Application Guide

How to Apply for Vice President, Development

at Blessings in a Backpack

🏢 About Blessings in a Backpack

Blessings in a Backpack is a national nonprofit that ensures school-aged children facing food insecurity have weekend meals. Their 'One Team for All Kids' philosophy drives a collaborative, scalable approach to ending childhood hunger, making it a mission-driven organization where your work directly impacts communities across America.

About This Role

As VP of Development, you'll lead central fundraising services—individual giving, grants, and special events—to build infrastructure for scaling impact. You'll manage a portfolio of high-value donors and partnerships, working with regional teams to align enterprise strategies with local execution, making this role pivotal in fueling the organization's growth and reach.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start with a virtual check-in with Regional VPs to align on quarterly fundraising goals, followed by a call with a major donor to discuss a multi-market partnership. Afternoon could involve reviewing grant proposals with the Development Operations Director, then strategizing with the team on how to adapt the annual gala for multiple markets.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Blessings in a Backpack Is Looking For

  • A seasoned fundraiser with 10+ years of progressive experience, including senior leadership in multi-market or complex organizations, ideally in nonprofits with a national footprint.
  • Proven success across individual giving, events, and grants, with the ability to close multi-market opportunities and cultivate high-net-worth donors.
  • Strategic and analytical thinker who can partner with senior leaders to shape fundraising direction and translate enterprise priorities into actionable frameworks.
  • Excellent facilitator and collaborator, skilled at driving consistency across markets while empowering regional teams with adaptable strategies.

📝 Tips for Applying to Blessings in a Backpack

1

Highlight your experience with multi-market fundraising strategies and how you've scaled giving programs across regions.

2

Quantify your impact: include specific dollar amounts raised, portfolio growth percentages, or number of partnerships closed.

3

Tailor your resume to emphasize collaboration with senior leadership and cross-functional teams, especially in complex organizations.

4

Research Blessings in a Backpack's current fundraising programs and mention how you'd enhance their individual giving, grants, or events in your cover letter.

5

Use language from the job description (e.g., 'infrastructure for scaling', 'adaptable frameworks') to show alignment with their goals.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for ending childhood hunger and alignment with the 'One Team for All Kids' philosophy.", 'Concrete examples of leading fundraising strategy in a multi-market setting, especially scaling individual giving or grants.', "How you've partnered with regional or market leaders to drive consistency while allowing local adaptation.", 'Your analytical approach to using data and systems to inform strategy and goal-setting.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Blessings in a Backpack's annual reports and website to understand their current fundraising mix and impact metrics.
  • → Look into their regional structure and how development is currently organized across markets.
  • → Read about their 'One Team for All Kids' philosophy and recent news to understand their culture and strategic priorities.
  • → Check their leadership team and board to identify key stakeholders you'd collaborate with.
Visit Blessings in a Backpack's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you managed a portfolio of national donors and closed a multi-market partnership. What was your approach?
2 How would you work with Regional Vice Presidents to ensure our fundraising frameworks are both consistent and adaptable?
3 Share an example of using data and reporting to inform a fundraising strategy shift. What metrics did you track?
4 How do you prioritize competing demands across individual giving, grants, and events when resources are limited?
5 What experience do you have with building infrastructure for scaling fundraising in a national nonprofit? Give a specific example.
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Being too generic: avoid vague statements about fundraising without tying them to multi-market or scaling challenges.
  • Overlooking the collaborative nature: don't focus solely on individual achievements without showing how you partner with regional teams.
  • Ignoring the mission: failing to express genuine commitment to ending childhood hunger can signal misalignment with the organization's values.

📅 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:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Blessings in a Backpack!

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