Category: Auction Items

When it comes to auction fundraising success, item pricing plays a pivotal role. Price your items too high, and you risk deterring bidders. Set prices too low, and you might leave money on the table. The key is finding that sweet spot where bidding begins with enthusiasm and escalates into a competitive (and lucrative!) bidding war.

In this updated guide, we’ll break down the fundamentals of auction item pricing, share expert tips, and explain how Givergy’s powerful tools can help you price, promote, and sell your auction items for maximum impact.

1. Understand Fair Market Value (FMV)

Fair Market Value (FMV) is the estimated value of your auction item based on what someone would reasonably pay for it in a regular marketplace. If the item has a retail price, such as a gift card or electronics, this is your FMV. For unique or one-of-a-kind items like autographed memorabilia or exclusive experiences, look for comparable items online via platforms like eBay or Amazon to estimate FMV.

Tip: For custom experiences or private events with no direct comparison, ask the donor to help you assign a value based on what they would typically charge.

2. Set Starting Bids Strategically

Your starting bid should be low enough to attract interest but not so low that it undervalues the item. A widely accepted rule is to set the starting bid between 30% and 50% of the FMV.

• For high-end or premium items, lean closer to 50%
• For lower-value or less exclusive items, start closer to 30%

With platforms like Givergy, customizing your starting bids for each lot is quick and simple, streamlining your event setup.

3. Choose Smart Bid Increments

Bid increments determine the pace and psychology of the auction. In general:

• Set increments at 10% of the FMV for most items
• Consider 15% for high-demand or high-value items to prevent long bidding chains

Aim for no more than 7–8 total bid increments between the starting price and the FMV to keep momentum strong and prevent fatigue.

4. Offer Buy-It-Now Options

Adding a “Buy-It-Now” price can be a smart strategy for popular items. This allows bidders to skip the wait and purchase immediately—especially effective for:

• VIP experiences
• Sold-out events or exclusive dinners
• Travel packages

Recommended Buy-It-Now Range: Set this price at 150%–200% of FMV to ensure a premium while preserving bidding value.

5. Bundle Items for More Value

Sometimes, individual items may not garner much attention on their own. Combining smaller donations into themed baskets or experience packages increases appeal and perceived value.

Example Bundles:

• Relaxation Package: Spa voucher + scented candles + robe
• Family Day Out: Amusement park tickets + picnic basket + travel snacks
• Foodie Heaven: Gourmet hamper + wine tasting + private chef session

Bundling not only boosts excitement but also helps reduce the number of auction lots, creating a more curated and high-quality auction experience.

6. Use Item Visibility to Your Advantage

The placement and visibility of auction items—both online and at live events—can significantly influence bidder interest. Highlight top-valued and most attractive items prominently, whether that’s online or physically at the venue.

Ensure you have:

• Clear, engaging item descriptions
• Professional, high-quality photos
• Fair Market Value (FMV) included when it adds credibility

Using mobile-optimized platforms like Givergy ensures your items look stunning across every device, making it easy for bidders to participate.

7. Be Tactical with FMV Display

While transparency builds trust, you don’t always have to display FMV. For example:

When to display FMV:

• Retail goods and tangible items
• Travel packages with defined costs

When to skip FMV:

• Priceless, exclusive experiences
• Unique memorabilia without clear market value

Strategically displaying FMV—or choosing not to—can impact the perceived value of your items and encourage higher bids. Platforms like Givergy allow easy toggling of FMV visibility at the item level.

8. Leverage Sealed Bidding for Premium Lots

Sealed bidding is an effective strategy for select, high-value lots. In this format, bidders submit their maximum bid without seeing the competition’s offers.

Ideal for:

• Luxury vacations
• Exclusive dinners or experiences
• Celebrity meet-and-greets

Sealed bidding builds suspense and typically drives higher bids, making it perfect for your most prized auction items.

9. Analyse Results and Refine Your Strategy

Post-event analysis is crucial to improving auction performance year over year. After your auction:

• Review which items had the highest engagement
• Assess if Buy-It-Now items sold quickly
• Identify any bidding plateaus where momentum stalled
• Compare results to previous events to identify trends

Using robust reporting tools, like those available through Givergy, allows you to pull real data and make smart adjustments for future success.

Final Thoughts: Smarter Pricing, Bigger Results

Pricing your auction items strategically is one of the most important factors influencing your fundraising success. By blending best practices, leveraging technology, and learning from data, you can maximize both engagement and revenue.

Ready to simplify your auction setup and drive bigger results? Discover how Givergy can help you raise more.

50+ Auction Item Ideas That Actually Drive Bids

Whether you’re planning a school fundraiser, a charity gala, or an online auction, one thing’s for sure: the items you offer can make or break your event. The right mix of auction items will excite your audience, spark competitive bidding, and help you hit (or exceed) your fundraising goals.

To help you stand out, we’ve created a fresh list of over 50 unique, crowd-pleasing auction item ideas—no dusty gift baskets here. These are creative, high-value, and experience-driven ideas designed to energize your bidders and drive results.

VIP Experiences (Because “Money Can’t Buy This” Sells)

Exclusive experiences generate excitement and urgency—people love the idea of doing something others can’t, especially when it’s not available to the general public. These items often inspire competitive bidding because they’re memorable, personal, and unique.

• Private dinner party with a local chef
• Wine blending experience at a boutique vineyard
• Behind-the-scenes tour of a sports stadium or theatre
• Hot air balloon ride at sunrise
• Personal shopping day with a fashion stylist
• Helicopter tour of your city or a nearby natural wonder

Tangible Treasures (For Instant Gratification)

These items appeal to the desire for immediate enjoyment and luxury. High-quality physical goods tend to attract a broad audience because they’re easy to understand, easy to gift, and instantly satisfying to win.

• Limited edition sneakers or designer handbags
• Premium home espresso machine
• High-end tech bundles (think tablets, noise-cancelling headphones)
• Handcrafted furniture or home décor by local artisans
• Curated wine or whiskey collections
• “Year of…” subscription boxes (books, snacks, self-care, etc.)

Foodie Favourites (Deliciously Biddable)

Food and drink-related items consistently perform well at auctions because they combine indulgence with experience. These packages feel special, but not intimidating, and they appeal to a wide range of bidders across all age groups.

• Private cooking class for a group
• Dinner for two at a Michelin-starred or trendy local restaurant
• Monthly meal kit delivery subscription
• Custom cake or dessert order from a local baker
• “Tour of Local Eateries” gift card bundle
• Backyard BBQ experience with a local pitmaster

Getaways & Staycations (Let Them Escape)

Travel-related items tap into your bidders’ desire for relaxation and exploration. Even local staycations feel luxurious when bundled thoughtfully, making these options both aspirational and practical—especially post-pandemic, when people are craving change of scenery.

• Weekend at a luxury resort or boutique hotel
• Glamping getaway in a scenic spot
• Cabin rental with kayaking or hiking included
• City break with a curated itinerary
• Staycation spa package with massage, facial, and robe included

Art, Culture, and Creativity (For the Soul)

Cultural and creative experiences connect bidders to their passions and often appeal to more reflective, expressive audiences. They tend to be conversation starters and work well for those who value aesthetics, learning, or local arts.

• Custom portrait or pet illustration
• Pottery or painting class with a local artist
• Private museum or gallery tour
• Rare vinyl or collectible art prints
• Make-your-own perfume or candle workshop

Wellness and Self-Care (We All Need It)

Health and wellness offerings have broad appeal, especially in a time when self-care is being prioritized more than ever. These packages sell well because they offer comfort, relaxation, and a chance to unplug—something nearly every bidder can relate to.

• Spa day or massage therapy sessions
• Personalized fitness training or health coaching
• Yoga or meditation retreat
• At-home infrared sauna blanket
• Sound bath or reiki session

For Pet Lovers (They’ll Spend More on Their Pets Than Themselves)

Pet-related items are a goldmine at fundraising events—pet owners are enthusiastic bidders and often generous when it comes to spoiling their furry family members. These packages are cute, feel-good, and frequently draw emotional engagement.

• Pet photoshoot with custom prints
• Dog training or obedience package
• Grooming and spa gift cards
• Custom pet portrait
• One-year supply of treats or toys

Learning & Skill-Building (The Gift of Growth)

These packages are perfect for donors who value personal development or want to gift meaningful experiences. Education-based items stand out because they’re enriching and practical, making them a thoughtful choice that still feels indulgent.

• Online course bundle (languages, photography, coding, etc.)
• One-on-one coaching (career, life, executive)
• Music lessons with a local pro
• Gardening or cooking class series
• Mentorship session with an industry leader

Family-Friendly Ideas (Because Bidding Becomes a Family Affair)

Families are often a big part of fundraising audiences, and these items give them something they can enjoy together. They also appeal to bidders looking to create special memories with their children or gift a one-of-a-kind experience.

• “Be a Firefighter for a Day” experience for kids
• Birthday party packages at popular venues
• Family photoshoot with professional editing
• Private zoo or aquarium tour
• Annual membership to museums, science centers, or theme parks

Bonus: Fun “Wildcard” Items That Always Spark Interest

These ideas might not fit a typical category, but they’re quirky, memorable, and often very personal. Items like these create buzz during the event and can serve as great conversation starters while still raising significant funds.

• Front row seats at a school performance or graduation
• Naming rights for a room, event, or even a school pet
• Reserved parking space for a year
• “Principal for the Day” or “CEO for the Day” experience
• Dinner delivered by your board or leadership team

Final Tips for Success

• Package smart: Combine lower-value items into themed bundles that feel more valuable together.
• Tap your network: Ask board members, volunteers, and local businesses to contribute experiences or services.
• Tell a story: Highlight who donated the item and how it supports your cause.
• Promote early and often: Use social media, newsletters, and sneak peeks to build excitement.

 

The most successful fundraising auctions don’t just rely on the generosity of bidders—they inspire it. By offering a well-balanced mix of memorable experiences, tangible luxuries, and thoughtful crowd-pleasers, you create an event that feels exciting and rewarding for everyone involved. To find out how Givergy can help your next auction excel, click here, or contact us here.

Are you about to attend your very first silent auction? Perhaps you’re considering hosting one to raise funds after hearing how exciting they can be. If so it’s important that you brush up on your silent auction rules, as they may have changed over the years, especially with the introduction of mobile bidding and virtual events.

Events with any type of bidding require clarity for those in attendance, so it’s important you brush up on your own knowledge beforehand!

If you need more help and advice for your auction, see our recent blogs on how to run a silent auction and silent auction bid sheets. 

Running a silent auction?

Knowing exactly what type of fundraising event you’re running is the first step in the right direction. Silent auctions aren’t the same as your typical auction. Guests won’t have a paddle to wave around, there isn’t a man standing behind a lectern rambling numbers, and more than likely, there won’t be rows of seats filled with random guests.

A typical silent auction event requires you to imagine more of a gala. Tables with seating arrangements, a three-course dinner and an impressive dress code. Any successful silent auction will have all three, plus a wide variety of fantastic prizes to bid on.

A silent auction is conducted throughout the evening and often with prizes on display for all to see. Each auction item will be in clear view and approachable (to a certain extent). Those in attendance will be able to walk around each item throughout the evening and bid on those they wish to take home. Often the bidding process is done in secret – hence the title of ‘silent’ auction. 

Paper-based silent auction

For a paper-based silent auction, bids are submitted alongside a bidding name or number and placed in a sealed box, with winners confirmed at the end of the night.

The winning bidder is the person who made the highest bid. It’s a great way to get a bargain but also a safer way to ensure your bid isn’t driven up by competitors. 

Mobile bidding for a silent auction

Mobile bidding for a silent auction is exactly that – guests are able to use their mobiles to bid on the silent auction electronically. Using this method has a number of great advantages:

• Guests don’t need to continue to leave their seats to few the different auction items, all images and descriptions can be shown online
• Guests can be notified if they are outbid via a sms message and/or email
• Payment can be instantly collected

The big difference here is that instead of the auction now being ‘silent’, guests can see if they are the winning bidder and informed if they are outbid. For the majority of events history shows following this method drives up bidding, competition and funds raised! That said, if guests do want to remain anonymous, they are able to do so.

Sealed bidding using mobile technology

The final option to consider for a silent auction is to actually combine the two – the secrecy of a paper auction, but the ease, fun and engagement of mobile bidding. This is called sealed bidding!

Sealed bidding using mobiles involves only showing the number of bids placed on an item, as opposed to the highest bid and name of the current winning bidder. Throughout the auction, the number of bids received will be displayed on an item, but bidders won’t be aware who the highest bidder is. The idea is that bidder’s are encouraged to place their best bid first, however when a guest sees a lot of interest in an item they have also bid on, it encourages them to ‘up’ their bid, which they can do as many times as they want to.

See here for more information on sealed bidding.

Signing up to mobile bidding

Registration rules for your bidder should be written in a format where they can electronically sign and acknowledge during the bidding process. This might appear like typical terms and conditions but will be essential in enforcing the rules of the event.

The rules surrounding bidding should be stated on your fundraising site. Let attendees know how long they will have to bid on an item and allow them to sign up for notifications on when bidding will end. We would also advise that you create a mechanism whereby payment information must be submitted alongside a bid, rather than waiting for bidding to close. This way payments are securely held and there is no issue receiving payment.

Mobile auctions are designed to be streamlined so in order to make sure the checkout process is as quick as possible, but as a rule, guests will need to enter some personal information. Don’t be surprised that an online silent auction will ask for personal details in order to make the event run smoothly.

Silent auction rules for your event

Having rules for your event is essential if it is to go ahead without any confusion. So be sure to notify all your guests of them upon their arrival. They can either sign a disclaimer to say they have read and understood, or it’s a tick box if you’re using mobile bidding. This is a rule within itself, but here’s a few more for consideration:

• Items may be added or withdrawn without notice. This means that even due to the most unforeseen circumstances, you will be covered when it comes to last minute withdrawals and additions. While some guests may be frustrated, having it written in the rules of your event gives your event security.
• All sales are final. When the hammer comes down in a traditional auction, payments must be made. It is essential that all sales are final in a silent auction also. In some cases, you may need to resort to the second highest bid, but we would suggest keeping ‘all sales are final, no refunds or exchanges unless noted’ in your rules to help prevent any returns. 
• List all of your items ‘sold as seen’. This removes any doubt for what the bidder is bidding on. The last thing you will want is to sell an item only for the bidder to claim they no longer want the prize because they ‘didn’t notice an imperfection’. This clause will allow you to enforce a rule of ‘all sales are final’ with a clear conscience that it was down to the bidder to inspect the item, not for you to point flaws out to them.

Silent auction rules for your bidder

Of course, while your event has rules that are to be upheld, each bidder will also have rules for them to note. Their actions throughout the event are essential if it is to go ahead without incident. Make your guests aware of the following rules:

• For paper bidding, bids must be submitted alongside name and bidder number and kept secret to the rest of those in attendance. The whole point in a paper silent auction is to ensure that bids are done in secret. Whispers cannot be uttered to one another during a time when bids are being placed in order to prevent rumors.
• Other rules should also be set out for your guest. Before attending they should be made aware of basic information such as how much a minimum bid is, how to bid, what information is required for each bid and how many bids they may make on a single item (if needed). 
• Guests should also follow any checkout rules in place. Noting that no items will be exchanged without evidence of payment, all items should be collected on the night of the auction unless special arrangements need to be made. We also recommend noting in your rules that any items left at the auction without such arrangements or payments will be claimed back by the organization or sold onto the next highest bidder at the next opportunity.

So there you have it, lots of information on silent auction rules and options! Take a look at our silent auction features to help you run your fundraising event, or simply get in touch to discuss further. 

This may or may not come as a surprise but the people who take on their own fundraising challenges on your behalf, want to do the best job possible. They don’t want the easy way. They’re looking for a challenge, something truly worth donating to. Which is why most of the time it will include plenty of DIY fundraising ideas. Peer to peer fundraising has always been a very powerful tool. Your biggest supporters are getting out there and sharing their passion to get others donating and in recent years it’s grown by roughly 117%, so now is the time to encourage it.

By sharing these DIY fundraising ideas you can give back to those who are your biggest supporters. It might be that you have a huge audience, hundreds of people who are willing to take on a challenge or set up an event, but they just haven’t found something that piques their interest. And before you think it, not everyone wants to run a marathon. So be sure to share these DIY fundraising ideas so all of your audience can get involved and you can create a huge network of effective peer-to-peer fundraisers.

How to set up your DIY fundraisers

Finding an idea is only the beginning so it’s important to also give them the equipment to collect donations. Encouraging people to create online pages with Givergy can help. It’s really easy to do. Create a profile page and announce a target. If they raise above their target then great, but it can be really positive for donators to see how much has been raised as it encourages them to donate more. 

While it’s important to share ideas with your audience, make sure that you give them that all important call to action. Telling your audience ‘Here’s the perfect idea so you can fundraise for us’ doesn’t quite have the same impact if you don’t have, ‘and here’s how to get started’ at the end of that sentence. So don’t forget it.

Most popular DIY fundraising ideas

An active event

If there’s one thing that’s become more fashionable in recent years it’s going to the gym. More of us than ever have connections with ‘active’ people. Whether it’s a large commercial gym with some ‘lifting bros’ that we bump into now and then or a regular pilates for mums class. Tapping into that community is a great way to raise money.

You can create your own class where people pay to take part. Why is it a good idea? Because the people you’re talking to already love taking part in the activity. Which means they’ll need little persuasion. People want to give to good causes, they just want to do so in the easiest way. So if they don’t have to do something boring, painful or too confusing – it’s a win-win situation. By creating an active event, people pay to do something they already love but the money goes to a good cause – for them, there’s no better way to help.

Cooking classes

This idea is perfect for all the couple friends you know. There are few activities that are as fun and intimate as cooking together. Quite often, couples will cook together in their own kitchens at home as quality time. By providing a cooking class you can get people raising money for what they’ll perceive as a fun date night idea.

Cooking classes are easy to put on, all you need is a local chef willing to donate their time and an adequate space. It could be in a local restaurant and out of hours. By doing this you also have a supply for any of the ingredients needed in the class. Speak to people in your community and let them know it’s for a good cause – you’ll be surprised how many people want to get on board. Quick tip: Do this idea around Christmas and Valentine’s Day, the most romantic days of the year.

Online DIY fundraising ideas

Birthday fundraisers

Every single year our birthdays come around and there are varying degrees of celebration depending on the person. You might go for drinks with a few friends, go out for dinner with family or throw a huge party for a big 3-0. You might have people buy you drinks, send your money directly, buy gifts, buy dinners. But what if you used your birthday as a way to raise money for your charity? Transform your birthday into a fundraiser.

Platforms such as Facebook are already taking advantage of this by having information on when your birthday is. So why not take part? Social media platforms already have hundreds of connections, and if you set up a fundraiser through them, they’ll notify your contacts of the fundraiser and remind them to donate. You can share it and ask your family and friends to donate instead of buying their typical gifts. It’s the perfect effortless way to raise money each year.

Money requests

This is one of our favorites because it encourages people to get involved but also praises those who already have done. Create yourself a small graphic perfect for sharing on social media. This can easily be done through a free account using something like Canva. Create a grid with multiple amounts of money on it. Share it on your socials, ask people to donate, and when they donate, reshare your graphic and tag the donator onto the post – stating that they have ‘claimed’ that donation. 

Make four of each: $5 donations, $10 donations and $20 donations. They can then share their good deed on their social channels – giving yours more publicity than before and continuing the conversation with your own viewers. We suggest making the graphic simple and clear. A four-by-four grid, maybe with a title at the top of what your fundraiser is called and who it is for. Then, get sharing. This is a powerful small action we’ve seen successfully executed time and time again.

DIY-athons

We’ve already mentioned how the classic marathon probably isn’t for most people but that doesn’t mean that the marathon can’t inspire a few people on their fundraising journey. Check out some of our favorite DIY-athon ideas:

• Danceathons – dancing for 26 hours
• Gameathons – streaming online games for 26 hours
• Walkathons – walking for 26 hours or 26 miles
• Readathons – reading 26 books
• Basketathons – how fast can you shoot 26 baskets?
• Cookathon – cooking 26 meals for the hungry in your area

Simple DIY fundraising ideas

Making a calendar

We’ve seen plenty of people create calendars throughout the years. In fact, it’s one of the oldest DIY fundraising ideas out there. There are even films dedicated to it (check out the British film Calendar Girls if you love Sex in the City). You can do this solo or you can get a group of people together. It might be your own photography that you use or you could hire a photographer to take creative photos of you. It could also be photos and stories of people who benefit from your charity. 

Creating merchandise

Calendars are just the beginning. Make t-shirts, badges, hats, flags, pens. You can put a slogan on pretty much anything these days – you just need to find a company you want to work with. Buy your merchandise and sell it for a profit, then you can donate your profit to your good cause. It’s simple to do and an easy way for people to get involved without doing anything. Plus, they’ll feel like they’re getting something back for their contribution which only encourages them to donate more.

If there’s one method of fundraising that we can recommend adding into your season’s calendar, it’s a live auction. There is simply nothing quite like it. It’s exciting, exhilarating even and it brings a wide audience filled with people ready to donate. Everyone in participation knows that they are there for a good cause and it almost becomes a competition of who can support that cause the most. If you’re looking to receive some big dollar donations – you need to host live auctions.

Live auctions are often unforgettable nights. Whether that’s because of the items up for sale or because of the great company, food, drinks and laughs, we don’t know. But what we do know is that when someone attends a live auction, they remember it and more importantly they remember the cause they were raising money for. This puts you in good stead for receiving donations for years to come.

But a little less about how great live auctions are, for now. Let’s divulge a little more into what they are. Especially if you’re a newbie to the world of fundraising or even if you’re looking to host your first live event. This is the place to be.

What is a live auction?

You may be more familiar with antique auctions than any other type. They can be a little – stale – in the realms of excitement. But live auctions, while they hold the same ideals of auctions, are so much more than a gavel hammering down on an old lectern.

Live auctions are always for charity. Not for personal business gain. They’re typically hosted in the evening alongside some sort of dinner or night time event. The auctioneer (also known as the host) will call out items that are up for auction. When called out, those in attendance will have a dedicated time slot to raise their hands in order to bid on that item. The battle for bidding can go on for a while, but as soon as silence fills the rooms and bidding stops – the gavel comes down. The bidding has ended and a winner will be announced.

Guests may bid by raising a paddle, a number on paper or calling out to the auctioneer. But the premise is all the same. Item becomes available for bidding, bidding occurs, bidding ends, a winner receives their item.

A live auction can take place alongside your Silent Auction and Prize Draw.

Why would you host a live auction?

A live auction is not as simple to set up as a bake sale. It takes hard work and coordination. So, why would you host a live auction over any other type of fundraising? Simple – it brings in the big bucks. If you’re looking for financial success, hosting a live auction is the way to do it.

How do live auctions work?

We’ve explained how the event will go ahead, but what about those organizing? How does a live auction work? Well it’s not as complicated as you might think. We’re going to take you through a step by step of how the night should go.

Step 1: Get organized

After you’ve sorted out the typical stages such as setting a date and time the very first thing you need to do is register your bidders.

It’s an element of knowing that you’re selling enough tickets into your event but it’s also a case of security. By gathering their details and assigning them a number, then you know who is bidding on what when the event gets underway.

Step 2: Start the bidding

When people are settled into the evening, perhaps you’ve hosted a three course dinner beforehand or all your drinks are flowing, that’s when the bidding starts. It is important to note that your auctioneer or your host will be doing most of the work here. Try to grab someone with a personality – it makes it more interesting for you and your guests.

It’s important to make sure that your bidding starts with a bidding amount too. Don’t ask people for bids outright, you need to guide them otherwise you may undersell your items by a lot. Put out a minimum bid, so you can comfortably say you make profit with each sale.

Step 3: Make sure your host is doing the right job

It’s not just a case of being lively and entertaining. You need your host/auctioneer to sell these items too. Get them talking about its history, how beautiful it is, where it could hang in your home and how it can make your life better. Don’t rely on people to empty their pockets.

As soon as your host decides there are no more bids, they need to give a warning, a countdown. Reminding people that as soon as they drop their gavel, no more bids will be accepted – even if they are more than the current final bid.

Step 4: The crucial part

Now this is possibly the most important part of your event – after all, this is where the money comes in. Before you started your event, you will have taken the details of everyone participating. So you know which bid number belongs to which individual. As soon as someone is announced as the winner – they need to come to the main desk to claim their win.

Make sure your host announces this as soon as it closes. Invite them to the main desk where they can solidify their win. You might take payment at this stage, it might be a downpayment. But the details need to be more than a name.

The final recap before you plan your live auction

Step 1: Know your budget and plan your targets

At the end of the day, it’s all about money. You need to know how much you have to spend and how much you want to make. This way you can plan within your means.

Step 2: Recruit a team of people to help

Hosting this sort of event takes more than one person! You might need a catering team, you’ll need someone to keep records on the guests, financial information, ticket sales, a promotion team. You might even need security depending on the price of your items.

Step 3: Announce your event and enjoy

After you’ve announced your event, it’s time to recruit ticket sales. There are plenty of ways to go about this, use social media and word of mouth. When the day and time comes around all you need to do is enjoy. Everyone else should know their role.

Step 4: The important follow up

After everyone has gone home. Items have been paid for. Follow up with your audience. Let them know when your next event is and ask for feedback. It’s the best way to get them to attend and donate a second time.

For more information about how we can help, take a look at our Live Auction services and features. 

Fundraising is no simple task. Ask anyone who has been part of a fundraising committee or event. It takes a lot of organization and preparation. It’s hard enough to come up with an idea for how you’re going to raise funds, but let that be the end of it. With our definitive guide on how to run an online fundraising event, you can wave goodbye to the rest of the stress. 

Have a read, prepare yourself, and get back to the enjoyment of fundraising.

What are Online Fundraising Events?

Traditional fundraising has always been popular, there’s nothing quite like running a bake sale or a carnival in the name of a good cause. However, there is more demand than ever for online fundraising events. In recent years, the barriers that come along with traditional fundraising have become too much for smaller budgets and success is difficult. 

An online fundraising event is, as you may have guessed, online. But what does that mean? Well, it allows you to run multiple formats of fundraising, it might be in the form of an online class, a demonstration, performance or something more interactive such as bidding auctions. 

There is no ‘normality’ to online fundraising events. That’s why they’re so popular. There are fewer restrictions on location, budgets and of course the volunteers who give up their time. In fact, let us walk you through some of the benefits of hosting online fundraising events.

Pros of hosting Online Fundraising Events

If you’re a little dubious as to why you should opt for an online fundraising event instead of one in person, then you should keep on reading. Afterwards, we know you’ll be wondering why you didn’t make the switch sooner.

Less stress and simple procedures

When you move to online fundraising, you immediately remove the need for a lot of technical logistics that involve several different people. There’s no land or building to rent, so you don’t need to deal with the owner, scheduling their staff to operate bars, organizing security for the event or even paying for cleaners to clear up afterwards. There is none of that. Just click a button to turn on an event and another button to close it.

Your entire process for setting up the event is much easier. Plus you save a lot of money. No building to rent or staff to pay for means you can keep more profits in your pockets. Do you see how much easier your life could be by hosting an online event?

No restrictions on invitations

Inevitably, the more people you invite to a fundraising event, the more money you can raise. Which is great unless you have a capacity limit. But what are the capacity limits online? There aren’t any! Invite as many people as you can. Use all your powers via your database, social media and supporters to get the word out there. And once signed up, see here for more details about our guest messaging option so you can communicate clearly and effectively on the fundraising campaign.

Note – if you’re running a virtual gala with a live host, it’s important to be aware that there will be some sort of limitations to invitations online, but it all depends on what type of server you’re hosting on. Most platforms will be able to give you an indication for how many people can log in at once, but much like your ‘unlimited calls and texts’ mobile phone plan, you will really struggle to reach the limit, so you won’t notice the difference.

Getting that all-important data

One thing that can be difficult to know with in-person fundraising events, is why they were or were not a success. As much as you may ask for reviews, you’re less likely to receive them if they need to be jotted down while people are trying to enjoy themselves at your event.

The benefit of an online fundraising event is that you aren’t just relying on reviews. During the event you can evaluate what is and isn’t working, making adjustments as you raise money, maximizing profits. Plus, the processes are all automated so that funds are received, receipts are given, and data can be safely stored in a secure database.

What you need

Like any fundraising event, you will need a few things to get you started. Don’t worry, the list is nowhere near as long as you’d expect and can all be done in less than an afternoon. Take a look.

A reset on your ideas

Fundraising online looks different to fundraising in person. You’ll need to amend your ideas of carnival games, bake sales and raffles to an online format. Be prepared to think big. Getting a fresh perspective on fundraising ideas is essential.

Remember you are not limited by numbers – so if you’re setting up an online fantasy football league, don’t limit yourself to just 10 teams in a league, you can have as many as you want! There’s no promotion and relegation in the virtual world so invite as many teams as you’d like. 

While events like silent auctions in person take a lot of manpower and various teams such as catering and security to get going, you don’t need them online. Instead put your resources into online advertising, promotions and searching for the best items to sell.

A supportive team

Some aspects of online vs offline fundraising are extremely different, but this one is the same. You will always need a supportive team around you. Not necessarily the same team, mind you. Even if you’re a one-person-band for this fundraising event, you can do it with just some support for your idea. Services like Givergy help provide all the technical work so you just need to bring your idea to the discussion table. 

Of course, for charities to set up online fundraising events there are a whole host of people that need to be involved in order to approve an event. Luckily though, it’s all involved in the set up. As soon as that idea is signed off, the process can be simple again through the use of platforms like Givergy.

A target you can all agree on

Perhaps one of the hardest and most difficult things to agree on before an event is a target. You know the fantastic cause you’re raising funds for, but how much will you raise? Your initial instinct might be ‘as much as possible’ but studies show that this isn’t always a strong marketing technique.

By focusing on a target, those who are donating will know what they’re to aim for and it will help boost their donation. If you say ‘we’re happy to receive anything’ more often than not you will receive a minimum. If you state that you’re still $1,000 away from your target, people will push their donation to match the urgency of the target. As much as people love to give money to a good cause, don’t expect them to give more than the minimum. Just make sure the minimum is a good amount for your charity. Take a look at our donation options for more advice on this. 

Step by step – how to run your online fundraising event

Spread the word

The absolute first step you need to consider is how you’re going to promote your event. There’s no location involved so you won’t be able to put up posters in hallways. However, you have the power of online communities. 

Facebook groups are incredibly powerful, especially when trying to raise funds for a good cause in the local community. Everywhere has a local group these days, it might be a ‘Mums in Westport’ or ‘The Chit Chat of Huntingdon’ or even a ‘What’s On in Raleigh’. Join these groups and post as much as you can about your event (following the group rules of course). This is free advertising and it’s a great way to invite new people.

Of course, spreading the word to your contact list is far easier. Sending invites and links via email, text and even using your social media pages. It’s all very simple to do and it’s free, you just need to put in the time to make it happen.

Set up the event using your platform

Whatever platform you go with, you will need to set it up and plan ahead. Think about timings. How long do you want to run for? will each segment last? Who will speak when? What instructions will be explained to your supporters and how?the audience? In addition, what will be your fundraising activities? An auction, raffle, donations only?

Making these types of decisions can happen at a later date but most of the time they occur when you’ve decided on what type of event you want to host. 

Enjoy your event and send out your thanks

If you’ve done all the planning possible, running the campaign event itself will be smooth sailing. Of course, every good planner will have a contingency for if something goes wrong but that’s the beauty of hosting online virtual fundraisers – other than a loss of connection to the server (incredibly rare)signal, there isn’t much that can go wrong.

Givergy can help you run your Online Fundraising Event

Here at Givergy, we provide an award-winning fundraising platform that helps you raise more for your event or live auction.

Take a look at some of our services including live fundraising events, live auctions and payment options. 

If you’re looking for traditional ways to fundraise then look no further than the art world. For centuries art has held its value. You only need to look at the pieces you find hanging in galleries to know that there is a lot of money in artwork, but more importantly – resale value. Art is one of the few items that over time, increases in value as long as the artist remains popular in the eye of the public. So don’t write off the idea of an art auction just yet, take a look and we’ll show you how it can be one of the most profitable fundraising events of the year.

Below is our art auction guide to raise money for your business or nonprofit organization. You don’t have to be auctioning off a work of art to make money for your fundraiser. You could have donations from local artists or even sell pictures to parents painted at school by their children. There are money ways to fundraise with art! 

Read the below about setting up your art fundraiser or consider seeing our features to help you run your events such as sealed bidding, silent auction, prize draws or live auction.  

How to set up an art auction

One of the most important things you need to do in order to successfully run your art auction is to gather insights into your art. Once you have all of your art (we’ll get onto how to collect it in a little while) you need to create a catalog for viewing in advance of the event.

People will not come to an art auction if they’re not aware of what artists are being featured. Collectors collect artwork from artists, not necessarily artwork that they like the look of or that is from a specific era. That being said, there are always one or two collectors of a different variety.

But the idea of a catalog works for any type of collector. They need to know what’s going to be on show in order for them to want to attend the event. While some auctions just involve a ‘pitch up and take a look’ effort, art collectors want to know the following before taking their seat:

• The name of the artist
• The name of the artwork
• When the artwork was created
• Where the artwork was created (for photography)
• The size of the piece
• The material it is created from (or painted on)
• The type of paint used (if any)
• A picture of the piece
• Any wear of condition
• Current market value

All of these factors for each piece of artwork should be popped into a catalog and circulated along with your event. You might host the catalog on a website and then print a booklet off for the event if it’s in person. If you host an online art auction you could save on printing costs and continue to host it on a website.

How to make money from an art auction

Art value is often dictated by public opinion. The more popular an artist is considered, the higher the value of the pieces. Unless there are external factors. For example, a portrait of the Queen of England will always be high in value no matter who painted it, because it’s a first-hand portrait of Her Majesty. 

The more artwork that an artist produces with large public approval, the higher all their pieces increase in value. Consider that when looking at the artwork of a promising artist. If you think that they have great talent and potentially a large resale value in the future, it’s wise to invest sooner than later. All you need to do then is hope others agree with you.

That’s how art auctions make their money. Based on the resale value. There’s no need to go and seek expensive artwork to sell at your auction. You can find relatively inexpensive pieces, write a great catalog for them, perhaps include a fascinating backstory and sell it for a huge profit. Focus more on how interesting the pieces and their artists are when it comes to art auctions, not necessarily how ‘good’ the artwork is – remember that that is subjective.

How to get art for your auction

Before you start thinking that you need a big pot of money to fund an art auction. Think again. There are two methods to collecting art, going straight to the artist or venturing into the resale market yourself.

If you’re going to approach local artists it’s important to remember that you’re looking for a donation. So make sure you have a suitable pitch for your worthy cause and really get them to understand how far their donation will go in terms of helping people. This way, you can bargain for a great discount or even discuss the potential of getting a piece of artwork created especially for the auction.

It has to be said though. If you’re looking for artwork and wanting to go straight to the artist – you don’t necessarily need to find an established professional. You can speak to local artists starting their journey or even enthusiastic students from a school. There are plenty of creative people who are looking to get their artwork into a public space. See if any of these types of artists would be interested in creating a piece. 

However, if you’re looking to create an art auction from the resale market there are plenty of options to source artwork. You might find some on social media selling sites – often these are gold mines for artwork. Mainly because people there aren’t really sure about the true value of the pieces they’re selling. 

You might find some artwork to purchase in local galleries – these are slightly more expensive to set up an art auction with so you should be prepared to invest a little. We suggest that if your charity or cause does not have a big funding pot to start with, then try to keep to more secure methods of obtaining artwork. 

The different pieces of art to get for your art auction

It’s essential for us to say that just because you are running an art auction, does not mean it’s all oil painting and easels. Art can be captured in so many different ways so if you’re looking to host an auction with a lot of variety, take a look at these ideas. Charity auctions need auction items and the best option for your art auction is artists’ donations. Professional artists are used to selling artwork, but they also see value in sharing their work as charity auction items. 

Canvas

A canvas is what most people think of when they think about art. Pen, paint, pencil, pastels, whatever the medium is, put onto a canvas. Canvas’ tend to be the type of art that sells well at an art auction. If you’re looking to find pieces of art but don’t want to search too far to get them, canvas is a great idea. You’ll discover plenty of pieces around your local area, lots of artists using them and galleries selling them too. 

But why are canvas’ so popular at an art auction? Apart from the fact that the medium is popular in society, they’re easy to transport. Whether you’ve hosted your art auction in public or online, you can unstretch a canvas, send it flat and then restretch it when it reaches it’s destination.

Photography

Sadly, there is not so much public support for photography. Those with little understanding of the medium will tell you it’s just a case of pointing a camera in a direction and clicking the shutter. Those who have held a photographers camera and tried themselves know that this is not the case. Apart from perfecting all the various settings there’s also waiting for the perfect lighting opportunity (or creating that yourself also).

Photography takes a lot of effort. It involves manipulating what the naked eye sees without manipulating reality. Capturing the most beautiful lights, colors and tones. Not to mention the artists who add movement into their pieces by fiddling with shutter speed. Photography is an impressive form of art and we recommend every art auction have a few pieces. Especially if you can get some stunning shots of the local area.

Sculpture

The world of sculpture is not fading, despite what many people may have you think, there are still plenty of sculpture artists. It just doesn’t come in the form of busts and Greek gods anymore like it did centuries ago. Sculptures are still being created. However, they are more difficult to sell at an art auction, especially if the artist is not well established and doesn’t already have a following. We suggest the only sculpture you have at your art auction is one you know is in demand on the resale market.

Ceramics

This may come as a surprise, but ceramics are popular at art auctions. Whether that’s online or offline. We believe it has something to do with the beauty of ceramics as they easily fit into the home. You can have display plates on the walls in your kitchens or vases on the dining room table. Ceramics as an art form are chunky, but they easily fit into the home like hanging a picture on the wall.

Whatever artwork you decide to sell at your art auction make sure it’s advertised well and that there is already some demand for it (either the artist or the type of art). This way you’re guaranteed to have a great event.

Givergy can help you run your Art Auction

Here at Givergy, we provide an award-winning fundraising platform that helps you raise more for your event or art auction. We can help you raise money at your live fundraising event or live auction.

See our fundraising services page for full details.