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Event Fundraising Just Got Easier: 5 Powerful Features of the Givergy Event App

The lights are low, guests are arriving, and the buzz of your big fundraiser is building. You’re fielding questions about raffle tickets, sorting out seating hiccups, and keeping an eye on your auction. All while bouncing between the floor and a laptop in the corner.

Sound familiar? And a bit stressful? That’s why we built something better.

Introducing the newly updated Givergy Event App. Your new in-hand HQ for everything happening in the room. Designed with fundraisers in mind, it puts the power of real-time data, live updates, and smooth event control right in your pocket.

Whether you’re managing an auction, running a raffle, or keeping an eye on check-in, the Event App makes it easy to stay on top of it all. Here you’ll find five features designed to change the way you run events. But first…

What is a Fundraising Event App?

A fundraising event app is a mobile tool designed to streamline event management by giving organisers live access to everything from guest check-ins to bidding activity. Rather than relying on paper spreadsheets or stationary desktops, a fundraising app brings all the functionality of a fundraising platform directly to your phone or tablet. Meaning you can respond to issues on the fly and engage guests more easily.

Below are 5 features that make this possible.

  1. Sell Raffle Tickets on the Go

Running a raffle? Now you can sell tickets directly from your phone, wherever you are in the venue. No need for printed tickets or card machines. Just a few taps and you’re raising more.

  1. Track Guest Check-ins and View Table Layouts

Forget the paper lists and guesswork. The app lets you monitor guest arrivals, check who’s checked in, and access a clear, live table layout. That means you can resolve seating issues and keep things flowing without disrupting the night.

  1. Retract and Manage Bids Instantly

During the excitement of a silent auction mistakes can happen. Whether it’s a guest bidding too quickly or a number entered in error. With the Event App, you can view and retract live bids in real-time, ensuring a smooth and fair bidding experience without scrambling back to your admin hub.

  1. Simplify Checkout with Smart Payment Options

The Event App supports surcharge handling, donor tip options, and displays the last four digits of a donor’s card. This will make checkout more transparent and efficient for both you and your guests.

  1. Stay in the Loop with Real-Time Guest Activity(Coming Soon)

Want to see who’s bidding, donating, or checking in? The app gives you a live snapshot of guest behaviour and payment activity, so you can spot momentum, solve issues early, and seize fundraising opportunities as they arise.

Take Control and Get Started Today

On event night your attention is pulled in a hundred different directions, but The Givergy Event App puts everything you need in one place. Giving you the power to stay connected, keep things running smoothly, and create a seamless guest experience without the stress.

Our Event App is now live on the Apple App Store and Google Play ready to download and our team of fundraising experts are always happy to talk through how to best utilise the tech. So, if you’re ready to raise more, get in touch today to get started.

20 School Fundraising Ideas That Make a Big Impact

Raising money for your school shouldn’t feel like a chore—it should feel like an opportunity to bring your community together for a common goal. Whether you’re aiming to fund new equipment, extra-curricular activities, or facility improvements, great fundraising ideas can create excitement and drive results.

At Givergy, we support schools with digital tools that make fundraising simple, engaging, and more effective. Here are 20 fun, easy-to-implement school fundraising ideas to get your next campaign off the ground.

🎟 1. Host a Digital Raffle

Move beyond paper tickets and bring your raffle online. From tech gadgets to local business vouchers, raffles are quick to set up and offer great return.

Bonus Tip: Use Givergy’s prize draw tools to manage entries and draw winners seamlessly.

🎨 2. Student Art Auction

Celebrate student creativity by turning artwork into auction items. Host an in-person gallery or showcase online to engage extended families.

🎬 3. Family Movie Night

Set up a projector in the school hall or playground and sell tickets to a cozy film night. Add snacks and blankets for a truly memorable event.

🚶‍♀️ 4. Sponsored Walk or Fun Run

Encourage healthy activity and raise money at the same time. Students gather pledges and families cheer them on as they complete laps or challenges.

🍰 5. Bake Sale (With a Twist!)

Put a new spin on the classic bake sale. Try themes like “Bake Off Showdown” or “Teacher’s Challenge” to boost excitement.

📚 6. Read-a-thon

Encourage literacy and raise funds by having students log reading hours in exchange for sponsorships.

🛍 7. Pop-Up Market

Transform the school hall into a market for handmade crafts, second-hand books, and local vendor stalls.

📸 8. School Calendar or Photo Book Sale

Use photos from school events to create a keepsake calendar or yearbook and sell to families and staff.

💃 9. School Disco

Bring the party to your school with a themed disco. Sell tickets, snacks, and glow-in-the-dark accessories.

🧠 10. Quiz Night

Host a trivia night for parents and staff. Charge team entry fees and offer prizes for the winners.

🎁 11. Holiday Gift Wrapping Station

Set up a gift-wrapping booth at school or a local mall during the festive season. Ask for donations in return for beautifully wrapped gifts.

☕ 12. Coffee Morning for Parents

Invite parents to a relaxed social morning with coffee, tea, and homemade treats. Use it as an opportunity to raise funds and build community.

🎭 13. Talent Show

Let students showcase their talents with a live or virtual performance. Sell tickets and involve local judges for an added edge.

📦 14. Mystery Box Fundraiser

Ask local businesses to donate small items and bundle them into mystery prize boxes. Sell boxes for a flat rate and let the surprise drive sales.

🧽 15. Car Wash Day

Organize a car wash staffed by student volunteers. Set up in the school car park and promote it locally.

🏆 16. House Competition Fundraiser

Inspire some friendly competition between school houses or classes. See who can raise the most and reward with a trophy or special privilege.

📦 17. Uniform Exchange or Sale

Host a second-hand uniform sale—parents can donate outgrown items and purchase what they need at low cost while supporting the school.

🌱 18. Plant or Seedling Sale

Encourage sustainability and fundraising with a plant sale. Students can grow seedlings in class and sell them at a school fair.

🛒 19. Cashback Shopping Programs

Register your school with a cashback shopping platform so that everyday purchases generate donations.

💡 20. Online Auction

Create an exciting digital auction featuring donated items, school experiences (like “Principal for a Day”), or themed baskets.

Pro Tip: Givergy’s silent auction tools make it easy to host a professional, engaging online auction that attracts bids from beyond your local area.

Why Schools Love Givergy

Our platform offers everything schools need to run successful fundraising campaigns—from ticketing and auctions to raffles and real-time donor tracking. Givergy’s intuitive technology is designed to maximize participation, increase donations, and reduce admin.

✔ Easy-to-use tools for busy school teams
✔ Mobile-optimized for parents on the go
✔ Real-time tracking and reporting
✔ Trusted by schools, charities, and nonprofits around the world

Ready to power your next school fundraiser? Get started with Givergy today!

 

4 Exciting Digital Fundraising Trends To Embrace This Year

The way you raise money for your organization is constantly evolving. Gone are the days of relying solely on traditional bake sales or high-end galas to achieve your funding goals (though these fun events definitely have a place in a well-rounded fundraising strategy!). Nowadays, the name of the game is digital fundraising.

Also referred to as online or virtual fundraising, digital fundraising uses online technology to raise money for a specific cause. According to Cornershop Creative, there are several benefits to embracing digital fundraising, such as saving money on traditional fundraising costs, getting a rapid response in times of crisis or extreme need, and expanding engagement beyond geographical borders.

If you’re ready to experience these benefits, you first need to understand the current digital fundraising trends that are turning donors’ heads and getting them excited about making a difference. Get started by reviewing our roundup of tried-and-true trends that you can use in 2025!

1. Mobile-First Fundraising

Mobile-first fundraising allows you to meet your donors where they’re at—their smartphones! After all, the Pew Research Center reports that 91% of Americans own a smartphone. Further, Americans spend an average of 5 hours and 16 minutes daily on their phones.

This is good news for your organization—if you can learn how to grab your supporters’ attention through mobile fundraising, you can connect with them regularly and raise more money and awareness for your work.

Here are some strategies to increase your chances of securing donations from smartphone users:

  • Optimize and maintain your donation page with mobile devices in mind. Your online donation page is where all the action happens with mobile-first fundraising, so ensure you’re prepared for mobile visitors. The page should be responsive, meaning it adjusts automatically to different screen sizes. Also, make sure the page loads quickly and elements like forms, buttons, and images are easy to navigate.
  • Design a text-to-give campaign. With this type of fundraiser, your organization sets up a mobile donation number and shares a special keyword with its supporters. When they text that keyword to the donation number, they’ll be prompted to follow a link to make a donation. Ensure the keyword you pick is easy to remember and type out. For instance, “Give4CancerResearch” is easier to remember than a long scramble of random numbers and letters.
  • Allow supporters to participate in events from their phones. Consider hosting virtual events that supporters can participate in from wherever they are. For example, with an auction, you can use online auction software to allow donors to bid from their mobile phones and notify them when they’ve been outbid. You can also use livestream technology to interact with mobile participants.

2. Matching Gifts

Many fundraisers find it challenging to balance the need to raise more money for their causes while being mindful of how often they ask donors to give. Donor fatigue is a real issue that can quickly become an insurmountable challenge for organizations that fail to find the right balance.

Matching gifts offers a creative—and lucrative—digital fundraising solution for organizations and donors alike. Through this form of corporate philanthropy, donors’ employers financially match donations donors make to your organization.

Here’s how the process works:

  1. A donor gives to your organization.
  2. The donor checks their corporate matching gift eligibility using a matching gifts database on your organization’s website.
  3. After confirming that their employer offers matching gifts, the donor fills out any necessary online forms provided by the database tool to kickstart the matching process.
  4. The donor’s employer reviews the forms and confirms the donation with the nonprofit.
  5. The company sends the nonprofit a donation.

Every company’s matching gift program will look a little different. Employers have different rules for what types of nonprofits they’ll match gifts for, the types of employees eligible to use the programs (for example, full-time employees versus part-time employees), and the ratio at which they match gifts. Most companies will match at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio, but some will offer a 3:1 ratio!

Here’s an example to illustrate what matching gifts can do for your organization: Say Shayla, an employee at Deloitte, gives $50 to your nonprofit. She finds out she’s eligible for a 1:1 donation match and submits the required paperwork to the company. A few days later, your organization receives a check for $50 from Deloitte. The matched gift has essentially doubled the amount and impact of Shayla’s gift without requiring her to reach back into her wallet!

To take full advantage of matching gifts, you need to market them effectively. Create a page on your organization’s website that explains the process, and encourage donors to check their eligibility when you promote your digital fundraising campaigns. You can even shout out donors who take advantage of matching gifts on your blog to inspire others to do the same.

3. Recurring Giving Programs

A steady source of revenue is essential for sustainable, long-term success. This is best achieved by tapping into multiple streams of fundraising dollars all at once, and one of the most popular digital types is a recurring giving program.

With recurring giving programs, donors can opt into giving your organization a set amount of money each month. And though this typically means donors give a smaller amount of money each time they donate, that amount adds up over time. According to Double the Donation, the average monthly gift is $24, which results in an annual donation total of $288. This is actually more than the average one-time donation amount of $115!

To set up a recurring giving program, revisit your online donation page. Offer an option on the page to turn a one-time gift into a recurring gift. This will allow your donors to “set and forget” their donations so that they’re billed monthly and don’t have to take any further action.

Also, consider creating a recurring giving society to build a community around your program. You can offer recurring donors perks like exclusive newsletters or early access to event tickets, which will help them feel seen and valued for their consistent contributions.

From time to time, you should also check in with your recurring donors to ensure their giving details, such as payment information, contact information, and giving amounts, are current. This can serve as a great touchpoint for encouraging donors to level up their giving or just to say thank you for all their support!

4. AI-Powered Donor Engagement

By now, your organization has at least heard about the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in nonprofit fundraising and marketing strategies. Or, maybe you’ve even tried out some popular AI tools like ChatGPT yourself! After all, research shows that nonprofits are embracing AI faster than for-profit organizations.

There’s no doubt that AI is here to stay, so whatever your level of adoption has been so far, consider strengthening your digital fundraising efforts by embracing it further. One of the best places to start is using AI for donor engagement.

Two types of AI can help you connect with your donors and pave the way for better fundraising results:

  • Generative AI, which creates original content, such as copy, images and video.
    • Examples: ChatGPT, which offers written responses to user prompts, and DALL-E, which can create original images based on user prompts
  • Predictive AI, which analyzes data and offers predictions or recommendations based on that data.
    • Examples: AI features in your CRM that allow for marketing automation or donor segmentation

Predictive AI tools can help you better understand who your donors are, what they value, and how best to reach out to them. Some tools can even recommend how big of a donation to ask for, when to ask for it, and how.

Generative AI tools are best for helping you shape your messaging, whether you need to write personalized fundraising appeals for a dozen major donors or create a series of Facebook posts for an upcoming fundraising event.

A word to the wise: While these AI tools offer nearly endless possibilities for improving your donor engagement strategies on a vast scale, proceed with care and apply a critical eye to any output an AI tool provides you with. You know your organization and its community best! Plus, the human touch is always going to be an important part of fundraising, even in digital spaces, and your donors deserve messages and experiences that feel personal and genuine.

Digital fundraising is the new frontier for any type of organization that relies on fundraising. And by staying up to date on digital fundraising trends like the ones described above, you can ensure that your future fundraising campaigns are primed to help you achieve your goals and build relationships with those who support you.

 

6 Proven Ways to Optimize Donations for Maximum Fundraising Success

Fundraising in today’s landscape is more competitive than ever. Non-profits must constantly innovate to capture the attention—and the donations—of supporters. To help you stay ahead, we’ve outlined seven powerful ways to optimize donations with Givergy’s advanced fundraising platform. Whether you’re embracing digital solutions for the first time or pros at leveraging data-driven strategies, these tips will help your organization maximize its fundraising potential during your next campaign or event.

  1. Consignment Items: Adding Value Without Upfront Costs

Consignment items are a fantastic way to enhance your auctions without the risk of upfront costs. By partnering with vendors who provide high-value items—like vacation packages, unique experiences, or exclusive memorabilia—you can offer attractive auction lots that drive higher bids.

Our recent Fundraising Case Studies with Good Shepherd Ministries and Fight For Charity proved accessibility is a vital component of an auction reaching its potential. Both noted the importance of having a variety of price points as the key to engaging as many potential donors as possible. With Good Shepherd stating:

“The more the auction is shared prior to the event, the more attention there will be on your mission and the more you will raise on the night.”

Why It Works:

Strong consignment items add a wow factor to your events. If there are a range of price points and your items are carefully curated for your demographic, you should be able to engage many donors. Plus, since you only pay for the items once they’ve been sold, you can elevate your auction without any financial burden, ensuring that your organization reaps the maximum benefits from each sale.

  1. Embracing Digital: Expand Your Reach and Engagement

The pandemic forced a rapid shift to digital fundraising to protect some form of revenue for non-profits struggling during an incredibly difficult time. Whether it be through gaming for cancer research or virtual car boots, we saw non-profits innovate in the online space to continue raising more.

The pandemic has passed, but the reliability of digital fundraising as a source of income has meant online campaigns continue apace.

By leveraging Givergy’s suite of digital tools, non-profits can engage a broader audience, streamline the donation process, and enhance the overall donor experience. Embracing digital allows you to meet your donors where they are: online. Meeting them where they are results in increased engagement and increased donations.

Key Digital Features

Online Auctions: Expand your reach beyond in-person events and let supporters bid from anywhere.

Mobile Bidding: Allow donors to participate seamlessly using their smartphones, increasing convenience and engagement.

Social Media Integration: Promote your campaigns across social platforms to boost visibility and attract new donors.


 

  1. Data-Driven Decision Making: Optimize Campaigns with Insightful Analytics

Effective fundraising requires a deep understanding of donor behavior and campaign performance. Advanced reporting tools provide non-profits with the insights needed to make data-driven decisions. Givergy’s comprehensive Data Hub supports fundraisers in two main ways to raise more during their events and campaigns:

Detailed Analytics: Gain comprehensive analytics on donor demographics, donation patterns, and campaign performance. This data allows non-profits to identify trends, understand what strategies are working, and make informed decisions to optimize future campaigns.

Real-Time Reporting: Real-time reporting capabilities ensure that organizations can monitor their campaigns as they unfold, allowing for quick adjustments to maximize impact. For example, if a particular auction item is receiving fewer bids, non-profits can promote it more aggressively to boost interest.

Detailed learning drives improved performance and in 2024, utilizing the data you have is a must for optimizing donations.

  1. Tell Your Story Well Across Strategic Platforms: Use Video Embedding

Storytelling is a critical component of successful fundraising. Donors need to connect emotionally with your cause, and Givergy’s video embedding feature helps you tell your story in a compelling way. By embedding videos directly into your fundraising pages, you can bring your mission to life and create a more engaging experience for your audience. Moreover, marketing studies have demonstrated that video content is much more likely to be shared online, meaning video content begets a larger audience.

How It Works:

Showcase Impact: Simply embed video content into your fundraising website using Givergy’s campaign builder. By using videos to highlight the real-world impact of donations and testimonials from beneficiaries, you add needed emotion to any online fundraiser.

Increase Shareability: The key to online campaigns is how easy they are to share and how engaging they are once shared. Video content is far more shareable than text, allowing your campaign to reach a wider audience organically.

Drive Engagement: Videos can capture attention and keep visitors on your page longer, increasing the likelihood of a donation.

  1. Automated Reminders: Keep Donors Updated

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to maximize event success is by keeping your donors informed and engaged. Givergy’s automated reminders can be set up to gently nudge attendees with important updates, ensuring they don’t miss key event details.

This feature reduces the administrative burden on your team and helps ensure strong attendance. Trinity School successfully used this feature with their 800 guests in the lead-up to their showcase event. For a small fundraising team, automated messaging can be a game-changer.

Why It Works:

Boosts Event Attendance: Reminders keep your donors informed and engaged, ensuring higher turnout for your event and greater participation.

Reduces Admin Work: Automating follow-ups saves time and lightens the administrative load, allowing fundraisers to focus on building quality relationships and driving their mission.

  1. Leverage Givergy’s Community and Support

Fundraising doesn’t have to be a solo effort, and with so much to do to pull off a successful event or campaign, it shouldn’t have to be! When using Givergy’s platform, non-profits not only get access to powerful tools but an invaluable bank of how-to guides and top-tip manuals available in the Givergy community. The platform also comes with 24/7 support, so there should never be a moment where fundraisers are left alone wondering what the next steps should be. This allows your campaign to continue with its momentum, uninterrupted by tech issues.

Support Features:

Training Videos and Guides: Equip your team with the knowledge needed to maximize the platform’s capabilities.

Live Chat and 24/7 Support: Get real-time assistance whenever you need it, ensuring your campaigns run smoothly.

Get in Touch

By integrating these strategies and leveraging Givergy’s advanced platform, your non-profit can optimize donations and drive greater impact. Embrace the digital era, make data-driven decisions, and tell your story compellingly across strategic platforms. With the right tools and insights, your next fundraising campaign can be your most successful yet!

If you want to learn more about optimizing donations on your next campaign, simply get in touch, and one of our team would be happy to help.

6 Powerful Features to Boost Engagement at Your Next Fundraising Auction

Fundraising auctions are tried, tested, and loved when it comes to non-profits raising more funds. Donors generally know what to expect from a charity auction, but for the fundraiser, creating excitement and engagement is key to driving bids and maximizing the auction’s potential. Simply put, it’s essential that the auction does not feel stale. Your donors will attend numerous fundraisers, so guarding against their giving fatigue is vital. In 2024, with all the technology that is readily available, it’s possible to find a fundraising platform with features that elevate the auction experience, boost participation, and ensure your bidders have a memorable time.

At Givergy, we like to think we’re experts in fundraising auctions, having facilitated over 1,200 so far this year (that’s over 5 successful auctions every single day) and helped raise over $85 million through our auctions alone! Below, we’ve listed 6 powerful features all fundraisers should look out for when choosing their auction platform. From increasing shareability to comprehensive reporting on every facet of your campaign, these features are must-haves for your next fundraising auction!

  1. Video Embedding: Showcase What’s at Stake

One of the key advantages of online auctions is the ease with which they can be shared digitally across multiple platforms to reach varying audiences. However, breaking through online noise can be difficult. Adding video embedding to your auction pages creates a more immersive experience for your bidders and potential donors. Instead of just a static image and description, you can showcase auction items with videos that bring them to life. Whether it’s a video of a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a behind-the-scenes tour of a luxury item, or a heartfelt message from the beneficiaries of the funds raised, video embedding can elevate the emotional connection of your audience even when it’s just being shared online. Across social media, the short video reigns supreme, and being able to easily incorporate them within your auction is one sure-fire way to increase the shareability of your auction.

Why Video Works: Video content is 1,200% more likely to be shared than text and links combined. By understanding this and leveraging it for your auction, you can amplify engagement and storytelling.

  1. Turn Losing Bids into Donations: Keep the Generosity Flowing

One of the most common auction pitfalls is losing bidders walking away empty-handed when they still want to donate. As a fundraiser, your job is to try and capture every penny possible for your organization. With a ‘Turn Losing Bids into Donations’ feature, fundraisers can rest easy knowing that losing bidders are not lost. This handy tool allows you to offer losing bidders the opportunity to donate their losing bid directly to your cause. These individuals were already willing to contribute financially, so why not encourage their continued generosity?

Impact: This simple option provides a soft ask that can significantly increase donations, even if their bid didn’t win the item. It ensures that no bidder leaves without the chance to contribute to your cause.

  1. Reporting Hub: Real-Time Insights for Smarter Decisions

Having access to the right data in the modern world is essential for growth. Data drives success, and with a robust fundraising reporting hub, auction organizers have access to live insights that help optimize performance on the go. A comprehensive reporting hub allows the fundraiser to track bidding trends, monitor participation, and assess which items are generating the most excitement.

Benefits of Real-Time Data: With this information at your fingertips, you can make data-backed decisions during your auctions to maximize outcomes. For example, you can record levels of engagement across the room and visualize which tables are not bidding. Receiving this information in real-time supports the Auctioneer or Fundraising Host to direct their attention to the tables and donors that need encouraging. After the event, a comprehensive reporting hub remains home to all the valuable information you need for planning future auctions, ensuring each is better than the last!

  1. Sealed Bidding: Add a Touch of Mystery

Sealed Bidding is an incredibly important feature for fundraisers wanting to build excitement during their auction. This feature involves only showing the number of bids placed on an item, as opposed to the highest bid. Throughout the evening, your platform will display the number of bids received on an item, but guests won’t be aware of who the highest bidder is. 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!

Sealed bidding is particularly powerful when you have access to several of the same auction item (which is always the case when you include items from Givergy). Through a fully transparent and ethical process, we’re able to easily sell the ‘same’ item to, for example, the top three bidders at the end of the event, meaning that your charity profit is instantly tripled.

Psychological Advantage: This adds an element of suspense, encouraging bidders to submit their maximum bids upfront and enhancing the competitive atmosphere. It’s a great way to create tension and anticipation, ensuring your auction ends on a high note. We’ve found that charity profit shoots up by up to 147% when clients choose sealed bidding as opposed to standard bidding, so the feature had to make this list!

  1. Competitive Leaderboards: Drive Up the Bids

Another feature that is an absolute must for fundraisers wanting to elevate their auction is the incorporation of competitive leaderboards. Everyone loves a bit of competition, and a competitive leaderboard is a fun and engaging way to bring this energy into your auction. By displaying the top bidders in real-time, leaderboards create urgency and encourage a bidding war among participants who want to see their names at the top. Leaderboards also help tie the event together, providing donors with clear updates on how the efforts of the night are accumulating toward a grand total.

Key Tip: Emphasize competitiveness to your donors. Tapping into your bidders’ competitive spirit can dramatically increase the final prices of your auction items because no one wants to miss out on being the top contributor!

Givergy's competitive leaderboards highlighting top bidders and real-time auction competition.

  1. Maximum Bids & Automatic Bidding Increments: Convenience Meets Strategy

The final feature you should look out for when choosing your auction platform is maximum bids and automatic bidding increments, because let’s face it: not every bidder can monitor the auction 24/7. That’s where the maximum bid and automatic bidding increment features excel. With maximum bids, participants can set their highest bid amount in advance, allowing the system to bid on their behalf in small increments until their limit is reached. On the other hand, fundraisers can set automatic bidding increments to maintain the momentum of the auction and continue pushing bids up.

Why It Works: This ensures bidders stay in the game even if they can’t actively follow the auction. It keeps the bidding competitive while offering convenience, ensuring no bidder misses out due to time constraints.

Conclusion

Your next auction has the potential to be your best yet. By finding and then incorporating these powerful features, you’ll create an engaging, competitive, and rewarding experience for your bidders. Video embedding, turning losing bids into donations, and dynamic leaderboards are just some of the tools you can use to ensure excitement and maximize your fundraising results.

Ready to Transform Your Next Auction?
Explore how these features and more can elevate your auction today! Contact us to learn how we can help you create a winning auction experience that stands out, drives results, and leaves your bidders coming back for more.

Top tips for successful smartphone events

Pre-event
1.    Make sure your chosen venue has strong signal / WIFI
For guests to access the fundraising site, your venue needs a strong mobile signal. The Givergy team will send you tools to test the mobile signal and provide alternative recommendations, such as venue WIFI, if the signal is not strong. It is also a great idea to remind guests in your pre-event materials to bring their phones to participate this time around.

2.      Pre-registering 
Registering at the event is quick and easy, but we always encourage pre-event registration. Givergy has a great ticketing platform, so why not sell tickets through the same site so everyone is registered and ready to go for fundraising during the event? This can make a huge difference when it comes to your pledge appeal and processing final payments.

3.      Open the auction in advance
Another way to generate fundraising revenue before your event even begins is to open your auction in advance. Givergy’s mobile solution makes it easy for your supporters to start bidding at home and continue the activity throughout the event. We recommend opening the auction approximately seven days prior to the event.

4.      Make use of outside bidders
As all of your fundraising is through a website, extend your audience by promoting your site further than event attendees. Take a look at a great article on promoting your fundraising site on social media here.

During event
1.      URL & QR code
It is extremely important for guests to understand how to access the fundraising site. We recommend having the URL on the screens around the room as well as QR codes printed on tables for easy access to the site.

2.      Host 
In the opening speech by your fundraising host, make sure they promote the site and how to access it by pointing out the URL on the screens as well as the QR codes. This needs to be continuously pushed throughout the night.

3.      Leaderboards
Make use of the Givergy Leaderboard options to display on your screens around the room. We can also include the event URL at the top of these screens for an extra push. This will draw guest’s attention to what is available in the auction, ultimately drawing them to the fundraising site. During your pledge appeal, we have various totalisers available so speak to our team to make sure you are utilising those in the best way for your audience.

4.      Guest messaging 
The Givergy system will send automatic registration and outbid notifications to guests to ensure they have easy access to items of interest. Through the system we can also send notifications to your guests to keep them interested. We recommend countdown notifications to the end of the auction / prize draw to ensure you have a big focused finished with guest’s full attention on placing their last bids or purchasing their final tickets. We also recommend a pre-pledge appeal message, so all guests are only one click away from making a donation.

5.      Quick and easy payment solution
Collecting your guests’ payments couldn’t be easier with our mobile platform! All pledge and prize draw tickets can be taken straight away, and with our pre-authorisation feature, we will have the winning bidders card details already stored so we can simply charge them at the close of the auction. Don’t forget, we also have an option for guests to cover the payment processing fee to ensure more charity profit.

9 Top Tips for Successful Mobile Fundraising Events

As we emerge from 16 months of lockdowns and distancing, Givergy’s ambition is to ensure that each and every client sees a seamless and successful return to live events. Part of this means helping fundraisers understand one of the most powerful, yet underused tools at their disposal – smartphone fundraising – including all the benefits it offers over older, tablet-based set-ups.

To learn more about how our smartphone fundraising platform can help take your next event or online campaign to another level, feel free to get in touch and schedule a call with one of our expert fundraising consultants.

In the meantime, here are 9 Top Tips for smartphone fundraising at in-person charity events.

Pre-event

  1. Make sure your chosen venue has strong signal / WIFI

For guests to access the fundraising site, your venue needs a strong mobile signal. The Givergy team will send you tools to test the mobile signal and provide alternative recommendations, such as venue WIFI, if the signal is not strong. It is also a great idea to remind guests in your pre-event materials to bring their phones to participate this time around.

  1. Pre-registering

Registering at the event is quick and easy, but we always encourage pre-event registration. Givergy has a great ticketing platform, so you can sell tickets through the same site allowing everyone to be registered and ready to go for fundraising during the event. This can make a huge difference when it comes to your fund-a-need appeal and processing final payments.

  1. Open the auction in advance

Another way to generate fundraising revenue before your event even begins is to open your auction in advance. Givergy’s mobile bidding solution makes it easy for your supporters to start bidding at home and continue the activity throughout the event. We recommend opening the auction approximately seven days prior to the event. 

  1. Make use of outside bidders

As all of your fundraising is through a website, extend your audience by promoting your site further than event attendees. Take a look at a great article on promoting your fundraising site on social media here.

During event

  1. URL & QR code

It’s extremely important for guests to understand how to access the fundraising site. We recommend having the URL on the screens around the room as well as QR codes printed on tables for easy access to the site.

  1. Fundraising host

In the opening speech by your fundraising host, make sure they promote the site and how to access it by pointing out the URL on the screens as well as the QR codes. This needs to be continuously pushed throughout the night.

  1. Fundraising leaderboards

Make use of the Givergy Leaderboard options to display on your screens around the room. We can also include the event URL at the top of these screens for an extra push. This will draw guest’s attention to what is available in the auction, ultimately drawing them to the fundraising site. During your pledge appeal, we have various totalisers available so speak to our team to make sure you are utilising those in the best way for your audience.

  1. Guest messaging

The Givergy system will send automatic registration and outbid notifications to guests to ensure they have easy access to auction items of interest. Through the system we can also send notifications to your guests to keep them interested. We recommend countdown notifications to the end of the auction / prize draw to ensure you have a big focused finished with guest’s full attention on placing their last bids or purchasing their final tickets. We also recommend a pre fund-a-need appeal message, so all guests are only one click away from making a donation.

  1. Quick and easy payment solution

Collecting your guests’ payments couldn’t be easier with our mobile platform! All pledge and prize draw tickets can be taken straight away, and with our pre-authorisation feature, we will have the winning bidders card details already stored so can simply charge them at the close of the auction. Don’t forget, we also have an option for guests to cover the payment processing fee to ensure greater charity profit.

We firmly believe that our smartphone fundraising platform represents the future for in-person fundraising events, and we’d love to take you on that journey with us.

For more information or any questions, please do get in touch.

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Long gone are the days of event planners using the traditional format of paper bidding and donor applications for fundraising activity. Or at least if you are still using those methods it might be time to upgrade! Mobile bidding by Givergy can add value to any fundraising event such as receptions, quiz nights, golf days, fun runs or activity days. Guests simply have to reach into their pocket and place a bid, its as easy as that.

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