Running a Fundraising Auction

Raising money for your local nonprofit organization or charity can be great fun .

However it can also be very stressful trying to think of a suitable event and planning for it. This article will look into some good ideas to help plan an auction to raise funds for your charity.

A fund raising auction is a popular fundraising event because it can be done alongside a number of other events. You could have a fundraising dinner followed by a charity auction, in other words it’s a very easy way to increase the amount of money earned at charity events.

Charity auctions can be run together with other fund raising events and can be a way for people to have the fun of attending a "real" auction, bidding and having fun, whilst raising much needed funds for a good cause.

The only real problem with holding a charity auction is that it takes quite a long time to gather all of the different items that you will be auctioning off to raise money. You might like to consider organizing the event a long time in advance so that you have plenty of time.

You could also consider auctioning off people; this is a very popular form of charity auction. Of course it’s not really anything to do with the slave trade! You could simply auction off a meal with specific people or a slave for the day.

If you want to auction off items then you could stick to items that are easy to find. Try contacting local businesses, you might find that they are willing to donate products or services. 

This is also a valuable opportunity for new businesses in the area to gain free publicity at no cost to them - so use your networking skills to get in touch with as many of your local business men and women as you can to see how you can help them in this way.

Golf lessons or piano lessons are things that you could auction off for charity.  Similarly, your local beautician might be happy to offer a free manicure , the gardener may be happy to offer one hour of their time, and so on - you get the idea!

Keeping Records

If you are planning on holding a fundraising auction then you should keep accurate records that show every single detail about the items and the amount donated. You need to record what was donated and when it was donated. Getting a valuation on valuable looking items may be advisable, also check for any conditions from the person donating the product or service.

Auctioning or Selling Unique Items

In order to generate as much money as possible from a fundraising auction you should try to offer unique items that would be very difficult, or impossible to find in a shop. This will help to make people more interested in bidding for the items, which should bump the prices up.

When sourcing unique items think about people that you know, what contacts do these people have? If someone on your board has their own company then you might want to try asking them to donate something. People don’t even have to donate anything; they can just donate their time.

There's also a trend to auction off unusual experiences- for example, a trip up the spire of Salisbury Cathedral, a behind the scenes tour of a museum or local attraction, a "meet the cast" opportunity at your local theatre, or a meet the team event with your local sports club .  These are all items which people are happy to bid for, but which don't have an inherent cost to the giver, apart from their time .

For something really unusual, why not try an art auction.  These are an increasingly popular way of raising funds.

Running an Art Auction

You can run an art auction yourselves or for a large organisation such as:-

• Schools
  
• Hospitals
  
• Churches & other Religious Organizations
  
• Rotary Clubs
  
• Museums
  

You may wish to involve the professionals, for example, Art Auction Fundraiser .  Whatever route you choose, you can expect to receive a substantial percentage of the revenue generated by an auction.

If you have good relationships with many potentially wealthy clients or live in a relatively wealthy neighbourhood, this may be an option that you can consider.

Charity auctions are a fantastic way to raise money for your local nonprofit organization; they are successful because they are great fun!

Recommended Resources

101 Easy Fundraising Ideas - tips and suggestions on ways you can raise money for your organisation or group