Auction class projects, sometimes called art projects, are items that are handcrafted (at least to a degree) by children. Most often these children are students in a school. They've been tasked to create something to sell in the school auction. It's not uncommon for these projects to sell for hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars. ++++ To see over 100 examples of auction class project ideas, available on DVD with bonus materials: Cool Class Projects. ++++ Why do these items sell for so ... Read On >
Benefit Auctions Blog
The 10 most read benefit auction ideas of 2012
If you're just getting started in this wonderful world of nonprofit auctions, consider this blog post a study guide of what you should read *right now* to get up-to-speed. This is my "Best Of" issue. The best of my 2012 blog posts. It's what other auction planners found to be most intriguing on my site, last year. How do I know these posts were the most popular? They had the highest hit rates. (Thanks to Website analytical programs, it's easy for me to track these things.) As a prolific ... Read On >
Making other colors green with envy, Emerald is chosen as 2013’s official color
If you're tiring of traditional benefit auction themes, one option is to bypass the obvious choices and go with a color. For instance, emerald. I'm talking about PANTONE® 17-5641 TCS Emerald: the official color of 2013. (You say you didn't know there was an official color? I didn't either, until 2011.) Pantone describes the color as "“Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony." Two other words they used to evoke imagery ... Read On >
Silent auction tips for November and December? Stick a bow on it.
One of the natural advantages of hosting a silent auction in the late fall (think October through December) is its proximity to December. December is the monster month when it comes to gift giving. Many of us are thinking about buying gifts for people we care about or considering buying small gifts to have on hand for "emergencies." (Nothing like quickly throwing a gift into a festive bag when you need a last-minute item. When friends invite you for dinner, or that random office party or ... Read On >
The best gifts for volunteers chairing an auction are … flowers?!?
A few years ago I conducted a study among my clients. I asked a portion of my Auction Chairs how many hours she spent planning her auction. I wasn’t interested in the total hours of the committee. I only wanted to know her hours. In the final count, a mix of schools and nonprofits submitted their totals. The survey also had a smattering of large and small galas. After compiling the results, the results revealed that the average time spent was a shocking 1,000 hours. In the “real world” that ... Read On >