Question about doing a Silent/Live Auction for my girl's school!!

[kritter]

Has anyone ever done a Silent and Live Auction at their child's school?? If so what types of things did you have at the Auction?? TIA!!

 

[sk!mom]

Yes to both. DH chairs a silent auction every year. They get anything that they can. Ask everyone you know for donations- Spa packages, Guided Hunts, Airline tickets, Weekends at a hotel, Dinners at Restaurants, Sports Memorbilia.

A live auction is a bit more difficult as you never know what is a dud and gets no bids. They only do the bigger items for the live auction.

Honestly, it's a lot of work but if you have several people running down donations, it can be a great money maker.

 

[kathie859]

To solicit individuals to donate themed gift baskets! Lots of people enjoy putting together a themed basket to auction. I attended a function a few months ago and there were dozens of baskets. It provided a lot of interest and fun seeing what people came up with

In addition to the baskets, there was jewelry, decorative decanters of liquor, art from garden sculptures to prints to original painted pictures. A few people donated services like oil changes, yard work and duct cleaning. So, OP, you can see that the sky is the limit.

 

[java]

Golf outings
Week at someone's vacation home
Baseball tickets
Restaurant gift certificates

Really whatever we can get our hands on. We do a combo silent auction/tricky tray night. Last year we made over $15,000! In a recession year!
Good luck

 

[Mrsdennison]

Our teachers each pick a theme. Then their classes donate small items to that theme. It turns into a big basket of goodies. Then it is raffled off.

They also silent auction tickets to cardinals and rams games. Gift cards and certificates and movie tickets with popcorn and such.

The baskets are the best. Last year one grade bought a small blue plastic pool and then filled it with summer items. We won the pinic theme, it has paper plates, ketcup, bubbles, mustard, butterfly catcher net, tablecloth, sidewalk chalk, and a bunch of other stuff.

Mrsdennison

 

[mousey]

Theme and silent are 2 different types. Theme involves purchasing a card with tickets or an envelope with a written number on it with tickets with the same number on them sold for lets say $5.00 a card. From the tickets that are deposited near the theme basket your winner is determined.
A silent is an item with a bid sheet next to it. Lets say an Entertainment book--value $35.00 The bidding may start at $1.00 or $2.00 and increase until the auction ends. Someone may pay $40 for a good cause or the bidding may stop at $25--you just don't know.

 

[pantherlj]

My daughter's school does the silent auction. The most popular gift card last year were the 2 $50 gift cards to the local gas station. I think they sold for a bit over $50 each.

Other popular ones were a landscape company design, local restaurants and some gift baskets. Oh, the diary of a whimpy kid set went for a lot too.

My daughter spent a month's worth of allowance to go on a nature hike with the science teacher. She was able to bring a friend and loved it! The teachers didn't do it last year and she was bummed. Things like a couple of piano lessons with the music teacher, a couple of private art lessons with the art teacher, etc would be pure profit for the school but the teachers would have to donate their time. Another hot item last year was "principal for the day".

have fun

 

[kritter]

Thanks, these ideas are AWESOME...Please keep them coming...Currently, we have each classroom with a theme for silent auction baskets. But we are trying to find ideas for our Live Auction....Please, keep sharing things that have worked for you all in the past.......Thanks, again!!

 

[poohfriend77]

My kids' school does a combo raffle (you put your ticket in the box for the specific basket/prize you want) and silent auction. Each class donates a themed basket, and businesses and individuals donate items like an American Girl doll, horse riding lessons, B&B stay, YMCA gymnastics party, etc. They also auctioned off 4 front row seats for the spring musical. It cost the school nothing, and my DH was happy to pay $100 for reserved seats, since it was really just a donation anyway.

My friend asks each teacher to donate a "gift of time" for their school's auction. It wasn't "required" and not all teachers participated, but she was surprised at how well they went over. I don't remember all of them, but the art teacher offered to take a child and parent fishing. Two dads got in a bidding war, and it went for over $200!

 

[kritter]

Thanks, these are some GREAT ideas. I love the Principal for the day...Please, keep the ideas coming!!

 

[mom2grace]

Other pure profit ideas...night in the library with the librarian, night in the gym with the gym teacher, reserved seats at school events (we are also a church, so things like Christmas mass, etc)

For the nights, they usually accept 6 kids (the gym teacher did a whole class with parent help) and families go in on them together. 2 years ago the library went for $1800 & this year they did 3 for about $750 each.

We also do an event called a paddle party, several people will sponsor a party at $100/person, and then the night of the auction, others can sign up/bid to attend for $75/person. We also do a margarita party for women only, and a cigar/beer party for men only, i know sexist!

Our live auction items are the above (anything with the principal should be live auction), as well as trips, we have had African safaris, trips to Yellowstone, a ton of trips to Florida (people donate weeks of their time shares), Colts stuff (we are in Indy), spend the day with our city mayor, spend the day at a tv station, and on & on. Spread the word & don't be shy!

We do our auction every other year and make about $150K with about 500 people (probably 300 households) in attendance, very much middle income, not super wealthy.

 

[sullins5]

Oh my goodness!! There's so much to do!
We have done for the silent auctions:
Contests between grades for best themed baskets (ex..1st grade might do a movie night basket, 5th grade went to a pottery shop , made a class plate & cookbook, 2nd grade gave a pampered basket w/ spa coupons, lotions, etc)..the contest helped motivate ideas & gifting. School baskets w/ school logo shirts/cups/parking decals etc. Travel baskets, restaurant, pet baskets, horticulture for the gardener, adopt a zoo animal/membership basket, entertainment basket, wedding basket,coupons for things bogo free ...you get the idea...
For the live auctions what have gone best are:
Principals for the day, front row at the play seatings, librarian for a day, parking in a special spot all year, graduation seating privileges, coach for a day, any type of authority 'for a day' is always a good seller. Also special trips donated, golf carts, golf supplies, spa treatments,his and her bikes, fitness equipment, lawn equipment, daycare for a week, fitness club membership, store membership, also 'outlandish' things have gone..waverunners, big ticket item...we even had a car donated..
Really it's up to your workers and the fund raisers!!

Good luck and hope you raise a ton of $$$$

 

[kritter]

You guys ROCK!! I love these ideas...Please keep sharing your helping us out GREATLY!!

 

[mommyrach]

We do this every year. Each class does a themed basket. Local restaurants and stores donate gift certificates. This year the local YMCA donated a membership. We have done lunch with the principal. We auctioned off a homework pass and it was a BIG hit.

 

[sk!mom]

Other pure profit ideas...

The one my DH chairs is always pure profit as they get everything donated. They start soliciting donations a year in advance by sending letters to large organizations- professional sports teams, large companies. They've been able to get autographed Sports memorbilia, donated tickets, and large items this way. They contact local artists and photographers for orginal works and photo sessions. Local caterers have donated catering.

 

[MSSANDRA]

They can raise big money as 100% is profit if all is donated. Gift baskets are fun, experiences are great! Movie tickets, spa treatments, donation of a condo time share, race tickets, shows etc.

Ask families that own business to donate services. This year we have a family that owns a body shop and one that own a cleaning service that will donate. WE have had baby sittings service offered as well.

WE have had things from the race industry donated (we are in the south), and that brings a LOT of money.

People who sell items like 31 pocket books may donate.

Offers to do yard work, wash cars etc came out doing well tooo!!

 

[AmandaNied]

Has anyone ever done a Silent and Live Auction at their child's school?? If so what types of things did you have at the Auction?? TIA!!

We have a live/silent auction every year for my child's school. The majority of the funds are raised that night for operating expenses, etc (last year we totaled around 20K)


Every class does a basket, my son's class was "mom's night out" and everyone in the class brought something to do with the theme (gift card to the movies, dinner certificates) and then we had donations from alumni as well as parish members (We are a small Catholic School).

The day the auctions are held is an event...we charge admission, have a great dinner and have the tables set up as well and selling raffle tickets for 50/50 and other things. We also have a "big money raffle" where the tickets are $100 each and only a certain amount is sold. Each winner receives $1,000. (The tickets start to be sold in the summer, as well as tickets for a car raffle)

We have big items in the live auction-4 wheelers, tractors, TV's, car,ect.. most items are dontated at or below cost and a local bank "preapproves" people for loans at a good intrest rate. The auction books are sent out ahead of the time so if people are intrested in the car or 4-wheeler, they can contact the bank to get approved.

They also auction off experiences: trips, dinners cooked by the Priest for you and 10 guests, Principal for the Day, jean da/pizza day for your child's class.

Each class also makes some kind of craft to be auctioned: a bench, a painting or a table. Each has the children's handprints or names and date of graduation...these are the biggest moneymakers at the auction as people get very competative!!

We are pretty blessed to have some amazing donors, but this event is held every year and we attract people from the community- even if they have no affilation with the school or Church...it's just a fun night out for all

 

[sk!mom]

One other suggestion- Get in contact with as much Alumni, as possible. This is easier now than in the past as many schools already have Facebook pages for Alumni. I teach at an Elementary school and there's an Alumni FB page started by a nostalgic former student.

The event my DH chairs isn't for a school so he hasn't done this but my brother does this for his son's school. He has been able to get donations every other year from Alumni. In some cases donations of items or experiences but at other times just cash donations. This taps into people who are outside of the local community.

 

[ntink]

I just skimmed the responses so I am not sure if this was mentioned but a huge money maker at our silent auction is a reserved parking space for 1 year. The PTO paints the space (we did interlocking puzzle pieces this year) and the $$ raised is pure profit. It went for over $300 this year.

 

[ilovejack02]

Our teachers each pick a theme. Then their classes donate small items to that theme. It turns into a big basket of goodies. Then it is raffled off.

They also silent auction tickets to cardinals and rams games. Gift cards and certificates and movie tickets with popcorn and such.

The baskets are the best. Last year one grade bought a small blue plastic pool and then filled it with summer items. We won the pinic theme, it has paper plates, ketcup, bubbles, mustard, butterfly catcher net, tablecloth, sidewalk chalk, and a bunch of other stuff.

Mrsdennison

This is what my school does . They put all out on tables in cafeteria . Parents buy tickets and place in boxes. A ticket is pulled after a cpl of days for the winner. I usually spend at least 25.00 on tickets, sometimes more if it is something I really want. This is where I spend my money for fund raisers. They are getting 100% of my money, and I don't have to spend my money on overpriced chocolate and wrapping paper. : )


The silent auction I worked on for several years for a local charity is high end goods, trips, spa packages, art work, furniture , gorgeous rugs, photography packages , jewelry , high end clothing etc.

We pull in about 60 k a year .


The school my mom works at has a really nice auction.
The 4 year olds always paint a playhouse or really nice toy chest. It is always so cute and personal. Last year's toy box, the art teacher painted a scene all over it and the kid's thumbprints were the flowers and bugs on it.

The four year old parents were FALLING all over each to out bid the others. It eventually went for almost 800.00.

Something like this will only work, based on school demographics.