Question about ideas for silent auction

[clh2]

The background: Our church youth group is going to be doing some serious fundraising in the next year. One of the things they will be doing is a silent auction. How it works at our church...any basket my DD can put together, whether from donated stuff, or what we would put together, she gets every last penny into her specific trip account. She can do more than one basket.

Just an aside: We have a terrific person in charge of all the fundraising efforts! Yeah!

So - some of my ideas for baskets are:

IDEA 1 A basket of greeting cards. I am a stamper, and wouldn't cost much at all, becuase I have LOTS around the house. I might need to get some ribbon or other embellishments for the cards, as I routinely do not buy that stuff unless I need it for a specific project. This type of basket could easily cover B-days (male, female and kids), holidays, baby, wedding, graduation, sympathy etc.

Idea 2 Blank notecards with very nice photos on the outside. My mom is a great amateur photographer, and would easily be able to find some of her best shots to use for this. This would also be at minimal cost, basically just getting the photos printed.

Now...I am running out of the low priced options, i.e. the above ones would be very inexpensive to put together. So, below are the ones that I could put together, I just want to make sure there is "value" in the baskets so the bid amounts would be more than the cost to put these together.

Idea 3 A basket including a cookbook that has recipes that are similar to the dinner prep places, i.e. Dinner by Design, as well as some of the disposables, labels, zip-loc bags, aluminum pans.I could get the stuff ready for this for about $20.

Idea 4 This would be my most "out-on-a-limb" idea: There is a scrapbook store near my mom's house (4 hours away) that will customize scrapbook paper for your school. I was thinking maybe 10 sheets of customized scrapbook paper, and then some coordinating Bazzil paper. The custom scrapbook paper is $1.99 per sheet, the Bazzil would be ~$.60 per sheet. So it would cost me about $25 to $30 to put this together. There are 3 high schools that people attend from our church, however, I was thinking to only do the highschool my DD will be attending, since if the basket would not get a minimum bid, that I would be able to use these items, and not feel like I would be losing money.

Idea 5 This is also a little out on a limb, keep checking the Menard's adds, to see what kind of tools, carwashing stuff they have nice rebates for, and put together a "homeowner's care package" type of basket. If I could do this for a reasonable cost, it might make some money in the silent auction

So - those are my ideas. Any comments? Any other really good ideas? I want to start to put these baskets together sooner than later, the auction won't be until spring. But I do not want this to be an expense all at one time. I.e. even if I do the cards, I will still need to do some sort of basket or container to put them in to make it look pretty.

Would you bid on any of these in a silent auction?
Thanks for your advice!!!

 

[Micca]

Looks like you have some really good ideas and are willing to work hard to make this a success

Just to take a completely different tact: Have you thought of networking with friends and family to get some merchandise or services donated that might bring some high dollars in the auction? If you think of the people who will be attending the auction and some possible things they might want to
spend money on, what would they be?

Good luck with your ideas, I hope it goes great for you.

 

[nicurn]

try googling "school auction" and you will get a lot of auction booklets that may or may not give you some good ideas. another place to look for ideas is ptotoday.com, they have a board similar to this one that has auction ideas as well as other fundraising ideas. good luck! maggie

 

[clh2]

Looks like you have some really good ideas and are willing to work hard to make this a success

Just to take a completely different tact: Have you thought of networking with friends and family to get some merchandise or services donated that might bring some high dollars in the auction? If you think of the people who will be attending the auction and some possible things they might want to
spend money on, what would they be?

Good luck with your ideas, I hope it goes great for you.

The auction happens at church, so that is primarily the people that will be bidding on the baskets. The church is fairly large, i.e. when my DD was confirmed in the spring, there were 45 eighth grader's that were confirmed. There is a broad range of incomes, educations, ages, etc of people who attend our church.

My DD and I came up with a whole list of local businesses she can approach to request donations, to try to get some additional baskets. Some may work, some may not. The church will provide as much letterhead as needed, as well as copies of the "not-for profit form" (I can't remember the form number.) So, hopefully, we can get a couple of restaurant certificates to make some additional baskets with.

Unfortunately, between our family and friends, we don't have a "cool idea" for a service that could be donated. I do have a BIL who is a professional photographer, and he wouldn't even donate any services when his own DD was going on church-related trips when she was in high school. His opinion - his donated services wouldn't be appreciated - if people bid on them, instead of paying BIL in cold-hard cash. (BIL doesn't work for a studio (so no conflicts of interest) , he is just a newspaper photographer, but he does have a really high opinion of himself. )

 

[CajunDixie]

Your ideas look great!

Want some more ideas? If you coupon and have stores like CVS or Walgreen's you can get a wide of variety of items free that you can use for some other basket ideas.
1. Movie basket: older classic movies can be bought for $5, add in a 2 ltr of pop, box of candy and some micro popcorn
2. Blizzard basket: coloring book, crayons, movie, board games (ToysRUs seems to do a big board game sale before Christmas), can of soup, candle, candy....
3. Pampering Basket: Bubblebath, bodywash, scrubbing puff (blonde moment I can't think what you call the netted ball you use with bodywash ), pumice stone, nail clippers, candle, body spray.....
4. Christmas Basket: hit up the after Christmas sales at WalMart and Target and pick up lights, box of ornaments, tinsel, candle, decorative bowl/plates, whatever they have left for cheap.
5. Candy Basket: People are having candy buffets for weddings and showers so why not a basket with a variety....toss in a toothebrush and toothepaste too
6. Gardening basket...watch for gardening items on clearance about now. The "basket" could be a flower pot
7. Office or Off to College Basket...stock up on the sales right now for beginning of school items. Staples usually has great sales too

Now you're probably thinking these sound expensive but if you use the budget board, coupon mom board, CVS and Walgreen sales/rebates, and you already mentioned Menards you can get this stuff for free. For example I've seen Menards do the after rebate free on candles and candy and they have great after Christmas sales too. Just an example (too early to buy the candy) CVS right now has $5 ECB if you buy $10 in select candy....there's a coupon out for one of the selected candy thus making it free after the ECBs.

Before the auction Bath and Body will have another semi annual sale...pick up odds and ends from the 90% off display for the Pampering basket. This year I picked up cold cream for $1 and a set of 3 mesh makeup sized bags for $1. During the sale I had a coupon for a free lip product with any purchase...so for $2 I got a jar of cold cream, 3 makeup bags and a lip product (valued at $7.50). I did this deal twice as I had 2 of the coupons. My receipts had $10 off $30 survey coupons.....survey took only about 3 minutes...and I could combine that coupon with the semi annual sale items including the 90% off clearance items. So if you shop there already it's easy to get a couple of items for your baskets for very little.

Watch for freebies thread on the budget and reward boards too.

Anytime you can get something free or for pennies on the dollar toss it in a plastic tub then see what you can put together before the auction. If the auction is after Easter pick up clearanced baskets to hold the items.

If you or anyone in your family sews or knits think about making a simple quilt or afgan over winter. Our PTFO had a quilt that was donated by a local quilt club that brought in over $300 alone. Now that was a patterned quilt but even a simple quilt or a smaller "baby" quilt could be a money maker. For the afgan use school colors or baby colors.

Holy cow this is loooong but one other idea. Do you belong to any reward programs like MyPoints or Sunshine Rewards? If not check out the reward board to learn more about them. You can earn gift certificates that you could use to purchase items or simply add the gift card itself to your baskets. Granted they can be slow earners if you don't shop on the internet but you can get points for reading and clicking emails and doing surveys (easy enough your daughter can do them and there is a kids survey site I think called kidseyes or something like that). By spring you could easily earn a $25 gift card or more if you sign up for multiple reward sites.

 

[clh2]

Your ideas look great!

Want some more ideas?

Now you're probably thinking these sound expensive but if you use the budget board, coupon mom board, CVS and Walgreen sales/rebates, and you already mentioned Menards you can get this stuff for free.

Before the auction Bath and Body will have another semi annual sale...pick up odds and ends from the 90% off display for the Pampering basket. So if you shop there already it's easy to get a couple of items for your baskets for very little.

Watch for freebies thread on the budget and reward boards too.

Anytime you can get something free or for pennies on the dollar toss it in a plastic tub then see what you can put together before the auction. If the auction is after Easter pick up clearanced baskets to hold the items.

If you or anyone in your family sews or knits think about making a simple quilt or afgan over winter.

Holy cow this is loooong but one other idea. By spring you could easily earn a $25 gift card or more if you sign up for multiple reward sites.

Wow...CajunDixie - it sounds like you've done this before! I will definitely keep an eye out for the school supply "almost freebies", I love the Bath and Body Works annual sale idea (I can't stand scented products, so I do not shop there regularly, but for this I would!) We are already signed up on the reward sites, but for us, it doesn't amount to much. Although - jumping off your idea, we do get rewards for buying our gas at a particular gas store, and that can be redeemed for some local restaurants.

And I love your quilting/knitting idea...I have a SIL who is a fabulous quilter, and could easily whip me up a nice baby blanket or two, and I also have a 16-year old niece, who LIVES to knit. She is self taught, and just can't get enough of knitting. My SIL also does cool projects, like taking jeans and making them into purses and what-not.

Thanks for the great ideas!
clh2

 

[Ohiodislover]

Some of the basket auctions my kids have had at their school fund-raisers.

Family game night- board games, cards, etc.
Movie night- DVDs, popcorn, pizza gift certificates
Pet lovers basket-- one for dogs, one for cats, one for rodents
Day at the beach--beach toys, cooler, ice packs, beach towels, and mats
Spa basket-- with nail polish, manicure stuff, foot soak
Music lovers- Mp3 player, i-tunes gift cards

 

[clh2]

Some of the basket auctions my kids have had at their school fund-raisers.

Family game night- board games, cards, etc.
Movie night- DVDs, popcorn, pizza gift certificates
Pet lovers basket-- one for dogs, one for cats, one for rodents
Day at the beach--beach toys, cooler, ice packs, beach towels, and mats
Spa basket-- with nail polish, manicure stuff, foot soak
Music lovers- Mp3 player, i-tunes gift cards

I should stop at Target on my way home tomorrow night, maybe I'll find some nice clearance stuff for the beach!

I love the Dog Lover's basket idea! In a few more visits to my favorite pet-supplies sotre, I will have a $20 gift card from their customer loyalty program, that would be a nice start to a basket.

I'll have to keep an eye out at Christmas, we always get DD some i-tunes cards, and last year Best Buy had a buy $75 in i-tunes and get a free i-tunes g.c., I'm thinking it was for $15.

I'll definitely need to go shopping on Black Friday this year.

 

[rt2dz]

Here is a fantastic site about fundraising, especially silent auctions. Not focused on church groups, but you can certainly use the information!!

 

[barkley]

if you make cards how about a basket that has a few samples but the main focus is you will make so many personalized cards for a specific event (you set the perameters-bday invites, christmas gards, birth announcements). you name the number and limit how complex you will go, how much advance notice you require. put an expiration date on it so it does'nt pop up 10 years from now

think of what other talents you/dd/family members possess. if one of you makes a particular dish thats a favorite at every church potluck then maybe a basket could hold the type of dish it goes in and some inexpensive napkins/napkin rings with a certificate to either make it for the purchaser or they could have you make it for their contribution to a future potluck. if one of you is good at giftwrapping how about putting together a christmas themed basket that provides a couple of hours of gift wrapping services (the buyer provides the paper, ribbon, tags).

one of the most popular (and highest priced selling) items we had at a silent auction was when some of the men got together and offered a few hours of 'honey do' time. the purchaser had to provide the supplies and any tools needed but they listed availability for mowing, weeding, helping out with a big project (like the type husbands keep putting off saying they will get to it when they can get another set of hands to help with the heavy lifting).

 

[mickeyvixie]

OOOO...I love stuff like this.

PPL! We are on a Disney board and no one has mentioned a Disney themed basket yet.
Dollar Tree always has some unusual Disney items that would be great as fillers in a basket. You could even theme the Disney basket itself....... EXP:
101 Dalmations---dvd, some bone shaped cookies, a spotted dog head bobber (ok I saw one the other day and stopped myself from buying...just saying..lol)
Little Mermaid---soundtrack, beach and ocean items
Cars- mini toy cars, dvd, car tool kit for dads.

You get the idea....Gift baskets are great to do and if you can get local businesses to donate like a PP said and see what you can piece together.

 

[tiggger1]

I have been to a ton of silent auctions and the things that get the big bucks are
tickets to sporting events, mary kay baskets, cakes or other designer candy, ( my parents won a cake that was amazing for $60) or local services ( maybe find a locale hairdress that will donate a free cut?

have your dd write a letter asking for donations...send it to family and friends as well as local business.. see what you get...

for the last auction I ran, I got gift cards, cash, small items, as well as a bunch of finished baskets...

another thing that was a big hit was a beach bag with towels, sun screen, hat, spray fan... I made 3 of these and they each went for about $20 and only cost $7 to make because I got everything on clearance...

 

[loco4dis]

The last one of these events I went to I know the "sports basket" was the most sought after. Can't recall precisely what it had in it, but I think it was like a baseball bat, some balls, maybe some golf balls, a ball cap of some kind, etc.

Also, around here beading is pretty big. Does your DD do that?

 

[tiggger1]

Pm me if you would like to see the copy of letter.. it was for a silent auction for a horse show.. so it is a bit different but you can change whatever you need to

 

[java]

The baskets that were big hits at our fundraiser were-

A week at someones time share

A dinner for 6 in your home

A sports themed basket-

Cards- not so much(I make my own too so I would be buying someone elses)

Although maybe a card making kit for someone to try to make their own- like blanks some stamps include a card or two that you made as inspiration- More of an activity. I made my dd one of these and she LOVED it.

Good luck!

 

[LoveKermit]

Baby baskets are also always popular. Dig around your coupon drawer--do have a long lost Target or WalMart gift card you've forgotten about? Use it to buy your goodies--it's like money you didn't know you had anyway.

Also, when our school did this type of auction, we called the local (private) Country Club and explained our cause. They said come on over. We left with at least one pullover and I think a pullover vest, packageS of golf balls (very expensive--that's why the stress on the plural), hats, tees and probably a towel or two. And it wasn't country club labeled stuff, it was Nike, Titlest, etc. We probably walked out with $200 worth of stuff, for free.

Also (and this is a little harder), we've had some luck with Best Buy. Some Best Buys will say they need a letter, they've already donated this year, yada, yada. But a new one near us, said, "Sure, you can have a iPod shuffle." So we just threw in money for some itunes and we had a basket.

It depends how persuasive you can be and if you can catch the right manager at the right time.

We go to a really fancy silent auction where the donors spend good money (that's where the idea for the school fundraiser stemmed from) creating baskets. I understand not wanting to do that or you'd just put the money into your DD's travel fund yourself.

I'll keep working on ideas. One basket we made for the fancy auction happened to include things bought when we were in Mexico.

We keep talking about a Disney basket, but are never there at the right time. You may have helped remind me to do it this October.

Good luck--it's so much fun if you can get a good idea.

 

[clh2]

I really appreciate ALL the great suggestions, some will work for us, others - not so much. (I.e. I hate cooking in my own home, I am not going to offer up a dinner to someone else - KWIM?) DH isn't a "honey-do" kind of guy either, so while great ideas...won't work for us. Although - when we have our fundraising meetings, I'll suggest that as an idea, and then maybe we can bid on a "honey-do" kind of guy

Just an FYI - although an odd suggestion for a Disney board, I'm taking my DD to Six Flags tomorrow, and I was checking some things out on their website...The Six Flags in Gurnee IL will make a once-a-year donation to a group fundraising for 2 tickets. I'll have to see if I can pick up a little (inexpensive) to go with that to make the basket.

I never thought of approaching Best Buy...there is one in the town where our church is located.

My DD doesn't do any beading, I do know that another family does wonderful beading, we won the silent auction for the beaded earrings

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Here's another idea to get "stuff" for the baskets:

Host a "themed party" and tell everyone that their "admission" to the party is something to go along with the theme. We do this at our son's school a lot and collect wonderful wines for a wine basket, candles, bath salts, etc to go with a g.c. for a spa basket, etc.

Another idea is that your daughter (and her friends) could offer their services to help parents host birthday parties for children. For example, they could do manicures and pedicures and (light) makeup for a girls "makeover" themed birthday party.

Your daughter could also auction off a "baby-sitters basket" complete with 12 coupons for babysitting (once a month), some children's DVDs and coloring books with crayons.

One really successful basket that we did was a "cookie of the month club" where someone agreed to make 4 dozen cookies each month for a year. The basket had a few different kinds of cookies in it, along with 2 "dunking" mugs for milk.

Good luck!

 

[LoveKermit]

I was going to suggest Six Flags but didn't know where you were in Wis. I wonder if they have "Bucks" you could add in as spending money.

Now that I have a better idea on location.....what about Badgers tickets or Marquette basketball tickets? They might donate. They also might only donate a food pack (food at a game), but people in your church might have season tickets anyway or go once year, or whatever.