5-Minutes for the Perfect Fundraising Ask with Kel Haney | Ep. 127

In this episode, Kel Haney, a theater kid turned fundraising trainer and founder of Kel Haney Consulting, discusses her "Five Minute Fundraising Ask" framework. Kel shares how her unlikely path from working at Manhattan Theater Club into phone fundraising led her to make tens of thousands of donor calls over her career. She explains how she reverse-engineered her own success into a repeatable, authentic system built around empathy, curiosity, and genuine relationship-building rather than transactional "asks." The conversation dives deep into Kel's "four tent poles" structure for donor calls. Through role-play demonstrations and real client stories—including a $40,000 gift secured on a single call—Kel illustrates how "hosting" a call with confidence, curiosity, and candor can transform mid-level donor relationships, turn rejection into an opportunity to keep the door open, and unlock transformative giving that many organizations leave on the table. Loving The Fundraising Elevator? Please subscribe, rate and review the podcast. It really helps other people find the show.    This Episode Brought to You by:  Swaim Strategies: https://swaimstrategies.com Utilizing over 20 years of nonprofit event strategy and production expertise, Swaim Strategies coaches and teaches organizations how to increase the impact of their fundraising events.    The AV Department: https://theavdept.com/ As a full-service event AV and video production partner, The AV Department’s technical event production and media content generation provide you with a range of experience and talent from a partner who wants to know you and work together year after year.    Bloomerang: https://bit.ly/4hLqLVw Create the ideal giving experience with integrated fundraising tools and automated insights that maximize your impact. Keep donors close to the cause with mean-ingful outreach at the right time. Increase retention, major gifts, and all-around impact. Turn supporters into action-takers with tools that make it easy to recruit, organize, and engage volunteers at every level.   Feathr: https://www.feathr.co/ Feathr is a marketing platform built specifically for mission-driven organizations, offering simple tools for digital advertising, email campaigns, and audience engagement. The platform uses real-time insights and AI-powered segmentation to help you reach the right people at the right time—whether you’re nurturing existing supporters or discovering new ones who share your values. It’s marketing that meets people where they are, building relationships that last beyond a single click.   Speakers Samantha Swaim LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-swaim-a28a9a4/ Substack: https://substack.com/@swaimstrategies   Kristin Steele LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-steele777/ Substack: https://substack.com/@swaimstrategies   Kel Haney LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kel-haney/   | RESOURCES | Connect with Swaim Strategies: https://swaimstrategies.com Propose a Podcast Episode: https://swaimstrategies.com/propose-a-podcast-episode/ Get Event Help Right Now with Gala 911: https://swaimstrategies.com/solutions/gala-911/ Book Consulting Time with Sam: https://calendly.com/consultingwithsam Book Consulting Time with Kristin: https://calendly.com/eventstorytelling Learn More About the Elevate Conference: https://swaimstrategies.com/elevate-conference/ Get Planning a Successful Major Donor Event: https://swaimstrategies.com/solutions/#book Join Swaim Strategies on Substack: https://substack.com/@swaimstrategies Connect with The AV Department:  https://theavdept.com/ Connect with Kel Haney: https://www.kelhaney.com/ Get Kel’s FREE Guide 8 Phrases Not to Use in Fundraising: https://www.kelhaney.com/freebie-8-phrases Get Kel’s FREE Guide 5 Tips for Building Your Mid-Level Donor Relationships: https://www.kelhaney.com/freebie-5-tips