Category: Running the Auction

A table at a gala after a nonprofit event.

Thanking Donors After Events: 3 Memorable Strategies

From booking venue spaces to marketing, a lot goes into planning your events, and it’s tempting to breathe a sigh of relief after the last guests make their exit. However, your events aren’t done until you thank your attendees! Just like how you thank supporters after donating or volunteering, you should also thank them for coming to […]

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A woman raising her hand to ask a volunteer-related question.

Common Volunteer Questions: Can Your Nonprofit Answer Them? 

Recent studies found that around 25% percent of Americans volunteered in 2022. With so many dedicated supporters, your organization could come across an interested potential volunteer at any time. Would you feel ready to answer their questions and promote your cause?  More than likely, you already have a dedicated section on your website that addresses volunteer FAQs, […]

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Gala

Live Auctions: Which Items Should You Include?

Your big fundraising gala is coming up. Now it’s decision time. Which items are worthy of inclusion in your live auction? And which items should you delegate to silent bidding? Here are the factors to consider when setting your live auction lineup: Broad Appeal The key to high bids is competition among bidders. Period. If there is […]

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school class project for auction

School Auctions: Raise the Most Money with Class Projects

School auctions represent a great opportunity for a variety of people to get involved at any level they are able. For the teachers, their contribution can be to coordinate a class project that can be sold at the auction as an instant heirloom. What parent wouldn’t want a lasting memory of their child’s third-grade experience? In this […]

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Fundraising virtual auctions events 5 key metrics

Fundraising for Virtual Auctions and Events: 5 Key Metrics (Guest Post)

Virtual events are a key fundraising tool for nonprofits, but they require time, money, and effort to be successful. Given the resources necessary for planning and hosting an event, you shouldn’t have any questions about whether or not your event accomplished your nonprofit’s outreach and fundraising goals.  Tracking metrics helps your nonprofit evaluate the impact and return […]

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Silent Auction Display

Where Should You Start Your Silent Auction Bids?

If you’re running a silent auction, setting the proper starting bid, bid steps and buy-it-now price will result in higher bids and bigger donations. Starting Bids Here are some rules of thumb for setting the starting bid (AKA minimum bid) for your silent auction items. Type of Item Starting Bid TravelPledge Experience Use the TravelPledge-provided starting bid, […]

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Facebook app

Can You Run a Silent Auction on Facebook?

Many nonprofits are tempted to run their silent auction fundraiser on Facebook. After all, most of their supporters already have an account and Facebook doesn’t charge anything. But, are charity auctions even permitted according to Facebook’s terms of use? If so, what’s the best way to run a silent auction on Facebook? Drawbacks to Running a Silent […]

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Auction paddle raise

7 Simple Tips for an Inspiring Fund-a-Need

In this post, you’ll learn how to maximize donations during your Fund-a-Need. What is the fund-a-need? The fund-a-need, or paddle raise, is where you solicit donations from the audience at your gala. In the typical fund-a-need format, the auctioneer starts at a high amount, say $5,000, and asks donors to raise their bid cards to commit to […]

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Silent Auction Display

10 Amazing Tips to Increase Bidding at Your Silent Auction Fundraiser

In this post, you’ll learn 10 amazing tips to increase bidding at your silent auction fundraiser. 1. More items are not always better A good rule of thumb is to auction approximately one item for every two attendees. For example, if you expect 200 people, then the ideal number of Silent Auction items would be 100. If […]

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Auction Statistics key performance indicators

The Key Performance Indicators for Your Fundraising Auction

In this post, you’ll learn the key metrics you need to evaluate after each fundraising auction. These metrics will help you determine how you performed compared to last year and highlight what to improve. Revenue and Costs First, look at the big picture stats. Specifically, total revenue, total expenses and finally your expense ratio which is your […]

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