Business Development Intern

WhatYou’llDo:

The Business Development Intern plays a supporting role in Foundant's pipeline growth, working alongside our BDR team to learn how we engage prospects, uncover their needs, and communicate the value of our solutions. This is a hands-on role — not a shadow program — and interns contribute real work from day one.

Through guided outreach and research, the intern helps identify and qualify potential clients in the foundation sector, gaining firsthand exposure to the early stages of a B2B sales cycle. This includes supporting both inbound lead handling and outbound prospecting efforts, with coaching from experienced BDRs along the way.

The intern works closely with BDRs and Account Executives to understand what makes a quality lead handoff, learning how discovery insights translate into actionable sales information. By observing and contributing to prospect conversations, the intern begins to develop the consultative instincts that define effective business development.

This role sits at the intersection of research, communication, and strategy — an ideal starting point for anyone serious about a career in sales or business development. Interns who excel here leave with a clear picture of what B2B sales looks like in practice and a foundation strong enough to grow from.

LEAD GENERATION:

• Help build and maintain targeted prospect lists for outbound campaigns across targeted segments. This includes sourcing contacts, cross-referencing with the database and preparing lists for upload

• Assist in generating leads through email and call outreach, social media prospecting, and research-driven campaign support

• Support execution of outbound prospecting activities, including email personalization, LinkedIn research, and other preparation

MARKET RESEARCH:

• Conduct research to identify potential clients, markets, and business opportunities within the nonprofit and foundation sector

• Analyze industry trends, competitive offerings, and prospect behavior to provide actionable insights to the BDR team

• Support BDR territory research by helping to map organizations to AE-owned accounts and flagging new prospects using company tools

INBOUND LEAD SUPPORT:

• Assist with managing and routing inbound leads, ensuring timely follow-up and accurate CRM entry in Salesforce

• Help track lead-generating activity from events and marketing campaigns and flag high-priority follow-ups for BDRs

• Collaborate with the BDR/marketing team by providing input and feedback on demand generation campaigns and activities

CRM AND DATA ANYLSIS:

• Help maintain accurate and up-to-date records in Salesforce, including contact data, account details, and activity logging

• Assist with data cleanup projects to improve lead quality and territory routing accuracy

SALES SUPPORT AND REPORTING:

• Collaborate with the BDR team to support preparation of outreach materials, messaging frameworks, and campaign sequences

• Shadow BDR workflows to learn business development processes/techniques firsthand
• Support BDRs in the preparation of regular reports on business development activities, lead generation efforts, and pipeline status for overall team review

• Attend team meetings and contribute observations on lead flow, campaign quality, and prospecting trends

WhatYou’llNeed:

• Currently pursuing a degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field

• Strong written and verbal communication skills — you can write a clear, professional email and hold a conversation with confidence

• Analytical mindset — you’re comfortable gathering data, identifying patterns, and making observations that inform decisions

• Curiosity about technology and a genuine interest in learning B2B SaaS sales from the ground up

• Organized and detail-oriented — you take notes, follow up, and don’t let things fall through the cracks

• Self-motivated and able to work independently in any environment while staying engaged and collaborative with the team

• A competitive drive and a team-player attitude — you want to contribute, not just observe

• High ethical standards and discretion when working with client information and company data

WhatYou’llGain:

• Real, resume-worthy experience in B2B SaaS sales at a company with a meaningful mission

• Hands-on time with industry tools including Salesforce, ZoomInfo, Claude, Gong, and sales engagement platforms

• Direct mentorship from the Director of Business Development and exposure to the full sales cycle

• A strong understanding of the nonprofit and foundation sector and how technology supports mission-driven work

• Potential for conversion to a full-time BDR role for high-performing interns

Why You’ll Love Working at Foundant:

• At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to innovation and making a positive impact. Whether you’re working on projects that empower not-for-profits, community foundations, or corporations, your contributions will help drive real-world change.
• We offer competitive salary and benefits, including tuition, and lifestyle reimbursements, and bespoke mindfulness and fitness initiatives.
• With our Flexible PTO policy, you’ll have the freedom to manage your time in a way that supports your personal well-being and professional success.
• We’re committed to your professional and personal development. With our merger, you'll have the chance to collaborate across teams, giving you exposure to diverse ideas, expertise, and projects that span multiple industries.
• As part of a larger organization, you’ll have even more opportunities to grow your career. Whether it’s exploring new roles, leadership opportunities, or shifting to a different department, we support internal mobility to help you achieve your career goals
• You’ll enjoy autonomy and responsibility, empowering you to approach your work creatively and independently, fostering innovation and independent thought.
• Employee recognition is a core part of our culture. When you do a great job, we make sure everyone knows about it!

Foundant is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates, and will consider all applicants without regard to race, color, citizenship, religion, sex, marital/family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, Indigenous status, age, disability, or individuals who may require accommodation.

Foundant is also committed to providing accommodations throughout the interview and employment process. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all aspects of the selection process. If you have accessibility requirements during the recruitment process and require accommodation, please contact hr@smartsimple.com.

A Note on How to Reach Us

We're truly grateful that so many people have Foundant on their radar — it means a lot that our work resonates with others. That said, due to the high volume of direct messages and emails we receive, cold outreach isn't the preferred way to be considered for a role, and we're not able to prioritize applications submitted this way. To apply for open positions, please visit our careers page, which is the fastest and most effective route to being considered.

About Foundant

At Foundant, we build mission-critical software for the social good ecosystem — helping foundations, grantmakers, nonprofits, and community organizations streamline their work, strengthen relationships, and maximize their impact. We serve the giving community worldwide with a comprehensive suite of solutions spanning grant management, community foundation software, and giving analytics.

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