Reach out to notable local culinary schools or restaurants to discuss your event and explore your options. A full-day learning experience or a fun class and dinner event can be very appealing to the foodies in your audience. This idea for a silent auction item is cost-effective and easy to execute. Many of your donors probably complain at the thought of putting their Christmas decorations and lights outside again, so offer your services for a fee! The winner gets a full day off that he would otherwise have spent discussing lights on his roof. For example, schools, youth groups and community organizations see great success in offering child-friendly items at their fundraising auctions.
No matter how you bid on an auction item for charity, the person who bids the most money will go home with the piece. There are several benefits of holding a silent auction to raise money. Unlike live auctions, silent auctions put little pressure on donors and appeal to their desire to get something for their gift. This event also helps to expand your donor base and reach smaller donors who want to donate but can’t donate large amounts of money.
Silent auctions go very well with a number of other fundraising activities. Organize items and their bid sheets on tables and encourage the public to stop by or make the silent auction part of a larger fundraising event. Use mobile bidding technology to enable people to bid on items without being present at the auction. Finally, it’s a good idea to figure out in advance how items from your auction will reach your guests, especially if you’re hosting a virtual silent auction. We recommend that you work with a local courier to set shipping expectations and then include shipping costs in your initial auction bid. If it’s an item that may raise shipping concerns, let your bidders know that shipping is included in the auction item description.
Buy-A-Spots have traditionally been used for silent auction items, but they are becoming increasingly popular during live auctions. GiveSmart has held tens of thousands of silent auctions at events. Of course, it always depends on your audience, but we’ve compiled a list of 30 silent auction items, including 15 social distancing options. All silent auction items, even if they’re usually not something you can buy, have a dollar value attached to them. These elements will bring your organization a profit at no cost.
While products and experiences are popular, a name tag is a great way to increase your fundraiser’s publicity and allow donors to create something meaningful. I get calls all the time from organizations that have these experiential events. They tell me that their events are super successful, they sell tickets like crazy, but they don’t raise money with their live auctions, silent auctions and Fund-A-Needs. Are you brainstorming great prices for your charity auction? Our list of ideas for silent auction items is the perfect place to start your profit auction purchase planning.
For many organizations, golf-related fundraising ideas can be hugely popular. Some nonprofits regularly host extensive golf tournaments that conclude with a gala and a live auction. At OneCause, we’re experts in charity auctions, so we’ve put together an example of the best online, live and silent auction items to get your event off to a great start. In addition, we’ll share some best practices for purchasing items to save you time and take your auction bids to the next level.
Popular auction items run the gambit, ranging from relatively mundane to high-end alternatives that will spur any donor base into a bidding war. A silent auction is something like a hybrid charity auction in the sense that it often involves live and online bidders. Live bidders submit their bids by writing them down while virtual bidders register their bids over the Internet.
Registration parties are unique experiences and social gatherings that your organization can offer donors, either as auction items or as simple additional purchases. As an auction item, you can win Auction Item Ideas guests the entire party package and invite your friends. Read more and discover some ideas with our guide to signing up for parties. Fitness packages reliably attract attention at charity auctions.