Wednesday, October 22 | 12 PM ET
A Virtual Fireside Chat with Fundraising Consultant Kel Haney
In a world of endless email and social media campaigns, sometimes the most effective way to inspire giving is the simplest: a genuine phone call.
Join this conversation as founder of Forward Avenue Betty Xie picks the brain of fundraising consultant extraordinaire Kel Haney. Kel has raised millions of dollars for her clients through her 5-minute Fundraising Ask Framework. For many small nonprofit organizations, phone fundraising can feel awkward or intimidating. But with the right approach, it can actually become your most authentic and energizing fundraising and community building tool.
Key Anchors for this Conversation:
Why phone fundraising still works (and why donors love it)
How to use Kel’s 5-Minute Fundraising Ask Framework
Simple ways to get over “phone fear” and start connecting
What to say—and what not to say—on your next donor call
Who This is For
This conversation is for you if:
🎭 You lead or support a small arts nonprofit
📞 You’ve wondered if this is finally the year to start calling donors
💬 You want to make your fundraising feel more personal and less transactional
💡 You’re ready for simple, joyful ways to deepen donor relationships
This is a FREE, informal and interactive session. Come with your questions and let's jam!
Special Guest
Kel Haney
Kel Haney is a fundraising consultant, coach, and speaker who specializes in guiding nonprofits to grow their mid-level donor relationships through candid, effective phone conversations. Over her 18+ year career, she has made over 20,000 asks herself, and she’s helped nonprofit teams raise millions (primarily in gifts under $2,000) using her signature 5-Minute Fundraising Ask system. Her approach reframes fundraising as an invitation to connection, rather than a transactional demand.
Before becoming a fundraising strategist, Kel spent 16 years in theater as a director, and that creative foundation still shapes how she teaches. She believes that authenticity, curiosity, and storytelling are essential tools for every fundraiser. Kel loves coaching staff, board members, and artists to tap into their own voice and confidence—so every phone call feels human, meaningful, and joy-filled.
See you on October 22!
Host
Betty Xie
At Forward Avenue, we believe fundraising can be creative, human, and deeply rewarding—especially for small organizations doing big, meaningful work. I started Forward Avenue to help small nonprofit leaders like you find clarity, confidence, and joy in your fundraising, no matter where you’re starting from. I know intimately the pain points of small shop fundraising, as I started my fundraising career working for a small-and-mighty film festival. Today, my team and I support nonprofits to raise funds without overwhlem, through our signature fundraising done-for-you services.
I’m so excited to welcome Kel Haney for this fireside chat. Her human-centered approach to phone fundraising perfectly reflects what we believe here: that connection is at the heart of great fundraising.
Save Your Seat Today!
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