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Want an internship with meaning? Intern at the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan (MHF)! MHF is dedicated to empowering individuals to take action through its signature program, be nice., which focuses on mental health education and suicide prevention. Our mission is to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and encourage positive behaviors that impact the well-being of communities.

As an Marketing & Events Intern, you will play a key role in supporting the planning, promotion, and execution of fundraising initiatives and community events that advance the be nice. mission. This position offers hands-on experience in event planning, communications, event marketing, donor engagement, and nonprofit operations. Working alongside a passionate team, you will help create meaningful experiences that raise awareness, engage supporters, and generate critical funding to expand the impact of mental health education and suicide prevention programs throughout Michigan. 

At MHF, interns work on meaningful, real-world projects that directly contribute to our mission. Through hands-on experiences, you will gain valuable professional skills while making a tangible difference in the community.

Because we invest significant time and effort in mentoring and training our interns, we ask for a reciprocal commitment from you. To ensure you gain the full benefit of this experience, we request that interns commit to a five-month internship. This allows for deeper learning, meaningful contributions, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact within our organization.

This internship will run from August 2026 through December 2026 for up to 20 hours per week. Please note, while this internship is unpaid on an hourly basis, MHF will provide a $500 stipend upon successful completion of the internship.

Essential Job Functions

Event Planning & Logistics

  • Assist with the planning, coordination, and execution of fundraising events, community outreach events, and special programs.
  • Support event logistics, including venue coordination, vendor communication, registration management, guest lists, event timelines, and on-site event support.
  • Help recruit, coordinate, and communicate with volunteers, sponsors, vendors, and community partners.
  • Assist in identifying and securing silent auction items and in-kind donations while maintaining accurate tracking and records.
  • Participate in event setup, execution, and post-event evaluation to ensure successful outcomes.

Event Marketing & Communications

  • Develop and implement promotional strategies to increase event attendance, donor engagement, sponsorship participation, and community awareness.
  • Create, schedule, and publish content across social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
  • Assist with the development and distribution of email marketing campaigns.
  • Create marketing materials using Canva and other design platforms.
  • Assist with website updates and event-related content management.
  • Support grassroots and community-based marketing efforts to promote MHF initiatives and events.
  • Monitor and analyze engagement metrics across social media, email campaigns, community partnerships, and sponsorship activations.

Fundraising & Donor Engagement

  • Assist with fundraising campaigns and donor outreach initiatives.
  • Support sponsorship cultivation and stewardship efforts.
  • Track donations, sponsorships, event outcomes, and donor engagement activities.
  • Conduct research to identify prospective donors, sponsors, and community partners.
  • Assist with donor communications, acknowledgments, and event follow-up efforts.

General Support

  • Provide administrative support to the Communications and Events team as needed.
  • Assist with copywriting, content development, research, and special projects.
  • Stay informed on trends in nonprofit marketing, event management, fundraising, and mental health advocacy.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

  • Must be actively enrolled in an accredited college or university pursuing a degree in communications, public relations, marketing, nonprofit management, business, event management, health communication, or a related field.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
  • High level of professionalism, integrity, diplomacy, and initiative.
  • Strong interest in event planning, marketing, fundraising, and nonprofit work.
  • Writing and copy-editing experience preferred.
  • Proficiency with Google Workspace.
  • Experience creating content for social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
  • Experience with Canva and/or Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro) preferred.
  • Ability to work during traditional business hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) with flexibility for occasional evening and weekend events.
  • Work will be primarily in-person at the MHF offices located at 160 68th St. SW., Suite 120, Grand Rapids, MI 49548.
  • Commitment to providing up to 20 hours of assistance per week.

To Apply

Please apply through Handshake or submit your resume and cover letter to rachaelbraginton@benice.org. No phone calls, please.