Factors To Consider When Planning a Fundraising Auction

Published January 30, 2024

A fundraising auction is a fun, fast-paced way to raise money for a worthy cause. If you’re interested in organizing an auction, there are some important tips and tricks to keep in mind. Let’s explore the factors to consider when planning a fundraising auction to ensure your event is successful.

Create a Planning Committee

One of the first steps in planning an auction is to organize a committee. A profitable event requires the work of many people, so it’s important to assemble a group of dedicated individuals. You can ask members of your organization, as well as local community members, to volunteer.

The planning committee should establish an event budget and set goals for the auction. Once you have a clear goal in mind, you’ll be able to determine approximately how many donors you’ll need. A committee can also make other preliminary decisions, such as whether the auction will be in-person, virtual, or hybrid.

Pick a Venue

If you’re hosting an in-person or hybrid auction, you’ll need to find the perfect venue. The ideal location depends on several factors, including size, location, connectivity, and catering. To maximize attendance, you’ll want to make sure your venue is centrally located and can comfortably host all your guests.

For hybrid or virtual auctions, the location needs to have proper equipment capabilities. Namely, you need reliable audio and video for a livestream. You’ll also need high-speed internet to ensure everyone can fully participate in the auction.

Lastly, food is a big draw for any in-person fundraising event, so search for a location that offers catering services. Guests are likely to stay longer if they’re well fed, so if the venue doesn’t have in-house catering, inquire whether you can bring in your own food and beverages.

Obtain Auction Items

Obtaining auction items is another factor to consider when planning a fundraising auction. After all, you can’t have an auction if you don’t have anything for people to bid on. If your group or organization has worked with specific sponsors in the past, reach out to see if they’re willing to donate items. You should also make a point to reach out to new sponsors to expand your reach in the community.

Once you’ve collected your items, you’ll need to catalog and store them prior to the auction. If your auction is virtual, you’ll need to take high-quality photos and videos of each item and write a detailed description. For an in-person event, think about the best way to properly display each item in your venue.

Choose Your Auction Platform

You’ll need to decide what type of auction platform you’ll use for your event. Thanks to advancements in technology, you can now create a fundraiser that allows people to bid on auction items directly from their smartphones or web browsers. Digital fundraising has made it easier than ever for individuals to bid no matter where they’re located.

Vertical Raise offers a top-notch online donation platform. We host all different types of fundraisers, including football fundraisers, to exponentially increase the reach of these events. We can help you customize your auction to your exact needs, so get in touch with our team today to learn more.