Venice is a popular fundraising auction theme. The imagery of the city is perhaps most closely associated with its famous canals, followed by its infamous Carnival. But as canals are difficult to recreate in a school gym, most groups opt for the Carnival masks. Venetian masks are festive elements to use, easily portable, and come in a range of price points that fit most any budget. At a school auction, both hand-crafted and purchased masks were used. They were placed on the silent auction ... Read On >
themes
Charity auction themes: Money and Banking
Each year, this nonprofit conducts a fundraiser roast of a well-known local figure. The decor represents the personality and profession of the one to be roasted. In this case, the honoree (i.e. the one to be roasted) was a banker, so the charity auction themes followed a button-up conservative tone, as seen in these visuals. The invitation was sent loose-leaf, but held together by a gift - an engraved money clip. Fitting of a banker, pinstriped dark blue, gray and white were the predominate ... Read On >
Non-floral school auction centerpieces at “Night at the Museum”
Many of the galas I work use a floral centerpiece on the table. I certainly enjoy the freshness flowers bring to an event, but I've also seen some interesting non-floral options, especially when it comes to school auction centerpieces, as the one in this photo. Why do nonprofits opt for a non-floral arrangement? 1. Lower event expenses. As attractive as they are, flowers can be expensive. They become a "nice to have," not a "need to have," so they can be quickly cut from a ... Read On >
School auction themes: “Bullish” in the Wild West
I'd not seen this entertainment activity at any of our other galas. This private school auction had a western-themed fundraiser. To add to the ambiance, they brought in a mechanical bull for guests to ride during the silent auction portion of the evening. Although guests were wary at first, they eventually warmed to the idea to try it. The bull was positioned in the middle of an inflatable ring. It reminded me of an inflatable swimming pool for children. When the guest was thrown off the bull ... Read On >