Philanthropy Project Intern

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.  

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.  

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution. 

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, Monday, June 15 - Friday, August 14, at least three days working onsite

Department Description

The Philanthropy Department raises over $30 million in earned and contributed revenue to make SFMOMA’s operations possible each year. Charitable contributions are generously provided from individuals donors, corporations, government agencies, and foundations. As a department, our mission is to foster an environment that supports creative efforts to attract, retain, and steward donors to maintain and grow an impactful and inclusive Philanthropy program. The Philanthropy department is comprised of five teams: Enterprise Events, Membership, Partnerships, Legacy Giving, and Individual Giving. 

Position Description

The Philanthropy Project Intern reports to the Philanthropy Program Manager and will work closely with the Individual Giving Associate and the Philanthropy Program Associate. The primary focus of the intern will be to enhance the prospect pipeline for all levels of giving at the museum. The intern will learn how to use prospecting tools including Tessitura, iWave, and LexusNexus to find new donors for the museum. In addition, the intern will have the opportunity to meet and learn about the work of all philanthropy teams including Major Gifts, Individual Giving, Partnerships, Events, and Membership.  

Project Plan

Over the 9-week program, the Philanthropy Project Intern will learn about SFMOMA’s current prospect research process, develop a prospect pipeline SOP in tandem with philanthropy staff partners, and, at the end of the 9 weeks, make suggestions regarding prospecting tools and processes to improve the team’s fundraising strategy and support cultivation of new or lapsed donors.  

The intern will also:

· Receive training in the CRM database (Tessitura) and Kindsight. 

· Collaborate with the Philanthropy team to strengthen prospect processes.  

· Support overall database management and organization. 

· Complete research projects and profiles on top community members and prospective donors to help SFMOMA’s

Philanthropy team establish relationships and solicit contributions. 

· Prepare and deliver a presentation summarizing key findings and proposed strategies that the department

will utilize to create standards across SFMOMA’s Tessitura usage. 

Educational Objectives

· Gain knowledge about non-profit fundraising (commonly referred to as development and advancement) and

philanthropy programs in museum and arts settings.  

· Develop key skillsets for a potential philanthropy career, including prospect research, fundraising

language development, and Tessitura database skills (CRM which many nonprofits use).  

· Develop relationships with Philanthropy colleagues and receive an inside view of museum administration.  

Additional Internship Programming

The Summer 2026 Internship will offer 9-weeks of hands-on experience and mentorship along with weekly presentations and discussions with various departments in the museum, off-site educational visits within the Bay Area community, and access to various tours and events within the museum.

Requirements 

· Applicants must be currently enrolled in school or a recent graduate. The SFMOMA recognizes a graduation date

within 6 months of the internship start date as a recent graduate.  

· If you are a current employee of the SFMOMA applying for an internship, you must be a current student or a

recent graduate, within 6 months of the internship start date.

· Strong attention to detail.  

· Excellent time management and communication skills.  

· Resourceful and can seek out information from a variety of sources.  

· Maintains strict confidentiality regarding all aspects of work, such as donor information, department operations, and financials. 

· Preference for background within the arts and appreciation for museums. 

· Tessitura, CRM, and/or Excel usage is desirable. 

Application Requirements

· Intern application on SFMOMA job site

· Resume, in PDF format

· Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest, in PDF format

 · Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for

  applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.

· Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or current/former employer, in PDF format

· College/university transcript, in PDF format

 · Transcripts can be unofficial but must be legible

  · If you are currently enrolled in a master's or PhD program, please provide the transcript for your current

  program, not your undergraduate transcript

Application Deadline: February 28, 2026

Please note: You only need two letters of recommendation total, not separate letters for each internship. If you apply to multiple internships (up to three), simply inform your recommenders which positions you’re applying for. We’ll review the same two letters across all your applications.

Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street. 

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law.

You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.

You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at [email protected].