Development Internship

About UsAt Walton Arts Center/Walmart AMP, we strive to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay and do their best work. We pride ourselves on bringing the best Arts and Entertainment to our audiences in Northwest Arkansas, and we know our organization runs on the hard work and dedication of our passionate and creative employees.

Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP aspire to be welcoming spaces where people can be their authentic selves. To truly embody our mission, we recognize the importance of reflecting the diversity of our community on our stages, in our audiences and within our workforce, volunteers and Board.

Our organization is committed to creating a welcoming environment, guided by our core values: Relevance; Inclusivity; Sustainability; Excellence. Walton Arts Center/Walmart AMP is focused on promoting fairness and recognizes the value of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. We believe these elements enhance the strength, creativity, and success of our team and the communities we serve.

Walton Arts Center Inc. operates two campuses: a 1,200-seat proscenium theatre and 269-seat black box in Fayetteville and an 11,000-capacity outdoor Amphitheatre known as the Walmart AMP in Rogers, AR. Walton Arts Center has been Arkansas’ premier performing arts center for over 30 years and Walmart AMP has consistently been one of Billboard's top-rated amphitheaters producing 30 plus concerts per season.

Located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains, NWA (as the locals refer to it) includes Benton, Washington, and Madison counties, with five hub cities: Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Springdale, and Siloam Springs. The economic opportunity is unparalleled, but so is the lifestyle — see: 400-plus miles of mountain biking trails and paved pathways, a thriving arts community complete with world-class performing arts center and museums, a legitimate beer and food scene, and live music to enjoy. Best of all, it’s a place where everyone is welcome.

Position Overview

To provide support to the Development department and the Walton Arts Center organization.

Work Experience

Candidates should be seniors with a strong desire to learn about non-profits and fundraising. Interns are encouraged to apply for class credit through their university.

While this is not a paid internship, Walton Arts Center offers a $800 stipend for the semester, reimbursement for mileage and complementary tickets to performances when available.

Principal Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

Work directly with the Development Project Specialist on a variety of tasks that support Walton Arts Center's fundraising efforts while gaining experience in all aspects of nonprofit development. Specific responsibilities will vary based on team priorities and may include:

Research & Data Support

Organize donor and sponsor history reports from our database

Help create charts and profiles that show giving trends over time

Clean up data (i.e. removing duplicates) in donor database

Staff & Supporter Insights

Interview Development staff members about their work to identify gaps or needs

Shadow staff to understand supporter engagement

Act as a “secret shopper” in donor lounges to assess the experience

Benchmarking & Idea Gathering

Research how other local and national organizations run events or fundraising campaigns

Track what’s happening in the community that might overlap with our work

Conduct informational interviews with other arts organizations and compile findings

Communications & Materials

Audit donor messaging and visuals for consistency

Draft surveys to gather supporter feedback

General Responsibilities

Represent Walton Arts Center / Walmart AMP at both on and off-site events, as requested

Maintain security and safety requirements as defined by operations guidelines.

Maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures

What You’ll Learn:

Fundraising best practice

How nonprofits track and use donor data

What fundraising strategies and donor stewardship look like

How to conduct prospect research

How internal collaboration improves donor experiences

Real-world tools like CRMs, spreadsheets, and surveys

Requirements

Must have reliable mode of transportation to attend community events and shows. Must be available to work 15-20 hours/week. Some evening hours may be required.

High school diploma or GED required

The work environment as well as the intellectual, social, and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Education, Training, Traits

Interest in the performing arts, nonprofit work, fundraising, or communications

Attention to detail and curiosity

Strong experience with Google Sheets or Excel

Research skills

Written and verbal communication skills

Willingness to ask questions and learn by doing

Ability to work independently as well as with others to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices

Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards.

Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards

Physical

Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.

Must be able to talk, listen and speak clearly (on telephone)

Must have a working cell phone and be willing to install basic applications and be willing to use it for work purposes

Must be able to endure sitting or standing for extended periods of time

Must be able to endure standing or walking for extended periods of time on various surfaces such as concrete, grass, and inclined surfaces

Must be able to endure outdoor elements including cold, heat, wind, and/or precipitation

Must be able to work occasionally in large, crowded environments, with flashing lights, loud music and noises, pyrotechnics, and cannons as part of shows and events