid: UnPaid
Duration: 4 months with Who should apply? Both Undergrad & Graduate Students
Responsibilities: The Development Intern will work in tandem with the Development Director, Executive Director, and the Director of Operations.

Projects may include, but will not be limited to:
  • Facilitate mail and email correspondence with donors
  • Track donations in database (Telosa’s Exceed Premier) and generate acknowledgment letters in a timely manner
  • Maintaining files on individual donors, major donors, foundations, and corporate partners
  • Contribute to brainstorming, planning, and implementation of direct mail and email fundraising efforts
  • Researching potential funders and finding those whose priorities match World Arts West’s mission
  • General departmental support and packaging of various grant proposals and reports as needed
  • Assist with the creation and implementation of World Arts West’s Development Manual
  • Other duties as assigned
Skills & Abilities:
  • Strong communication skills, particularly strong writing ability.
  • Superb attention-to-detail, organization skills, and multi-tasking abilities.
  • A motivated, self-starter
  • Interest in nonprofit development/fundraising, marketing and sales, or nonprofit management, particularly in regards to arts organizations
Details: The Opportunity World Arts West, producer of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, is seeking an intern to work in our Development department.

This is an unpaid internship, with a requirement of 14-18 hours per week. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm. Off-site work will be required, as well as some occasional work on weekends and evenings. There is a four month commitment, with the possibility of continuing to the conclusion of the Festival in June 2010.

The Organization World Arts West, is a non-profit arts organization working to broaden appreciation of world dance and music forms and encouraging artists to sustain their cultural traditions.

We address the many distinct challenges in the field of world music and dance, from promoting culturally—sensitive presentation formats to developing community service priorities.

Our primary program is the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, the first multicultural, city-sponsored ethnic dance festival in America.

The Festival process begins with Auditions at the Palace of Fine Arts every January. More than 100 dance companies and soloists audition for the Festival each year, to an audience of more than 5,000 Festival performances take place every weekend in June. Each of the 12 shows connects the presented dance forms through thoughtfully designed transitions between groups that New York Times dance critic Macaulay has described as “little triumphs of pluralism and multiculturalism, sweetly demonstrating how the exponents of different cultural forms can coexist with no loss of pride or fun.” At the Festival, over 11,000 audience members connect with artists from the diverse dance communities that make the Bay Area such a unique and important center for dance.

The Department Development is an integral part of World Arts West’s ability to meet its mission to celebrate and sustain the culturally diverse dance forms that are practiced in Northern California. Development personnel are responsible for identifying and cultivating potential donors to the organization, soliciting new and continuing gifts, and maintaining and stewarding our existing donors.

We work with individual donors, major donors, foundations, and corporate partners. In this economic climate, fundraising is more important than ever, and development skills are in high demand on the job market.
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