My most recent auction was in upstate New York, working with Adirondack Health Foundation.I've worked with this creative development staff for three years, and I'm impressed that they've held their fundraising gala in a new location every year.In today's post I'm going to share a few reasons as to why you might want to consider changing your auction venue. But first I think you'd enjoy seeing a video recap of the hospital's gala, "The Black & White Bow Tie Gala." Here it ... Read On >
Games
Kendra Scott: An easy jewelry donation for many nonprofits
If a Kendra Scott jewelry store is in your area, call the community / charity relations contact in your local store. For the last two years, my clients have received generous donations from the retailer via its "Kendra Gives Back" program.Frankly, I haven't seen this kind of generosity since Keurig hit the market several years ago.Do you remember that? Not so long ago, every auction I worked had at least one Keurig coffee system in its silent auction. It was often accompanied by a ... Read On >
New idea for your silent auction or raffle: Surprise Box
I want to share a new idea for silent auctions or raffles.Let's kick it off with a related story.============================Many years ago, one of my clients was annoyed.She oversaw the fundraising for the local chapter of a national nonprofit. The national management team had recommended she and other fundraisers working in major cities change the model of their silent auction.This new silent auction model was based on the success another major metropolitan area had ... Read On >
Find Your Name Boards: Recognizing guests at large events (trade show, association and conference auctions)
Traveling fills my imagination with new ideas. I'm still writing about stuff I saw after last month's journey west.Before flying home after the fundraiser, I saw that the 2016 Honolulu Marathon -- the 4th largest marathon in the United States -- had a free trade show. The Hawaii Convention Center was just a short jaunt from my hotel, so I visited. Recall that I already wrote about how this trade show used a Graffiti Wall, which is an idea I've already seen used at a Florida benefit ... Read On >
School auction idea: Reward teachers with their own raffle
Here's a touchy subject. From a fundraising perspective, I'm not a fan of teachers attending school fundraising auctions. They often attend the event for free, which hits the catering budget. They typically don't purchase anything, as their lower salaries don't allow for it. That means there is no donation to offset the ticket revenue loss. And -- gosh, I don't know how to say this any other way -- if we have a loud group causing a distraction to bidding guests in the room, 99% of the ... Read On >