What sort of questions should I ask someone being interviewed for a fundraising job at a charity?

Answer 1

Hello,

I worked very successfully as a fund raiser for a London based charity some years ago. Heres a few things I would ask a potential job applicant.

Question no.1
What would you ask a potenial donor to stimulate their interest in your charity?? (the charity they are trying to raise money for).

Question no.2
How could you relate the work of this charity to a donors everyday life?.

Question no.3
Do you know how much (what %) of the money raised by a fund raiser goes directly to the recipient of the charity?

Question no.4
Do you know how the money raised by this charity is spent? (is it on drugs for diseases, or water wells, or a new school,etc.)

Question no.5
Do you how the money raised will make a difference to a recipients life?? (for example the money was spent on a new water well & pump for the entire village in rural africa, what difference do think this made to peoples lives?).

Hope that helps?

Best Regards!!

IR

Answer 2

By the time they get to the interview, it is reasonable to expect that he has some rather specific proposals for fund-raising activities or events. It is reasonable to ask "What are your ideas on how to improve funding in the next 18 months?" Making a specific time frame which is long enough to cover seasonal activities (e.g., a plan for a New Year's activity would not be for 2007, which is too close, but 2008) shows that you mean for him to be specific in his response. Notice from his manner whether he expected to be asked this, and can answer it in a manner that would present well to a prospective donor or sponsor of an event.

Then query him to fill in as much detail as possible on the feasibility of the ideas and how much they might bring in. This, in turn, will lead naturally into a discussion of his experience in planning and successfully executing other similar projects in the past.

Look for someone who has done several smaller scale similar things, and has the documentation to prove it. Larger scale just means larger staff, and the key thing there is his ability to gain the cooperation (or even actively recruit) volunteers. So how well he works with your current paid and loyal volunteer staff would also be critical.

You see, once you get started, the questions will arise from his answers, not from some script. But remember that many people who apply for such jobs are skilled at BS; it's basically a sales position and that's who you need. But you need to discuss the ethics of the position in a no-nonsense way, as well. And get that documentation. Check those references. Look beneath the surface for a position like this.

You find a good one, you got solid gold. Get him to start hiring and training (or recruiting from volunteer staff) his replacement, because one like that will have his eye on the next main chance.

I have one suggestion which might be dangerous, but which nonetheless is a valid one. One question you should NOT ask would be "have you ever been convicted of a felony?" Ask instead "have you ever been accused of a fiduciary indiscretion?" First, he better know that vocabulary if he's going to do this job well. Second, he will note that you say accused, not convicted. That's your follow-up question if necessary.

What you may get is a very valuable "underground" resource which this country does not use well. That is a good man who has been to prison as a result of the War on Drugs, and for NO other reason. He has since accepted the fact that he cannot win in that business, and repented having involved himself with the whole mess. These guys come out of prison with a real desire to set themselves up as responsible citizens, take care of the wife and/or kids, marry the mother of his kids, whatever. To be good people who know they are honorable, but who are nonetheless labeled criminal because of an unjust war.

And jobs are very, very hard to get, and inevitably channel him into working for a bureaucracy or a union, with little independence. In short, exactly the wrong thing for a man with good communication skills, initiative, independent decision-making ability, business savvy, organizational skills that is needed to be a good fund-raiser.

Answer 3

Make sure to get references that you can contact. Also ask if they are coming with their own call lists OR if they are going to rely on your database. If they do come with their own lists, ask where they got those names from... and whether or not when they are through with you if they will be taking your database with them. Find out in advance how much 'call time' they are going to want to schedule with you OR if they are going to be doing the calling directly OR just acting as a coach while you call. This should get you started.