For nonprofit fundraising events, the silent auction has become a crucial fundraising tool. Not only do silent auctions increase financial support for your mission, they provide a fun form of entertainment, at a price point where virtually all attendees can participate. And when guests are having a great time, they're inspired to give support on a higher level.

If you are an event coordinator or auction chair looking to produce a winning fundraising auction, refer to these six essential silent auction forms that will help you conquer the event planning process.

1. Donation Request Letter

The Donation Request Letter (click to enlarge) is your primary method for soliciting individuals and businesses to donate auction items to your event. It is your chance to sell your organization and its mission.

In many cases, you won't get a "Yes" on your first Ask. This letter should serve to educate and inspire a potential donor in your absence, so that by the time you arrive for your second, third or fourth solicitation attempt, the donor is familiar with your cause, your event and what you are asking for. 

Important elements to include in your request letter:

• Letterhead - Include your event logo at the top of your letter to set the stage for your donation request and to make if more official. If you don't have an event logo you can use your organization's letterhead instead.
• Tell a Story - Tug at their heart strings with a personal heartfelt story that relates to your cause. Be specific about what has been done or what will be done to help.
• Include a Picture - A photograph that relates to your emotional story adds credibility and dimension to your cause. If you choose to include a picture and have a colorful logo, it's probably worth it to have your letter printed in color.
• Bold Call to Action - Individuals you solicit are usually busy people. Make sure the main reason you're contacting them is obvious. It's also a nice touch to address them directly in the body of the letter.
• A Specific Ask - Asking for a specific item will take the pressure off the potential donors to come up with ideas and make it easier for them to say yes.
• How They'll Be Recognized - There are plenty of opportunities to recognize and promote your donors. Just make sure you follow through on your promise.
• Clear Return Date - This is an important date! Make sure it's easy to spot within your letter.
• Your Signature - Sign every letter with a pen in blue ink. Include your title and contact information below your name.

Example: Click to Enlarge 

2. Donation Form

The Donation Form should accompany the Donation Request Letter. This form, along with the letter, are what you will leave behind with the donor if they are not prepared with an answer immediately, which is common.

The form should list the organization’s letterhead and event information, and the following items should be included for you or the donor to fill out:

✓ Contact Information

3. Silent Auction Bid Sheet

Example: Click to Enlarge

Once you’ve got auction items coming in, develop attractive and easy-to-use bid sheets for use during the event.

Silent auction tables can quickly become cluttered. If you're not using mobile technology, concise bid sheets will help cut down on unnecessary distractions.

For more information on the specifics of what to include on your silent auction bid sheets, check out this article from Winspire News: Bid Sheets 101: Improve Your Silent Auction With Better Bid Sheets

Some basic tips:

• Maintain the event’s theme on this form as you have on previous forms and letters.
• Don't crowd the the bid sheet with any more than 12-14 lines for bids. Too many blank lines can make it seem like no one is interested in that auction item. Allow just enough space for the bidders to write their name or auction number. 

4. Sponsor Request Letter

Read: 3 Reasons Donor Sponsored Experiences Are AwesomeNo consignment policy? No problem! Find an individual or business to underwrite the cost of a travel Experience for your live auction. Read More →

Businesses who don't have a product or service to donate, such as financial institutions or B2B entities, might prefer to make a monetary contribution instead. This is where event sponsorships come into play.

Most nonprofits will offer multiple sponsorship levels in return for various perks and recognition during the event, such as advertising space in your auction catalog and a table for 10. It's common for organizations to have at least three tiers of sponsorship opportunities to give major donors a few options to choose from.

You can also offer potential donors the opportunity to underwrite an element of the event like flowers, the DJ, or a unique Winspire Experience. 

You can name each tier whatever you wish; some organizations will have some fun with naming them to relate to their cause. At a golf event, for example, you could have a Birdie, Eagle for the bottom two packages and then a "Hole-in-One!" Sponsorship for the top tier.

The price and benefits associated with each sponsorship level should be determined by your committee and board members based on the demographic of your audience. If you're holding a community fundraiser for a small local private school, a top tier sponsorship package of $5,000 makes sense. On the other hand, if you know you will have a handful of corporate executives in attendance, then you might consider offering a sponsorship package for $25,000.  

Like the Donation Request Letter, the Sponsor Request Letter should be on letterhead with the event logo, if possible. It should make an emotional tie to your mission and be specific in its request for support. Provide descriptions of the different sponsorship levels in the letter as well as in the Sponsor Form described below.

5. Sponsor Form

Similar to the donation form, this document is used to get specific information about the donor who is purchasing the sponsorship package. It should be presented along with the sponsor request letter and left with the donor if they need more time to think about it. (Tip: Always follow up a few days later, then continue following up until you get a definitive "No." Sometimes it can take as many as 5-6 times!) 

The form should include space for all the Donor Information from above, as well as: 

6. Thank You Letter

Last but not least, thank you letters sent properly and in a timely fashion go a long way to encouraging donors to participate in next year’s event.

A post-event thank you letter campaign is why it's essential to gather accurate contact information on the Donation Form and the Sponsor Form.

Hand written letters are always best if you have the bandwidth. If not, your next best option is a direct mail campaign. We strongly recommend signing each printed letter by hand, perhaps with a blue pen to stand out on the page.

It usually makes sense to also send out a thank you email to all your donors and sponsors (since you've already added all their email addresses to your database!). An email campaign makes it easy to share pictures and video from the event.

In your thank you notes, try to include their specific donation, whether it was an auction item or sponsorship, and how their contribution made a difference for your nonprofit organization.

BONUS: Other Helpful Items!

🖼️ Auction Item Display Sign: While the silent auction bid sheet acts as a marketing form for each item in the auction, you may want to feature an item separately from the rest of the silent auction. Each of of our Winspire Experiences, for example, comes with a display PDF which can be printed on an 8.5x11 or blown up to a poster-size. Prepare a display sign for that item and any other items that could benefit from additional promotion. The sign can be letter-sized and easily made into a cardboard easel.

We've created free auction item display templates that can be paired with our paper bid sheets and easily customized in Microsoft Word. Click below to download yours.

🕒 Clock: A clock that is visible to auction bidders can generate bidding excitement as the auction closing time nears.

🖊️ Legal Pads, Clipboards & PENS: BRING LOTS OF NEW PENS. There is nothing worse than running out of pens for your guests to use to place bids. Be prepared for tallying and organizing the results when the auction closes.

Make your life easier and more prepared with the proper silent auction forms and resources.