When planning a silent auction, finding creative, out-of-the-box donations will grow your auction and appeal to more event guests.
While core items will provide a strong base to anchor your auction (see the article Types of Silent Auction Items – Basic Items), you may also want to solicit in more creative ways. Thinking outside of the box will increase your donations and broaden your offerings, appealing to more guests and adding some color and variety to your auction. Here are some ideas:
Kid and Family Donations
- Babysitters – Find local babysitters and see if they'll offer a certificate for a free night of sitting in order to meet a new potential client family.
- Birthday Parties –Ask local indoor play places or kids' gyms, local attractions, children's museums, tea houses, mini-golf, etc. not to just donate an admission, but to donate a birthday party package. Also, try the local facepainter, bounce house provider, magician, balloon twister, or other party character (princess, cowboy, etc. who comes to parties) to donate a party service.
- Catering Companies – Families with young kids often don't like eating out. Ask local catering companies to donate dinner for a family or catering for a small party.
Alternative Retail Donations
- Local Artisans and Growers – Do you have regular farmer's markets or craft festivals in your area? If there are regular, reliable businesses who sell there, ask them to donate a gift certificate or merchandise. You might even have entrepreneurs among your own volunteer base or supporters who would love to donate handmade items and share their talent.
- Local Artists – Consignment stores in your area who sell art or handmade jewelry might be willing to connect you with their suppliers, or check out small galleries or even coffee shops who hang and/or sell local artists.
- Web Businesses – Many of your attendees shop regularly on the web these days. So if your organization has a particular focus, ask virtual businesses who would view your attendees as a target market for a gift certificate or donation.
Donations for the Home
- Upkeep Services – Anyone to whom you write a check gives you ideas for a solicitation; for example, housecleaners, pool services and gardeners can donate services in the hopes of securing a new client.
- Construction and Improvement – Try housepainters, plumbing and rooter services, fireplace sweepers, bathtub reglazers, electricians (fixture installation) and more. These certificates will likely come with significant restrictions or guidelines, but are still valuable. Sell donors on the possibility of a repeat business and the magic of referrals.
- Yard and Garden – Try local nurseries for trees or container plants, garden supply for mulch and soils or gardening seeds and supplies, or landscape supply for patio stones or other décor.
Vacation and Travel Donations
- If any of your volunteers or supporters own rental properties (or even personal second homes) in nearby vacation areas, see if they'd be willing to donate a vacation getaway. If it makes donors more confident, you can require winners to pay a cleaning fee or refundable deposit, but be sure to make that very clear in your item description (and leave those arrangements to be made directly between winners and donors after the auction).
- If any volunteers or supporters use a vacation rental property on a recurring basis and are well-known to the owner, they might also be able to secure a donation of this sort on behalf of your organization.
Unique Items and Packages
Now that you've gotten creative, you'll want to develop some ideas for items specific to your organization or event guests. For tips, see the article Unique Silent Auction Items. You can also solicit some Celebrity Silent Auction Items.
The copyright of the article Creative Silent Auction Items in Non-Profit Fundraising is owned by Nicki Heskin. Permission to republish Creative Silent Auction Items in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
