An auction catalog is as basic to a fundraising auction as an auctioneer and bidder numbers.  Also referred to as a “program” or “booklet”, it is the printed document provided to auction attendees A real workhorse, the auction catalog serves many functions.   It helps underscore your message about why you are raising money.  It can […]

One of the most common questions I get asked when working with auction committees is what items should be included to raise maximum funds for the organization. The answer? It depends on your audience. A luxury golf package may be worth thousands of dollars, but it will only sell well in your auction if you […]

A fundraising auction requires myriad volunteers, vendors and staff, all working on their individual pieces to create a greater whole. Every individual working on an event always has their own personal agenda. Successful events manage to get every individual to buy in to a larger goal, and bend their personal agendas towards the “greater good.” […]

Some of our national clients who have offices in major cities across the country often have regional Gala’s with live auctions at each one. Each event has it’s own local connections and donors who offer wonderful access lots for the auction, but after offering them year after year the luster has worn off and the […]

When people ask me about my job, I tell them that I work for fundraising auction consultants, handling client support and scheduling the consulting time for two auctioneers. And, I get to work from home, along the banks of the Russian River. Sound easy? Sometimes, but sometimes not. Founder Colleen Buckley calls us “wranglers”; she […]

A successful fund a need is a magic moment. The auction stops, the crowd quiets, an emotional story is told, and then BOOM! The whole crowd is swept up in an avalanche of pledges that brings everyone together in support of a common cause. It is the emotional cornerstone of the evening; it is inspiring, […]

Lots of events work hard to find creative ways to provide meaningful engagement to their sponsors. Full-page ads in the catalog, banners hung around the room during the event, even brand placement on pre-event collateral are all benefits offered to event sponsors at various levels. Similarly, many events spend a lot of time trying to […]