This past weekend I worked two galas -- one was a 2-screen solution for a school, and the other was a Zoom meeting-style gala for a conservation nonprofit. The nonprofit had some star power. Two of the attendees are legitimate Hollywood celebrities whom many would recognize if not by name, then by face. They and some of their celebrity friends donated virtual activities to the auction. These items raised several thousand dollars for the nonprofit. But I have to admit - it was a little ... Read On >
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4 ideas for handling auction donations that show up AT the event
Your auction catalog is printed. All items have attractive displays. Guests are arriving shortly. Lo and behold, a Board member/volunteer/parent arrives at registration with a last-minute donation. They'd been meaning to get this to you, but just didn't. What should you do? First, turn away as you roll your eyes. Second, consider these ideas. 1. Add the item to the live auction Here's a recent example from this past weekend. Upon arriving at the venue on Saturday night, I ... Read On >
Tips for associations running annual conference auctions
This spring I'm on the road working with three association clients holding fundraising auctions at their annual conference. Two associations are comprised of individual members (one in the insurance industry; the other in disaster recovery). The third client is an association for hospice organizations to join. Conference auctions are a different breed. They certainly aren't similar to school auctions, and they really aren't like standard nonprofit auctions, either. Let's dive deeper ... Read On >
Finding a big donor – in prison
File this under the topic of "Donations found in the unlikeliest of places." While flying Delta last month, the inflight magazine Delta Sky profiled lifestyle company Beekman 1802. Years prior to starting the company with his partner, one of the two co-owners, Brent Ridge, was a doctor who was working at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. While Martha Stewart was in prison, Ridge wrote her a letter asking her to donate money to his employer, Mount Sinai. She did. The resulting gift of ... Read On >
Is your live auction “average?” (2015 by the numbers)
Two weeks ago while interviewing Lori Jacobwith about storytelling (Awesome call, by the way. Use all of her tips in planning your next Fund a Need), I asked her if there was a "right" number of stories to include in a fundraising event. Lori had a solid answer -- five. She explained what each story should do and who should tell it. (You can get details in our free call.) I commented that I often get a similar question -- "How many items should we sell in our live auction?" or "What's the ... Read On >