CCS Fundraising Associate Interview Questions
& Process

Applied and got contacted for an initial phone screen (20 mins), then interviewed with HR (1 hour). Next was a group interview with some mid-level folks where I had to present pre-work and answer typical questions (1-1.5 hours for the meeting, plus about 6 hours for the pre-work itself). The process ended with a final interview with an Executive (1 hour). It was professional overall, but took almost six months from contact to rejection. This long timeframe included holidays, but there were still big gaps between stages and missed communication on timelines. I also heard from others that the Executive seemed distracted, though polite. This experience shouldn't discourage applications, but maybe CCS can speed up decisions. Others' comments were helpful, so I'm sharing mine. Future applicants might want to be aware of potential timing issues or proactively seek clearer timelines.

The interview process starts with a phone screen. It can take a while to hear back. This is a casual chat where they want to know about your experience, your connection to fundraising, and your career goals. It's usually with someone from operations who knows the company well. They use this to get to know you. The next interview is more technical. You'll get an assignment after the phone screen to prepare a slide deck. This interview is over Zoom with a panel of client-facing people who are senior and actually do the job. They want to understand your interests and see if they align with the company's, as they care about people wanting to be there and seeing a path for growth, given past turnover issues. For the presentation, they'll check if you generally understand fundraising, can make polished and appealing documents, have good emotional intelligence for client interaction, and know Excel and PowerPoint. If that goes well, you'll have a final 1-on-1 with an executive. This is mostly a formality where they get to know you, talk about the role, and make sure you understand the company culture. It seems like a 'culture fit' check, and most people get an offer after this.

First, there was a phone screen, then an in-person interview. Both were pretty easy, mostly asking about my past experiences and why I was interested in non-profit fundraising. I also had to send a writing sample between the two interviews. They gave a lot of info about the projects and work locations. Turns out, the best thing to say is you'll work anywhere and have a car. I'd only applied for East Coast jobs but they offered me a position that needed relocation to the Midwest, which I declined.