In a climate in which community services funding is more and more scarce and the causes are getting more and more urgent, grassroots fundraising is the brightest light at the end of the tunnel. The easiest grassroots fundraiser is a benefit auction, and this book offers tried-and-true methods for putting on a wildly successful event. In this comprehensive, step-by-step guide, author Sandy Bradley draws on her many years of experience as an organizer and auctioneer for nonprofits and arts organizations.

The Big Book of Benefit Auctions is the ultimate step-by-step handbook on how to plan and have a successful and effective auction. Auction committees will find it an invaluable reference as it provides all the tools they will need for complete auction planning and management. From setting the goal for the event, to organizing the committee, procuring auction items, building the audience, preparing the catalog and through auction night cashiering (check out) services, everything you will want to know about the auction process is readily at your fingertips in this resource guide. The book will not only contain important "how to" information, it will also explain why some decisions and activities are not only good practices, they are essential to having a well-run and efficient event. Also, the book will discuss important strategies for maximizing revenue at your event, and will cover common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Auctions are unique in the world of special events. They contain core elements of other fundraising events, but a critical factor is that they also must procure auction items to match their clientele and then motivate those bidders to buy. True success requires the application of creative strategy to every facet of the event, as well as the use of organized systems to stay on track. Auction Fundraising Simplified shows how to think outside the box, provides examples and worksheets, and will help add thousands of dollars to the bottom line. Contained within these pages is information about: Skills needed to be a successful auction director Insider tips and strategies for "thinking outside the box" Identifying auction demographics and laying a strong foundation Examples, systems, timelines, and worksheets for all auction elements Choosing an effective auctioneer Determining what committees are needed and how to keep them on track Ideas for recruiting sponsors, donors, and attendees Targeted procurement techniques for obtaining auction items Packaging auction lots for the highest sale Catalog writing processes and tips to save time Negotiating contracts with venues, caterers, suppliers, and others Food and beverage suggestions for menu planning and service Ways to market and promote your auction Creating site plans and logistics schedules Contracting for production (stage, sound, lighting, visual media, entertainment) Using volunteers for maximum effect Pre- and post-auction activities The easy-to-read format and systems in Auction Fundraising Simplified have been successfully used by auction managers of all skill levels and by academic institutions as a teaching tool. We guarantee this book will pay for itself many times over in time and financial gain.

There has never been a greater need for raising the funds necessary to promote the causes that will help build a sustainable future. In Money for the Cause: A Complete Guide to Event Fundraising, veteran nonprofit executive director Rudolph A. Rosen lays out field-tested approaches that have been among those that helped him and the teams of volunteers and professionals he has worked with raise more than $3 billion for environmental conservation. As Rosen explains, fundraising events can range from elite, black-tie affairs in large cities to basement banquets and backyard barbeques in small-town America. Money for the Cause runs the gamut, demonstrating methods adaptable to most situations and illustrating both basic and advanced techniques that can be duplicated by everyone from novice volunteers to experienced event planners. Each chapter begins with a pertinent, real-life anecdote and focuses on major areas of event fundraising: business plans and budgets, raffles and auctions, tax and liability matters, contract negotiation, games and prizes, site selection, food service, entertainment, publicity, mission promotion, food and drink service, and effective team building and use of volunteers. The author applies each topic to the widest possible range of events, providing practical detail and giving multiple examples to cover the differences in types of organizations and their fundraising activities. Whatever the funding objective may be, Money for the Cause: A Complete Guide to Event Fundraising is both a textbook and a practical reference that will be indispensable to anyone involved in mission-driven organizations, whether as a volunteer, a professional, a student, or an educator. To learn more about The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, sponsors of this book's series, please click here.

Wedding & Event Planning 101 has everything you need to know how to execute a beautiful wedding. What are the steps to having a successful event? How do you market yourself? Learn how to be a poised, polished professional. Whether youre new to the business or a seasoned pro, this book will help you fine-tune the details.

A good event fundraiser puts together a nice event that makes some money for their organization. A great event fundraiser plans memorable events, raises lots of money, creates awareness for their cause and fosters loyalty and support from donors and volunteers that can last a lifetime. Which one do you want to be? Juggling the numerous pieces of an event fundraiser can be daunting for the “rookie” and challenging even for a seasoned professional. Whether you are planning a 5K run, a black-tie gala, or something in between, The A-to-Z Guide to Event Fundraising will be your blueprint for a successful event. With step-by-step instruction, checklists and more, this user-friendly guide with downloadable appendix will help you every step of the way, letting you spend your energy on what is important: raising funds for your organization and giving your attendees an experience they are sure to remember.

Transform fundraising events into long-term revenue with expert auction advice A Higher Bid is the nonprofit school and organization guide to planning and executing more exciting, more lucrative special event fundraisers. In this book, award-winning consultant, fundraiser, speaker, and professional auctioneer Kathy Kingston shares her proprietary and proven approaches to audience development, board empowerment, leadership succession, guest cultivation and engagement, and donor development. You'll learn how live auctions, special appeals, innovative icebreakers, silent auctions, and new technologies can help increase revenue, and how to execute these events in a way that translates to a stronger donor base for long-term giving. Kingston describes how to match the guest list and catalog for better results, and reveals the strategies professional auctioneers use to curate the right auction items and discover the right people to generate optimum revenue and engage donors. This book offers a fresh approach to fundraising, showing you how charity benefit auctions can be made a centerpiece of fundraising special events to drive both short- and long-term fundraising goals while providing a fun and inspiring opportunity to generate awareness and keep supporters excited about the mission. Using Kingston's proven framework, you'll learn effective ways to: Strategically increase high-profit revenue streams Increase your organization's donor base Empower the board toward efficiency and productivity Engage supporters more deeply and keep them invested Donors are the lifeblood of any nonprofit organization, and sustainable revenue depends upon their high engagement and willingness to give. Well-executed benefit and charity auctions have proven to be effective fundraisers for nonprofits, associations, and schools of all types, and A Higher Bid is the expert guide to optimizing these special events for maximum impact.