Title: Development Intern 

Position Reports To:  Director of Development  

About Butterfly Pavilion: At Butterfly Pavilion, (BP) we transform the way people think about invertebrates. These small but mighty animals that surround us are so much more than people think. They are everywhere because everything depends on them. They are the hidden heroes of the animal kingdom. As the leader in invertebrate knowledge, inspiration and connection, Butterfly Pavilion works to foster an appreciation of these critical animals by educating the public about the need to protect and care for threatened habitats globally, while conducting research for solutions in invertebrate conservation. Whether it is providing unique, firsthand learning experiences in our exhibits and educational programs, conducting new research that sets the standard for zoos across the country or building innovative solutions for species and habitat conservation in countries around the world, Butterfly Pavilion is leading the way in ensuring invertebrates are protected for the future.   

Our Core Values are a large part of who we are as an organization:   

• We Live our Mission 
• Passion for Learning 
• Welcome All   

These aren’t just words, but words to live by here at Butterfly Pavilion.  

Commitment:   

• This Summer Internship runs from August 11th, 2026 – December 4th, 2026  
• Must complete 180 hours over the course of the internship, typically following a schedule of 20-24 hours per week  
• Must be available for orientation at Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, Colorado on August 11th, 2026 
• Must be available for presentation of project at Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, Colorado on December 2nd, 2026  

Stipend: Unpaid; school credit can be earned for this internship in most cases. 

Position Summary:   

Butterfly Pavilion is seeking a curious, confident, and mission-driven intern to join the Development team for a hands-on experience in nonprofit fundraising, donor engagement, and relationship management. This internship offers a rare opportunity to see how real fundraising systems work from the inside — and to help shape them. 

The intern will play a central role in a high-impact donor insight project, connecting directly with Butterfly Pavilion members, donors, and prospective donors to better understand what inspires their support. Through these conversations, the intern will help identify supporter interests, motivations, and communication preferences, then translate those insights into meaningful data within Neon CRM. 

This is not a solicitation role. Instead, the intern will build professional communication and public speaking skills while helping Butterfly Pavilion create smarter, more personalized donor engagement strategies. Their work will directly influence how the Development, Guest Experience, and Marketing teams communicate with supporters in the future. 

Project Impact 

This internship is an opportunity to make a visible, lasting contribution to Butterfly Pavilion’s fundraising infrastructure. By helping gather, organize, and analyze information from approximately 1,000 members, donors, and prospective donors, the intern will help build a stronger foundation for donor stewardship, segmentation, and future campaign strategy. 

The intern will not just observe fundraising systems — they will help improve them. Their work will shape how Butterfly Pavilion understands its supporters, identifies what motivates giving, and connects people more deeply to the mission areas they care about most. At the end of the internship, the intern will present key findings and recommendations to the Development, Guest Experience, and Marketing teams, providing insight that can inform real organizational strategy. 

Key Skills Learned and Benefits Earned: 

• Nonprofit fundraising and donor engagement best practices  
• Relationship-based communication and phone outreach skills  
• Public speaking and professional communication  
• Donor research, data collection, and constituent segmentation  
• CRM database experience, including tagging and categorizing donor interests in Neon  
• Cross-departmental collaboration with Development, Guest Experience, and Marketing teams 
• Final presentation experience summarizing project findings, trends, and recommendations 

Responsibilities:    

• Conduct outreach to Butterfly Pavilion members, donors, and prospective donors to learn more about their interests, motivations, and connection to the organization  
• Engage supporters in friendly, non-solicitation conversations focused on information gathering and relationship-building  
• Record donor interest areas, preferences, and relevant notes in Neon CRM  
• Help tag and categorize supporter information to improve future communications and segmentation 
• Identify trends and insights that may help Butterfly Pavilion better understand what is compelling to its donor and member communities 
• Collaborate with Development staff to refine outreach messaging and ensure accurate data entry 
• Prepare and deliver a final presentation to the Development, Guest Experience, and Marketing teams summarizing key findings and recommendations 

Qualifications & Skills:    

• Pursuing or hold a degree in social sciences or related fields.
• Interest in nonprofit fundraising, communications, marketing, community engagement, conservation, or related fields.
• Detail oriented 
• Basic computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets) and proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
• Interest in Butterfly Pavilion’s mission and conservation work 

Minimum Age Requirement:  Applicants must be at least 18 years of age  

Work Environment / Physical Requirements:   

These work environment characteristics are representative of the environment the position will encounter while performing the responsibilities of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.   

At Butterfly Pavilion, the team member is occasionally exposed to moderate to loud environmental noise for extended periods of time. While performing the responsibilities of this position, the team member  is required to talk and hear. The team member  is often required to sit and stand, use their hands and fingers, to handle/feel/grasp. The team member  is occasionally required to reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision.  The team member  should be able to lift, carry and items up to 50 lbs.   

How to Apply:   

Butterfly Pavilion is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages people of all backgrounds to apply for open positions and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or veteran status.  

Applicants must submit a Resume and Cover Letter.   

Position is open until  July 24th, 2026. No phone calls or drop in’s please.