A Summer At The National Women’s Law Center

I have had the privilege to spend the last month working with the Development team at the National Women’s Law Center. The NWLC is an organization that has been committed to fighting for women’s rights in the courtroom and in Washington, working on everything from Title IX cases, to income inequality, to sexual harassment, reproductive rights, and housing security. The NWLC also understands that those most affected by these issues are often part of marginalized communities, such as poor women, women of color, and members of the LGBTQ community.

As a Development Intern, I have gotten the chance to learn more about the organization as a whole, while also deepening my understanding of what exactly goes into the strategy and planning of fundraising efforts within nonprofit organizations. I have learned about grant writing and applications, and have had the chance to help write proposals for foundation funding that would help legislative efforts in all of our departments, but in particular reproductive justice efforts. I have also had the chance to help with budget evaluations for the 2020-2021 and 2019-2020 fiscal years. This has included making analysis of strengths and weaknesses in different fundraising strategies and time periods. In general, I have been able to develop a much stronger sense of what work in development looks like from day to day.

I have also been able to meet and network with other interns and other departments within NWLC. Many of these interns are law students, and have been able to give insight into the day to day life of law students. I have also been able to learn about work done in other departments, like notes being taken on cases surrounding Title IX, or research done in the benefits gap that women, and in particular women of color experience in the workplace. So far my experience at NWLC and with the Feminist Summer Internship Program has strengthened my interest in working for non-profits, and in particular ones focused on women’s issues.