OT......Benefit auction

[tinan]

Mods....I apologize and please delete if this question is not allowable.

If there is anyone who has had experience getting donations from businesses and organizing a benefit auction, I would greatly appreciate if you can either PM me here or email me at tinas_69@yahoo.com Again, I hope I am not doing anything wrong by asking this question here. Thank you!

 

[Shagley]

Make sure your request is in writing and on official letterhead. I used to answer mail for Energizer Battery Co., and in the past Energizer would send out large stuffed Energizer Bunnies when they received requests. I'm not sure if their policy has changed or not.
When sending requests to local businesses, don't just send them a generic copy of the letter, at least put a short hand written note on the bottom of the letter or something to make it a little more personal - that might get your request a little more attention than just a copied letter. Also, call the local businesses after they have had time to receive your letter, and ask to speak to the Manager. Explain who you are, that you are having a benefit auction (what it is for), and that you would greatly appreciate any donation that their business can give. Many time if you talk to the Manager personally, they may arrange to donate more than if you don't follow through with the phone call.

 

[~Kathie]

Make sure your request is in writing and on official letterhead.

Great advice. We own a restaurant and recieve a lot of donation requests. We ask organizations to submit the requests in writing on letterhead. We need to have that information for our records and taxes.

If you do decide to follow up with a phone call, make sure it is at a time that is convienent for the manager to talk to you. You'd be surprised at how many people call on a Friday night at 6PM right in the middle of the dinner rush and ask to speak to the manager about a donation.

Good luck!

 

[tinan]

A friend of mine has already put together the letter with all of the information. I have started to contact some businesses and already getting some donations.

We're trying to figure out whether we're better off running this as a bid, silent, or as a Chinese auction. Which would most likely raise the most money?

 

[pammypooh]

For our auction, we do all our bigger donations as a silent auction. Our school families donate "tricky trays" which are raffled off. The are supposed to be a value of about 20 - 25 dollars. Some of our past names for the trays include: Breakfast in Bed, At the Carwash, Parrothead Delight, & I'm Stuck on BandAid. People buy tickets to come to the event, as part of their admission, they are given @ 15 tickets (I forget the exact amount) to put in whatever "tricky tray" raffle buckets they wish to try and win. We make a lot of our money by selling packets of additional tickets. We usually have @ 125 Tricky trays. Most people seem to buy the additional packs of tix. Some of the bigger auction items have included vacation homes, golf outings, etc. Our most popular auction items are usuallly the very unique and different things - for example - our family donates "a hot tub party for 4-6 adults" - my husband and I do all the food and drink, we have also donated a ladies shopping trip to the outlets - my dh drove and I provided a brunch on board as well as snacks for the ride home.
Good luck with your event!

Pam

 

[pammypooh]

I forgot to add, that at my neighbor's school, (different private) they do a silent auction for some items, but they also to a live auction that goes for several hours. It is a great event! Last year the item that got the highest bid was a sleepover at the school for 6 girls and it went for over $1,000! I was sitting there in shock! They also do a classroom quilt for each grade that seems to do very well for the auction. Our school does a "gift" from each class, though we offer them as a raffle. (I think we sell tickets for $5/tix) In the past these items have included a child's rocking chair covered in kindergarden handprints, a bookcase decorated by 1st graders, a mirror that was surrounded by mosiac tiles from the 4th grade etc.

Best wishes.

Pam

 

[tinan]

I just sent you a pm.

Thanks

 

[swilshire]

We have a local auctioneer who does a lot of charity work. He auctions off the school's baskets each year (where each kid brings in an item related to the class theme) and they go for FAR more than they're worth. I think most people will bid higher because it's for a good cause.

Sheila

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

Sent you a PM

 

[tar heel]

My kids used to go to a school that raised over $200,000 at its auctions. My biggest piece of advice is to never underestimate how much time this will take. Our auctions were every other year b/c it took two years to plan and get the items. The auction consisted of a couple hundred silent aution items in a half dozen or so categories and 65-70 live auction items. Some of the live items brought $10,000+. There also was a dinner and auction tickets were in the $100 range.

Don't try to do too many live items. It takes a lot of time and people totally lose interest after a while. We found that you needed to start with three or four things that were sure to sell but that wouldn't be that expensive. The really big items were between #20 and #50 after things were really rocking (and quite frankly, after people had had a few drinks). Make sure to mix up things, too -- don't do trips, sports memorabilia, etc. -- all in a row. Combine items into packages, even with the live stuff, to make them look more interesting.

If you're doing this for a school, I can tell you a way to make some big bucks if you have parents with $. At our school, each class made an item for the auction under the direction of the art teacher. For example, fourth graders did a chess set. A grandfather who was a skilled craftsman made an inlaid wood table and the kids painted the pieces. Went for over $10,000 the year my child was in fourth grade. Kindergarten made quilts -- handprint designes that were quilted by someone. One class did tile top tables and were helped out by that same grandpa. Some kid art was in the silent auction and only brought a few hundred dollars, but the chess set, quilts and tables were big items in live.

The biggest item at our auctions was always a wine tasting party. It was organized by a wine collector who was a former school parent. The package even included door-to-door transportation in a school bus! Usually went for about $30,000!

There was a place at our auction for people with a lot less $ like us. We always worked on auction night -- 50 or so parents were needed and it actually was a lot of fun. I produced the catalog, too, so I was involved all along. I usually spent about $100 on a silent auction bargain or two -- one year I got 60 pairs of tights!

Disney used to give four one-day tickets one time only -- they said don't ask again! For local businesses, you need to contact them directly and, if possible, have someone who actually does business there to do it.

 

[tinan]

this is a benefit auction for my 13 year old daughter. Over Mem. Day weekend she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After they removed the tumor they then realized that they were dealing with a very rare form of ovarian cancer. Her Dr's were only able to find one other case exactly like hers out in LA. So some friends of mine are trying to put this auction together to help defer some of our costs which are adding up very quickly. I have already secured a local auctioneer that has volunteered his time and we have started to receive some donations. We're hoping someone will be kind enough to donate something "big" that would be a real draw with the crowd. I've never done something like this and am looking for any suggestions we can get.

Thanks!

 

[ZPT1022]

tinan- I wish I had some advice but I just wanted to say good luck. Both with your DD's treatment and with the auction!

Becky

 

[tinan]

Thank you so much! It is a very trying time.

 

[tar heel]

Wow -- that's awful about your daughter. I think most of us assumed this was for a school or nonprofit. I pray she will be okay.

I don't know what the legal ramifications are, but have your friends to check with a tax expert to see if there is any relatively easy way to make contributions tax deductible by involving a church or charitable organization. This would be for contributions where someone did NOT receive something in return or paid more than the item is valued.

Also, make sure there is ample opportunity to just GIVE not buy something. The nonprofit I work for makes more (probably) at a fund-raising breakfast where we demonstrate what we do and ask for $ than we would at an auction because we have relatively little overhead. In your case, given the cause, I think it's reasonable to expect EVERYTHING to be donated.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They did a huge fundraiser for a young woman here who was getting a bone marrow transplant. They got a group that is non-profit to handle the fundraising so that donations could be tax deductible.

YOu could see if someone will help you with that.

For this young woman--it was a huge garage sale and raffle event.

I would suggest that you partner with some group so that you can be under their tax-exempt status--but with all monies going for your daughters medical expenses.

 

[tinan]

Thanks ladies......my parents have been able to secure a church hall, which is being donated by a local church. At the auction we plan to have the live auction, a chinese auction, a 50/50 raffle, sell pop, water, baked goods, chips, and try to get some pizza donated. In addition to this we planned on having a big container in which people could just donate money if they wanted to. Additionally, our local mall has presented me with an idea as well. They are going to have what is called A Night Of Giving, after mall hours. The patrons have to have a ticket in order to get in, but there will be special sales at ALL of the stores, entertainment, a chinese or silent auction, etc. The tickets cost $10 to the patrons and all the mall wants is $3/ticket allowing us to keep $7/ticket sold. I was thinking about getting some of these to sell as well. Do you think that is too much? Or what you would think to see at an auction like this? Any and all ideas welcome!