Swaim Strategies

What Swaim Strategies does

Swaim Strategies is a Portland, Oregon-based boutique consultancy founded in 2004 by Samantha Swaim and Kristin Steele that helps nonprofit organizations plan, execute, and optimize fundraising events. The firm has served roughly 3,900 nonprofits, produced 690 events, and helped clients raise an aggregate $137 million across its history. Core offerings span strategic planning for fundraising events, an emergency 'Gala 911' support service, on-demand expert consulting ($250–$350/hour), on-retainer consulting blocks, complete event scripting, special appeal and paddle raise strategy, mission-driven video production, custom team training, annual event audits, and data entry support. The firm operates no proprietary technology platform; instead it builds expertise and methodology into human-delivered services supported by a content library including a co-authored book, downloadable templates (budget, run of show, script, bid cards), on-demand conference recordings, a Substack newsletter, and The Fundraising Elevator podcast.

The business model is diversified across professional services hourly and retainer consulting, one-time digital product sales, book royalties, and annual conference revenue from Elevate. Distribution runs through direct website engagement (Request for Proposal, Calendly booking), an e-commerce shop, BetterUnite-powered conference registration, and an ecosystem of software vendor partnerships (Greater Giving, OneCause, Give Lively, Feathr, Bloomerang) anchored by Elevate Conference sponsorships. The firm holds Oregon Women Business Enterprise and National LGBT Chamber of Commerce certifications, and operates The Fundraising Event Company as a wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to nonprofit event production.

Name

Swaim Strategies

Legal name

Swaim Strategies

Website

https://swaimstrategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Swaim Strategies is a Portland-based boutique consultancy that helps nonprofit organizations plan, produce, and optimize fundraising events through strategic consulting, on-demand expertise, templates, training, video production, and the annual Elevate Conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Fundraising Event Consulting

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

Keywords

• Fundraising event consulting
• Nonprofit event strategy
• Special appeal fundraising
• Event storytelling services
• Nonprofit advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Hourly and retainer-based consulting engagements providing strategic guidance for fundraising events. Services include on-demand expert consulting, strategic planning, Gala 911 emergency support, team training, event scripting, and data entry support. Revenue generated through hourly rates and pre-paid consulting blocks.
2. Products and Templates: Sale of digital and physical products including event planning templates (Budget Template, Run of Show Template, Script Template), bid cards, and educational recordings (Elevate Conference on-demand recordings). One-time purchase model.
3. Book Sales: Sale of co-authored book 'Planning a Successful Major Donor Event' for $49, providing self-guided education on major donor event planning.
4. Conference Registration and Sponsorships: Elevate Conference generates revenue through attendee registration fees and corporate sponsorships from nonprofit technology and service vendors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Swaim Strategies is a fundraising event consultancy that helps nonprofit organizations plan, script, and execute galas, auctions, special appeals, and hybrid/virtual events. Its offerings include Strategic Planning, Gala 911 emergency support, On-Demand Expert Consulting, Annual Event Audits, Mission-Driven Video Production, Complete Event Scripting, Special Appeal and Paddle Raise Strategy, Custom Team Training, and Data Entry Support, complemented by digital templates, the annual Elevate Conference, The Fundraising Elevator podcast, and a co-authored book.

Product overview

Swaim Strategies is a fundraising event consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of services including strategic planning, emergency support (Gala 911), on-demand expert consulting, annual event audits, mission-driven video production, complete event scripting, special appeal paddle raise strategy, custom team training, and data entry support. The company operates The Fundraising Event Co. as a production subsidiary and hosts the annual Elevate Conference for nonprofit education. Their product portfolio includes downloadable tools (budget templates, bid cards, run of show and script templates), conference recordings, and the book 'Planning a Successful Major Donor Event.' The company also produces The Fundraising Elevator podcast as an educational resource for the nonprofit sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Fundraising Elevator Podcast: Podcast hosted by Samantha Swaim and Kristin Steele offering expert insights into nonprofit fundraising strategies and donor engagement
• Elevate Conference
• Gala 911
• The Fundraising Event Company

Products and services

• Strategic Planning for Fundraising Events A comprehensive data-driven planning framework that includes a strategic budget with revenue projections, sponsorship strategy, run of show, fundraising appeal design, and five hours of strategic consultation for nonprofit organizations with strong execution capacity.
• Gala 911 Emergency support service for nonprofit fundraising events facing unexpected challenges such as staffing changes, vendor issues, or compressed planning timelines. Offers hourly consulting, project management, script writing, and day-of-event leadership for nonprofit organizations needing rapid expert intervention.
• On-Demand Expert Consulting Direct access to specialist consultants for one-on-one strategic guidance on fundraising strategy, event storytelling, data management, and registration systems. Available as hourly on-demand sessions or 5-hour retainer blocks for nonprofit organizations.
• Annual Event Audit Comprehensive evaluation of an organization's event portfolios including performance analysis, ROI calculation, portfolio restructuring recommendations, and executive presentation for board buy-in. Designed for nonprofit organizations running multiple events with unclear returns.
• Mission-Driven Video Production Strategic story development and professional video production for fundraising events, creating content that ignites donor motivation and serves as ongoing fundraising assets for events, websites, and campaigns.
• Complete Event Program Scripts Professional script development for event programs including strategic foundation building, custom script writing with up to two rewrites, podium-ready formats, and AV technical guides engineered to transform programs into powerful fundraising experiences for nonprofit events.
• Special Appeal + Paddle Raise Strategy Data-driven special appeal strategy including donor analysis, appeal story development, giving level recommendations, matching gift strategies, and complete logistics planning for the most important fundraising moment of nonprofit events.
• Custom Fundraising Event + Team Training Two focused training sessions covering fundraising fundamentals and storytelling strategies, with options for Greater Giving or OneCause platform training. Includes retainer consulting with flexible five-hour blocks for ongoing support, designed to build internal team capacity.
• Data Entry Support Professional data management service handling Greater Giving or OneCause configuration, custom ticketing site creation, sponsor and guest data entry, auction item management, and pre-committed gift tracking for nonprofit organizations.
• Elevate Conference Annual two-day hybrid nonprofit fundraising event conference held at AVENUE in Portland, Oregon, offering practical tools, actionable insights, and networking opportunities for nonprofit professionals. The conference features 22 sessions, industry speakers, vendor exhibition, and qualifies for 13 CFRE credits. Next iteration scheduled for March 2-3, 2027.
• The Fundraising Elevator Podcast Weekly podcast hosted by Samantha Swaim and Kristin Steele featuring expert insights, real-world success stories, and practical strategies for nonprofit fundraising events and donor engagement. Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Podbean.
• Planning a Successful Major Donor Event (Book) Book authored by Samantha Swaim and Kristin Steele providing step-by-step guidance for planning major donor events, covering strategic fundraising, budgeting, logistics, sponsorship, storytelling, and special appeals. Sold for $49 via Amazon and the Swaim Strategies shop.
• Budget Template Downloadable budget planning template for nonprofit fundraising events, helping organizations create strategic budgets with revenue projections. Sold as a one-time purchase for $179.
• Run of Show Template Comprehensive event arc template based on neuroscience principles, providing the framework for structuring fundraising events with five crucial elements for success. Sold as a one-time purchase for $89.
• Script Template Template for writing fundraising event scripts, based on the same process Swaim Strategies uses for client scripting projects. Sold as a one-time purchase for $129.
• Bid Cards Printable bid cards designed to help paddle raises and special appeals run smoothly at fundraising events. Sold at $29-$49 depending on variant.
• Elevate Conference On-Demand Recordings On-demand access to recorded conference sessions from Elevate 2025 and 2026 conferences, allowing nonprofit professionals to access educational content at their own pace. Sold as a one-time purchase for $200.
• The Fundraising Event Co. (Subsidiary Production Service) Wholly-owned production services subsidiary dedicated exclusively to nonprofit fundraising events, combining expert planning and production to create experiences that inspire meaningful connections and drive lasting impact for nonprofit organizations. Led by Jenna Watanabe (Creative Director), Matthew Kerrigan (Event Planner), and Ryan Goodwin (VP of Client Relations and Project Management).

Quantifiable outcome

• Organizations using data-driven special appeal strategies typically see 40-70% increases in fundraising results
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• The AV DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of Elevate Conference and owner of AVENUE venue in Portland, Oregon where the annual conference is held. The AV Department designed AVENUE as an AV-forward event venue with nonprofit gala in mind, featuring livestream and video wall capability built in.
• Artisan AuctionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Elevate Conference and featured speaker/presenter. Kelly Russell, President of Artisan Auctions, serves as emcee and featured speaker at the conference. Expert auction strategist who has helped organizations raise over $100 million.
• OneCausemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Elevate Conference and recommended event software platform. OneCause provides fundraising event software solutions referenced in consulting services and training programs.
• FeathrmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Elevate Conference. Digital marketing platform for nonprofit events, helping organizations with attendee acquisition, retargeting, and event marketing.
• Greater GivingcoreTechnology or IntegrationSponsor of Elevate Conference and host of Day 1 reception. Primary event software platform used in consulting services and training programs. Michelle Holman and Kim Bauman from Greater Giving serve as presenters.
• OnPoint Community Credit UnionmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing scholarships for LGBTQ and BIPOC-led organizations to attend Elevate Conference, along with NW Natural. Conference hotel partner with room block at Hyatt Regency Portland.
• BloomerangminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Elevate Conference. Donor management and fundraising platform referenced in webinar content and educational resources.
• Auction PackagesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Elevate Conference. Auction item procurement service helping nonprofits source items for fundraising auctions. Siri Lippy serves as speaker at conference.
• Arpeggio DigitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Elevate Conference. Digital marketing services supporting nonprofit events.
• Kitchen KillaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Elevate Conference. Catering/food services partner.
• NW NaturalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of LGBTQ and BIPOC scholarships to Elevate Conference alongside OnPoint Community Credit Union. Sama Shagaga from NW Natural serves as moderator on sponsorship panel.
• The Fundraising Event CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud subsidiary of Swaim Strategies dedicated exclusively to nonprofit fundraising events. Combines expert planning and production to create experiences that inspire meaningful connections and drive lasting impact. Jenna Watanabe serves as Creative Director, Matthew Kerrigan as Event Planner, Ryan Goodwin as VP of Client Relations and Project Management.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Campbell & Company: Established nonprofit fundraising and executive search consultancy serving large nonprofits and healthcare systems. Direct overlap with Swaim Strategies in fundraising strategy consulting, but operates at a larger, multi-service scale rather than specializing in events.
• The Orr Group: Nonprofit consulting firm offering fundraising campaign strategy, event support, and board development services. Comparable to Swaim Strategies in that it serves nonprofits with fundraising and event expertise, but with a broader consulting portfolio beyond event strategy.
• Alexander Haas:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheFundraisingElevator
• Facebookfacebook.com/swaimstrategies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swaim-strategies
• Instagraminstagram.com/swaimstrategies
• Xx.com/SwaimStrategies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swaim Strategies