KAP 2026-2027 - Development Associate - Illinois Policy Institute
The Koch Associate Program (KAP) is a career accelerator for early to mid-career professionals with a drive to tackle our country’s most pressing challenges in more effective, principled ways. KAP equips associates with the tools, mindsets, and community to succeed as social entrepreneurs—individuals excited to find new and better ways to break barriers and eliminate injustice. Associates spend one day each week engaging in experiential learning with Stand Together Fellowships and work at one of our many partner organizations the rest of the week. Our curriculum is designed to supercharge your development and equip you for long-term success as you seek to have an impact on the problems that prevent people from realizing their potential.
About the Illinois Policy Institute
The Illinois Policy Institute is one of the nation’s leading free-market public policy organizations. We advance policies that promote economic freedom, personal liberty, and good governance, working to ensure Illinois is a state where families, businesses, and communities can thrive.
Through rigorous policy research, strategic litigation, and public education, Illinois Policy Institute plays a central role in shaping policy debates in Illinois and beyond. Our work is fast-paced, consequential, and grounded in a belief that principled ideas—paired with disciplined execution—can drive real reform.
About the Role
The Illinois Policy Institute is hiring a Development Associate to support a growing and high-performing fundraising operation. This role is ideal for an early-career professional who is eager to learn the fundamentals of nonprofit development while contributing meaningfully to donor engagement, stewardship, and revenue growth.
The Development Associate supports day-to-day fundraising activities, including proposal and report drafting, prospect research, donor communications, event support, and data management. This role is an important entry point into institutional fundraising and provides hands-on exposure to major gifts, foundations, and strategic donor relationships.
The Associate will report to the Vice President of Development and work closely with senior members of the development team, including major gifts staff, gaining direct mentorship and insight into how a best-in-class development shop operates.
This role is ideally based in Chicago (hybrid; minimum three days per week in office).
Growth Opportunities
This role is designed as a foundation for a long-term career in nonprofit development. As the Associate grows in experience and skill, they will take on greater responsibility across donor stewardship, grant management, and prospect support.
Strong performers may advance into more senior development roles, gaining increasing ownership over donor relationships, strategy execution, and institutional impact.
Values Alignment
The Illinois Policy Institute’s development team is collaborative, disciplined, and results-driven. We are building a fundraising operation that matches the seriousness and scale of our policy work.
We are seeking a teammate who believes in free-market solutions, limited government, and the importance of private philanthropy in advancing durable reform—and who is eager to contribute to that mission through integrity, self-accountability and excellence in execution.
Key Responsibilities:
Proposal & Writing Support
- Draft and edit donor proposals, impact reports, and stewardship communications
- Maintain and update institutional boilerplate, program summaries, and funding materials
- Conduct research on prospective donors, foundations, and partners
- Summarize findings and track cultivation activity within the organization’s CRM
- Coordinate with Finance and Operations to record gifts, pledges, and donor interactions
- Support reconciliation processes to ensure accurate and timely reporting
- Assist with drafting thank-you letters and donor acknowledgments
- Support donor club materials and ensure prompt, professional follow-up
- Assist with meeting coordination, briefing preparation, and personalized donor outreach
- Support senior staff in preparing for donor meetings and calls
- Assist with donor receptions, briefings, and institute events
- Support logistics, guest coordination, and post-event follow-up
Prospect Research
Gift Processing & Data Management
Stewardship & Acknowledgment
Donor Outreach & Scheduling
Event Support
Qualifications:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and dependable
- Interest in fundraising, philanthropy, communications, or public policy
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office or Google Workspace; CRM experience a plus (training provided)
- Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Willingness to occasionally support events outside standard business hours (up to 10%)
What You Will Learn:
- How to write effective donor proposals and impact reports
- How to use a modern CRM to track fundraising activity and donor engagement
- How donor meetings and events are planned and executed
- How a professional development team supports revenue growth and long-term donor relationships
How to Apply
Qualified candidates should submit the following materials in one PDF document:
- Cover Letter, including:
- Three specific reasons you are drawn to the Illinois Policy Institute’s mission
- At least one policy issue or reform area that resonates with you
- Salary requirements
- Resume
Applications need to also be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/
About Stand Together Fellowships
Learn more about Stand Together Fellowships.
Stand Together Fellowships believes that diversity in experiences, perspectives, knowledge and ideas fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. Our admissions office treats all program participants and applicants with honesty, dignity, respect and sensitivity. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of color, race, religion, religious creed, sex, gender or gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy (including medical needs which may arise from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), military and veteran status, genetic information, marital or familial status, political affiliation, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.