How to Answer: Have you ever led a capital campaign?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Fundraising job interview.
17. Have you ever led a capital campaign?
What You Need to Know
Capital campaigns involve targeted fundraising within a specific period of time in order to enhance program capacity or provide support for an organization's endowment. Like any fundraising activity, capital campaigns need to be carefully planned and executed in order to ensure maximum return on invested resources. The interviewer wants to know that you understand and are prepared to handle the complexities of implementing a capital campaign.
Written by Isaiah Swanson on April 19th, 2022
How to Answer
If you have led a capital campaign, wonderful! Tell the interviewer how many campaigns you have led or for how many years you have been leading them. Share what organizations these were with, and how much money was raised during your tenure.
If you have never led a capital campaign, that is okay too! Simply tell the interviewer that you have not led a campaign, but you look forward to learning the ropes and putting your ideas into place to make the campaign successful.
Written by Isaiah Swanson on April 19th, 2022
1st Answer Example
"For the past five years, I was responsible for implementing a capital campaign designed to expand our organization's endowment. This campaign led up to our fiftieth anniversary, and it was created in order to ensure the organization's subsistence during economic recessions and other difficult times in fundraising. I advised each team member on their individual efforts regarding major gifts, small gifts, website donations, special events, and more. Then, I synthesized our multi-tiered approach into a singular goal that I could monitor and ensure we made the right progress. As a result, we raised over sixty million dollars to benefit the organization's endowment."
Written by Isaiah Swanson on April 19th, 2022
2nd Answer Example
"For many years, the schools in my city lacked any real investment in STEM programs, and they were falling behind in educational standards as a result. When community stakeholders approached our organization asking how to develop afterschool STEM programs for youth, we realized we had the staff knowledge and physical space to meet this request, but we lacked the financial resources to fund such a program. Consequently, I spearheaded a capital campaign to fully fund a new STEM program for five years. My team and I researched donors with particular interests in education, partnered with the science and math departments at colleges and universities, and coordinated a series of targeted fundraisers using special events, direct mail campaigns, and social media to meet our fundraising goal. In the end, we met and surpassed our goal, and the organization was able to make the program a permanent feature of its offerings for youth."
Written by Isaiah Swanson on April 19th, 2022