What the Fundraising 223: Connecting Beyond Email: The Art of Effective Phone Calls in Fundraising with Kel Haney
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Jan 21, 2025 
Kel Haney, a fundraising coach with a theatre background who’s made thousands of donor calls, shares her Five-Minute Phone Call framework. Short, practical segments cover the crucial first 15 seconds, crafting the main message, making clear asks, and outlining next steps. Conversations focus on curiosity, vulnerability, handling objections, and re-engaging mid-level and lapsed supporters.
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Theater Roots That Built 20,000 Fundraising Calls
- Kel Haney started as a theater director and made fundraising her survival job, calling nights to support a theater she loved.
- She made over 20,000 calls and raised over $6 million in under eight years by leading with curiosity and passion for community.
Use A Four Pole Tent To Structure Five Minute Calls
- Use the Five-Minute Phone Call tent framework with four tentpoles to structure brief donor calls so they feel organic and trust-building.
- Start with 15 seconds: introduce yourself, state the connection, thank them, and ask one open, genuinely curious question.
Share Updates Then Make A Specific Numeric Ask
- In the main event, share one or two exciting organizational updates and be transparent about fundraising progress to normalize money conversations.
- If asking, make a specific numerical ask (e.g., 50% increase) and treat it as an offering, not a cornered yes/no demand.