WINSPIRE NEWS

Your destination for insight into the world of event fundraising and charity auctions.

5 Event Fundraising Trends to Watch in 2019

Have you noticed the world of event fundraising is changing every day? Thanks to new technology, increasingly outside-the-box events and changing donor demographics, what’s working today is very different than what worked best just a few years ago.

  • 8 min read
  • Dec 10, 2018 4:24:11 PM

Top 6 Fund-a-Need Questions, Answered by the Pros

Nearly all fundraising events can benefit from incorporating a fund-a-need or special appeal into the agenda - but a recent Winspire webinar poll revealed more than 1 in 5 organizations are missing out.

  • 8 min read
  • Sep 20, 2018 8:24:44 AM

Fund-a-Need FAQs: When, where and how to conduct a successful cash appeal

Do you have donors who aren't interested in buying more "stuff" but want to support your cause nonetheless? Nearly all fundraising events can benefit from incorporating a fund-a-need or special appeal. But in a recent Winspire webinar, we learned more than 1 in 5 nonprofits aren't doing a special appeal at all!

  • 11 min read
  • Mar 27, 2018 9:00:32 AM

5 Questions to Ask When Vetting an Auctioneer

"Charity auctions are fundraising events that turn into social events, not social events where you hope to raise money. If done correctly, your guests won't know the difference." - Keith Jones, benefit auctioneer A surefire strategy to entertain your audience AND raise as much money as possible for your cause? Turn to a professional benefit auctioneer.

  • 6 min read
  • Feb 6, 2018 10:44:34 AM

The 6 Most Important Event Chairs to Recruit for Your Fundraising Auction

When it comes to hosting a successful fundraising auction, few can do it alone. You'll need several passionate, organized committee chairs with a laser-sharp focus on specific aspects of your event. What are the most essential event chair roles and responsibilities? And how can you find the right person for each job?

  • 9 min read
  • Jul 26, 2017 7:50:00 AM

Is an auctioneer worth 10 times the cost of a local personality?

We recently received the following email from a Winspire webinar attendee... EMAIL WINSPIRE NEWS Dear Winspire, My board feels that paying $2,500 for a professional, highly-trained benefit auctioneer is out of line, considering a local personality has offered to facilitate the live auction for $250. How should I respond? ~ Lisa Lisa, this is one of the most common concerns we hear from auction organizers across the country, and it's easy to understand why. The number one priority at a fundraising event is to raise money for your cause. When an opportunity to trim costs by 90 percent comes along, you want to consider it! That said, we've found it's more effective to focus on generating more revenue first - then trim costs where you can.

  • 10 min read
  • May 23, 2017 10:44:22 AM

This 5-Minute Auction Warm-up Could Raise Thousands for Your Cause

Whether it's your first or fiftieth auction, chances are you could benefit from employing some new techniques to extract money from the audience. There's virtually always money left to give, and new strategies give you the tools to raise more without making guests feel nickel-and-dimed. Today we're joined by Nelson Jay, the "Bowtie Benefit Auctioneer" based in Seattle, Wash. In a recent episode of our podcast Events with Benefits, Jay provided a bevy of ideas from the cutting edge of event fundraising.

  • 10 min read
  • May 3, 2017 9:16:35 AM

5 Common Auction Timeline Mistakes that Waste Time (and Lose Money)

There are many different elements that can make up the program of a fundraising event: speeches, videos, saying grace, singing the national anthem, presenting awards, having a special entertainer and more. But the most important components are the fundraising centerpieces of the night: the fund-a-need, live auction and silent auction. With just a few hours to raise as much revenue as possible, it's imperative the auction timeline keep everyone's focus on fundraising. Indeed, a poorly planned agenda can sink an entire event.

  • 12 min read
  • Oct 20, 2016 7:30:00 AM

Fund-a-Need Fundamentals: 10 Mistakes That Can Destroy a Cash Appeal

Most event organizers know a big portion of the night's proceeds comes from the fund-a-need, also commonly known as a cash appeal, special appeal or fund-a-cause. Nonetheless, this revenue strategy can be tough to execute properly.

  • 16 min read
  • Sep 20, 2016 9:33:16 AM

Fund-a-Need 101: 4 Steps to Execute a Smooth Cash Appeal

To pull off a successful charity gala, golf tournament, benefit auction and more, profits don't "just happen." Recently we discussed the need for fundraising events to create a profit plan that (1) keeps the focus on fundraising throughout the entire evening and (2) incorporates a wide variety of revenue streams.

  • 10 min read
  • Sep 13, 2016 7:30:00 AM

Special Appeals: When's the Best Time to Ask?

The special appeal. The fund-a-need. The funding plea. The "Ask"... The only hotter topic of debate than what to call the special appeal has to be when, exactly, you should schedule it during your charity auction event. Okay, so maybe special appeal placement isn't exactly a burning debate, but it's certainly a subject of discussion within the fundraising community... and it's not hard to see why.

  • 11 min read
  • May 27, 2015 9:57:52 AM

    Related Posts