Application Guide
How to Apply for Editorial Coordinator
at Swipe Out Hunger
🏢 About Swipe Out Hunger
Swipe Out Hunger is a national nonprofit dedicated to ending college student hunger, having enabled nearly 30 million meals across over 1,000 campuses since 2010. They work collaboratively with colleges, legislators, and communities to create systemic change, making it a mission-driven organization where your work directly impacts students' lives. Joining their team means being part of a passionate movement that values storytelling and advocacy.
About This Role
As the Editorial Coordinator, you will be the voice of Swipe Out Hunger, crafting compelling stories that humanize the issue of student hunger and drive engagement. You'll manage the blog, newsletters, and web content, and occasionally support grant writing, making your role crucial in shaping the organization's narrative and supporting its fundraising efforts. This position is perfect for a storyteller who wants to use their skills to make a tangible difference.
💡 A Day in the Life
Your day might start by checking email and reviewing content submissions from campus partners or guest bloggers. You'll spend a few hours writing or editing a blog post, then shift to drafting a newsletter or updating the website. You might have a virtual meeting with the communications team to brainstorm story ideas, and later, you'll work on a grant report, weaving in quotes from students to make the impact come alive.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Swipe Out Hunger Is Looking For
- A masterful storyteller with a portfolio of diverse writing samples, from blog posts to grant proposals, demonstrating clarity, empathy, and a knack for making complex issues accessible.
- Experienced in editorial content management, including maintaining an editorial calendar, editing submissions from various contributors, and ensuring brand voice consistency across all platforms.
- Proficient in SEO best practices and analytics tools (like Google Analytics) to track content performance and optimize for reach and engagement.
- A collaborative team player who can work with internal program staff, external partners, and student voices to source authentic stories, and is comfortable in a remote work environment with occasional travel.
📝 Tips for Applying to Swipe Out Hunger
Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience with nonprofit storytelling, especially any work related to food insecurity, higher education, or social justice. Use keywords from the job description like 'editorial content', 'grant writing', and 'blog management'.
In your cover letter, include a specific example of a story you've told that changed minds or drove action, and explain how you would apply that approach to Swipe Out Hunger's mission.
Submit a portfolio that includes a mix of writing samples: a blog post, a newsletter, a grant proposal or report, and a social media caption. Ensure they are polished and reflect the tone of Swipe Out Hunger's existing content.
Research Swipe Out Hunger's current blog and recent campaigns. In your application, mention a specific piece of content you found compelling and suggest a fresh angle or topic you'd like to explore in the role.
Proofread everything meticulously, and also ensure your online presence (LinkedIn, personal website, social media) aligns with the professional and mission-driven image you present.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Express your passion for ending college student hunger and why you're drawn to Swipe Out Hunger's specific approach—collaborative, systemic, and narrative-driven.", 'Highlight your ability to translate data and complex policy issues into compelling human stories, using an example from your past work that shows this skill.', "Emphasize your experience with grant writing and how you can contribute to the organization's development efforts, showing you understand the importance of storytelling for fundraising.", "Demonstrate your understanding of the remote work culture and your ability to manage multiple projects independently, with examples of how you've successfully worked in a distributed team."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read Swipe Out Hunger's current strategic framework and recent annual report to understand their priorities, impact, and the language they use.
- → Explore their blog and social media channels to get a feel for their tone, the topics they cover, and the types of stories they tell. Note any gaps or opportunities.
- → Research the issue of college student hunger, including statistics, legislation like the Hunger-Free Campus Act, and other organizations in the space to understand the landscape.
- → Familiarize yourself with the team, especially the Interim Communications Director, and any recent news or press releases about the organization.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Avoid a generic cover letter that doesn't mention Swipe Out Hunger or the specific role. They want to see that you've done your homework and are genuinely passionate about their mission.
- Don't underestimate the importance of grant writing. Even though it's a smaller portion of the role, failing to mention any experience or willingness to learn could be a red flag.
- Avoid being too academic or jargon-heavy in your writing samples. Swipe Out Hunger values clarity and dignity, so your writing should be accessible and empathetic, not full of nonprofit buzzwords.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Swipe Out Hunger!