BizBash is now accepting online entries for the 2010 New York Event Style Awards. If you're running any benefit auctions in the city that never sleeps, get into gear. The deadline is September 24, 2010. Just last Wednesday the finalists for the Windy City awards were announced. I spotted a few Chicago charity auctions among the group. Now I'm hoping to see some stellar submissions from NYC benefit auctions, too. The online entry form claims to be easy, so head to BizBash New York's website ... Read On >
Harry Potter items sure to create a spectacle as silent auction items
The Harry Potter enterprise isn't just about books, movies and merchandise. It's also got a robust business in the "exhibition" area. Harry Potter, The Exhibition has been making the circuit showcasing all the cool stuff that goes into making the wizardry onscreen. It's a traveling, behind-the-scenes museum for the movie franchise. Scoring a couple of tickets to the uber-popular franchise's traveling exhibit would be a sweet item to add to your silent auction fundraiser. Chicago and Boston ... Read On >
School auctions start planning this month. Get fired up!
It's mid-August, which means the kids living in my home state of Kansas are returning to school. Here on the East coast, the school year starts a bit later in September. What does that mean for your school auction committee? Time to get busy. For those of you volunteers overseeing school auctions, start your "to do" list. Here are three activities to put on it. Plan Auction Committee Introductions If you've been recruiting for key auction committee positions through the summer, now is a ... Read On >
Congrats to the 2010 finalists for BizBash Chicago Event Style awards
In July, I alerted readers to the call for entries for applying for the BizBash event awards in Chicago. Congratulations to the finalists. There are several nonprofit and associations listed, even in the traditional categories– huzzah! Some of them even had a live or silent auction as part of their gala. Based on my observation of the Washington, D.C. awards, BizBash has traditionally favored event "glitz" over event "financials." Large glamorous fundraising events seem to earn more ... Read On >
“Demolishing” the idea of glamorous benefit auction items
I sell my share of New York weekend trips consisting of a show, dinner, and hotel. Who doesn't enjoy a glamorous weekend? But what about those off-the-wall benefit auction items that might be better suited for the stomping grounds of my youth? I think back to the Kansas State Fair, where this next item would have been easier to procure and would have made a big splash with auction guests. The chance to compete in a demolition derby. Last month I read an article in the Orange County Register ... Read On >