How to Request Donations for a School Auction

It's becoming increasingly common for local schools to use auctions as a fund-raiser. The trick to a successful auction, though, is having items that are worth asking parents and the community to pay for. But these items needn't always be from stores or local vendors. There are many ways to create auction items beyond the typical vendor request.

Instructions

1. Ask each class to make an auction item. It can be a platter that all the children have signed or a birdbath that the children paint. In general, though, you'll raise more money by creating individual items that each child can offer up since then each family can make a donation by purchasing their child's item. Typical individual items include note cards, a painting or a handcrafted mug.

2. Ask families to host a themed party. It can be "tiki madness, margarita and limbo" or any such combination that gives a group of families a focus. Parents can sign up in couples or as individuals to attend. The families bear the cost of the caterer and provide the venue, and the parents' donations go to the school.

3. Create an experience for parent and child. A father/daughter dance is always a hit, or perhaps organize a mother/daughter tea. These events can often be held on campus for minimal cost. The hosts manage any organizational needs such as invitations or decorations and basic catering needs, and the school benefits.

4. Create an experience for the child and the teacher. The second-grade teachers might offer to host a cocoa-and-tea sandwich party, and the kindergarten teachers might have a time set aside in the afternoon to color a mural. Let the teachers offer their time to help raise funds for the school.