The Fundraising Elevator Podcast

The Fundraising Elevator: where we’re all headed up. Samantha Swaim and Kristin Steele are using their decades of fundraising, event strategy and storytelling experience to help you change the world at your next event. Listen to conversations with industry leaders for insights and tools you can use to connect more people to your mission. New episodes drop every Wednesday.

The Fundraising Elevator Podcast is a education podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 158 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The Fundraising Elevator Podcast, a education show with 158 episodes published.

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  Episode #135

  Fundraising Auction Secrets From a Pro: What's Killing Your Paddle Raise (And How to Fix It) | The Fundraising Elevator

  Sep 30, 20261h 4mS3

  Are tall centerpieces, low minimum gifts, and fundraising thermometers quietly sabotaging your fundraising event? In this fan-favorite encore episode, former NFL player turned professional benefit auctioneer Reggie Rivers delivers some of the most candid, actionable event fundraising advice you'll hear — and he doesn't hold back. From the neuroscience of giving to the psychology of collective momentum, Reggie breaks down why the paddle raise is the single most important moment at your entire event, and exactly what most nonprofits are doing wrong before they even get there. In this episode, you'll learn: Why tall centerpieces are silently killing your paddle raise and what to do instead The case for stopping at $100 minimum gifts to train donors upward rather than downward Why fundraising thermometers usually backfire and the one condition under which they actually work Why the paddle raise is the only moment at your event where you're purely selling your mission not conducting retail transactions Why dinner galas consistently outperform breakfast events and golf tournaments for fundraising How pre-committed gifts function as leadership and role modeling not just early revenue How to transform your event from a transactional experience into a collective action moment where the whole room celebrates together Why hiring a professional benefit auctioneer who understands the neuroscience of giving is one of the highest-ROI decisions your organization can make This episode is a must-listen for development directors, executive directors, and nonprofit event planners who want to stop leaving money on the table at their next gala, auction, or paddle raise event. Subscribe to The Fundraising Elevator so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thefundraisingelevator ⭐ Leave a review it helps other nonprofit professionals find the show. The Fundraising Elevator is a production of swaimstrategies.com sponsored by The AV Department , Bloomerang , and Feathr .

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  Episode #34

  How to Tell Your Nonprofit's Story at Fundraising Events (So Donors Actually Give) | The Fundraising Elevator

  Sep 23, 20261h 9mS3

  Most nonprofits make the same storytelling mistake at their fundraising events: they lead with programs and metrics instead of the one thing that actually moves donors to give — the why. In this fan-favorite encore episode, co-host Kristin Steele breaks down the art and science of organizational storytelling, and how to structure your event narrative so it builds toward your fundraising moment with intention and impact. Whether you're planning a gala, a luncheon, or a smaller cultivation event, this episode gives you a practical framework for crafting stories that resonate, speakers that connect, and a program arc that makes the ask feel inevitable not awkward. In this episode, you'll learn: Why your donors don't automatically understand your mission and why clarity in storytelling is your most important event job How to move beyond program listings and metrics to tell the story of why your organization exists How to apply Simon Sinek's Golden Circle of Why to your nonprofit's event narrative How to distill even the most complex organizational mission (hunger, poverty, systemic issues) into a compelling, accessible story The event arc framework — how to structure your program so storytelling builds naturally toward the fundraising moment How to use video storytelling to showcase impact inside the event room and across social media How to prepare and coach speakers so their message aligns with your organization's goals not just their own experience Strategies for infusing your entire event — entertainment, keynote, and ask — with your core mission This is essential listening for development directors, executive directors, and nonprofit event planners who want to stop leaving emotional impact — and dollars — on the table. Subscribe to The Fundraising Elevator so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thefundraisingelevator ⭐ Leave a review it helps other nonprofit professionals find the show. The Fundraising Elevator is a production of swaimstrategies.com sponsored by The AV Department , Bloomerang , and Feathr .

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  Episode #134

  The Art of Nonprofit Storytelling: How to Make Donors Feel Your Mission and Inspire Giving | The Fundraising Elevator

  Sep 16, 20261h 1mS3

  Facts tell, but stories give. In this fan-favorite encore episode, co-host and storytelling expert Kristin Steele breaks down exactly how to craft narratives that connect with donors on an emotional level by turning complex issues into compelling stories that make your mission impossible to forget and impossible not to support. If your fundraising your event program isn't landing the way you hoped, or you're struggling to translate the complexity of your work into something donors truly feel, this episode is the reset you need. In this episode, you'll learn: Why emotional storytelling is the single most powerful tool in your fundraising toolkit How to craft relatable, emotionally driven narratives that cut through donor fatigue How to translate complex or systemic issues — poverty, homelessness, education inequity — into stories donors can feel and act on The key elements of a fundraising story that creates genuine donor connection How strategic storytelling makes your mission unforgettable long after the event ends How to inspire action, not just empathy, through the stories you tell at events, in appeals, and across channels Practical techniques for finding and shaping the right stories within your organization This episode is essential listening for development directors, communications staff, executive directors, and anyone responsible for donor-facing messaging who wants to raise more by saying less — and meaning more. Subscribe to The Fundraising Elevator so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thefundraisingelevator ⭐ Leave a review it helps other nonprofit professionals find the show. The Fundraising Elevator is a production of swaimstrategies.com sponsored by The AV Department , Bloomerang , and Feathr .

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  Episode #133

  How to Land More Nonprofit Event Sponsors (Even in an Uncertain Economy) | The Fundraising Elevator

  Sep 9, 20261h 11mS3

  Struggling to secure sponsors for your next nonprofit event? The problem might not be the economy, it might be your approach. In this fan-favorite encore episode, Mariah Monique of The Sponsorship Catalyst shares what most nonprofits get wrong about corporate sponsorship, and exactly how to fix it. Drawing from experience on both sides of the sponsorship relationship, Mariah brings rare insight into what sponsors are actually looking for and why the organizations that treat sponsors as equal partners consistently outperform those still sending generic sponsorship decks. In this episode, you'll learn: Why sponsorship budgets are actually growing right now and how to position your organization to benefit Why you should stop chasing only large corporations and how small and mid-size businesses can transform your sponsorship portfolio How to identify and connect with the "sponsorship gatekeepers" who actually make the decisions Why your nonprofit's cultivated audience is more valuable to sponsors than you think and how to make that case confidently How to move beyond transactional sponsorship asks toward genuine, enduring partnerships What sponsors really want from experiential marketing and how your events can deliver it Practical strategies for diversifying your sponsorship portfolio across industries and business sizes This episode is essential listening for development directors, event planners, and executive directors who want to build a sponsorship program that doesn't start from scratch every year. Subscribe to The Fundraising Elevator so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thefundraisingelevator ⭐ Leave a review it helps other nonprofit professionals find the show. The Fundraising Elevator is a production of swaimstrategies.com sponsored by The AV Department , Bloomerang , and Feathr .

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  Episode #132

  Why a Dinner for 10 Might Be Your Most Powerful Fundraising Move This Year | The Fundraising Elevator

  Sep 2, 20261h 4mS3

  What if your next major gift didn't come from your biggest event of the year but from a carefully curated dinner for ten? In this fan-favorite encore episode, co-host Samantha Swaim steps into the guest seat to make a persuasive case for small, intentional gatherings as one of the most underutilized fundraising strategies in the nonprofit world. From a seven-week dinner series that re-engaged an entire lapsed donor base to a whiskey tasting that turned a board member's passion into a major gift moment, this episode is packed with real examples of what intimate events can unlock for your organization. In this episode, you'll learn: Why small, curated events are the antidote to the "connection recession" hitting nonprofits right now How donors consolidating their giving to fewer causes makes intimate gatherings more strategic than ever Real examples of small event formats that have generated major gifts and re-engaged lapsed donors How to assess whether your organization is ready to step back from big events and what to do instead How to design a small event for a specific audience so everyone in the room has a reason to be there The fears nonprofits have about smaller events (leaving money on the table, smaller reach) and how to reframe them How to make an ask at an intimate gathering that feels easy, specific, and natural not transactional This episode gives you both the permission and the practical blueprint to start smaller, go deeper, and raise more. Essential listening for development directors, executive directors, and major gift officers looking for a fresh approach to donor cultivation. Subscribe to The Fundraising Elevator so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thefundraisingelevator ⭐ Leave a review it helps other nonprofit professionals find the show. The Fundraising Elevator is a production of swaimstrategies.com sponsored by The AV Department , Bloomerang , and Feathr .

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