How to apply for Community Fundraising & Campaigns Coordinator

About Kesem National

Kesem is a national nonprofit that supports children through and beyond a parent's cancer. It is run by college student leaders who deliver programs and build a lasting community. Working here means supporting a volunteer-driven model that directly serves families.

About the role

This role runs the day-to-day execution of Kesem's community, peer-to-peer, annual, and alumni fundraising campaigns. You will manage campaigns like Giving Tuesday and year-end giving, plus chapter-connected and supporter-led efforts. The work directly supports the organization's fundraising goals and requires close coordination with marketing, operations, and data teams.

A typical day

A typical day might involve updating campaign timelines, drafting fundraising copy with the Donor Marketing & Stewardship Coordinator, pulling donor lists with the Director of Team Kesem & Revenue Intelligence, and checking in with Marketing on design assets. You might also support chapter leaders or alumni volunteers who are running their own fundraising efforts. The role is remote and requires close coordination with multiple teams.

Who Kesem National is looking for

• Has hands-on experience executing peer-to-peer or community fundraising campaigns, ideally in a nonprofit setting.
• Can manage multiple campaigns at once and coordinate with marketing, operations, and data teams.
• Is comfortable working with donor lists, campaign data, and reporting to measure results.
• Has strong written communication skills for fundraising copy and donor journeys, and can work remotely with a distributed team.

Tips for this application

• Name specific campaigns you have run, such as Giving Tuesday or year-end appeals, and describe your role in execution.
• Show how you have worked with marketing, operations, or data teams to run a campaign, since this role depends on cross-team coordination.
• Mention any experience with peer-to-peer fundraising platforms or donor management systems, if you have it.
• Connect your motivation to Kesem's model of college student leaders supporting children affected by a parent's cancer.
• Use the exact job title in your application materials and avoid generic phrases about fundraising.

What to cover in your cover letter

Describe a specific community or peer-to-peer fundraising campaign you executed and the results. Explain how you coordinated with other teams, such as marketing or operations, to make it happen. State why Kesem's student-led model interests you and how you would support it. Mention your experience with donor data, lists, or campaign reporting.

Research before applying

• Read Kesem's website to understand its programs for children affected by a parent's cancer and how college students run them.
• Look up Kesem's past Giving Tuesday and year-end campaigns to see their messaging and results.
• Check Kesem's public reports or press releases for information on fundraising goals and revenue streams.
• Find out how Kesem's chapters operate and what role they play in fundraising.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk through a fundraising campaign you managed from start to finish. What was your role and what were the results?
• How do you coordinate with marketing and operations teams to execute a campaign on time?
• How do you use data and reporting to measure campaign performance and adjust mid-campaign?
• What do you know about Kesem's model of college student leaders and how would you support chapter-connected fundraising?
• How would you approach alumni fundraising for an organization like Kesem?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Talking only about fundraising strategy without showing you can execute day-to-day campaign tasks.
• Ignoring the cross-team nature of the role and not mentioning how you work with marketing, operations, or data teams.
• Applying without any reference to Kesem's specific model of student-led support for children and families.