Business Development Intern
Business Development Intern
Sponsor a Purpose | Remote | Part-Time Internship
Schedule: Approximately 15-25 hours per week
Compensation: Academic Credit & commission
Start Date: Flexible
About Sponsor a Purpose
Sponsor a Purpose is a fundraising and donor management platform built to help nonprofit organizations grow.
Our platform gives nonprofits the tools to manage donors, collect donations, automate communication, organize fundraising activity, and build stronger relationships with their supporters.
We also work directly with nonprofit clients to strengthen their websites, digital marketing, fundraising campaigns, and overall organizational capacity.
The Role
We are looking for a Business Development Intern who can help grow the Sponsor a Purpose partner network across the nonprofit sector.
This is a hands-on role that combines prospecting, relationship building, outreach, and pipeline management. You will help identify and engage referral partners including nonprofit consultants, associations, attorneys, and accounting professionals who work directly with the organizations we serve.
This is not a passive internship. You will contribute to live outreach campaigns, manage real partner relationships, work inside an active CRM, and see how your work directly affects company growth.
Responsibilities
Partner Development
- Identify and research prospective referral partners including nonprofit consultants, associations, CPAs, attorneys, and sector-adjacent professionals
- Support outreach to prospective partners via email and LinkedIn
- Help build and maintain pitch materials for partnership conversations
- Track all partner activity and follow-up inside HubSpot CRM
- Assist in developing partnership structures, co-marketing opportunities, and referral agreements
- Monitor the nonprofit sector for emerging partnership opportunities
Relationship Management
- Sit in on partner calls and document next steps
- Help maintain active communication with existing partners
- Support partner onboarding and orientation to the Sponsor a Purpose platform
- Assist with co-branded content, webinars, and joint campaigns with partners
- Help track partner-referred leads and report on pipeline activity
Research and Strategy
- Research nonprofit associations, conferences, and communities where partnerships can be developed
- Analyze competitor partnership programs and positioning
- Help identify high-value partner segments and prioritize outreach accordingly
- Contribute ideas for improving the partner program structure
Qualifications
- Current college student, recent graduate, or early-career professional
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Comfortable reaching out cold and following up professionally
- Interest in nonprofit work, social impact, business development, or SaaS
- Organized and self-directed in a remote environment
- Professional and dependable when communicating with external contacts
- Willing to receive feedback and adjust approach
- HubSpot or any CRM experience is a plus, not required
Previous internship or professional experience is helpful but not required. We care more about communication ability, initiative, reliability, and genuine interest in the nonprofit sector.
Experience with any of the following is a plus:
- HubSpot or similar CRM
- LinkedIn outreach
- Email prospecting
- Nonprofit sector knowledge
- Business development or sales support
- Google Workspace
What You Will Gain
- Real pipeline responsibility from day one, not busy work
- Hands-on HubSpot CRM experience across prospecting, outreach, and relationship tracking
- Exposure to a bootstrapped startup and how early-stage companies grow through partnerships
- Direct feedback and coaching from company leadership
- Experience building referral relationships across the nonprofit sector
- Strong performers may be considered for expanded responsibilities, freelance work, or a long-term paid role as the company grows
What Success Looks Like
A successful intern will:
- Build a consistent pipeline of prospective partners and move them through outreach stages
- Maintain organized and up-to-date records inside HubSpot
- Communicate professionally with external contacts and internal team members
- Follow up without being prompted and contribute ideas beyond assigned tasks
- Help generate referral relationships that bring nonprofit clients onto the platform
- Show genuine curiosity about the nonprofit sector and how partnerships create value
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief response to the following questions:
- What interests you about business development and the nonprofit sector?
- Have you done any outreach, sales support, or relationship-building work before? Describe it briefly.
- What tools have you used to stay organized or manage tasks?
- Describe a time you had to follow up persistently to get a result.
- How many hours per week are you available?
- When would you be available to start?
Sponsor a Purpose is an equal opportunity organization. We evaluate applicants based on their skills, potential, judgment, work ethic, and ability to contribute.