School Silent Auction Tips
Schools use silent auctions to raise money for field trips, sports teams and school supplies. During a silent auction, people write bids on a sheet of paper instead of responding to an auctioneer. Each auctioned item has its own sheet of paper, and people continue writing bids until time is up or the price is high enough to deter future bidding. Silent auctions can raise hundreds or thousands of dollars, but they require careful planning.
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Planning a Silent Auction
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Silent auctions make a great addition to another event, such as a dinner, party or carnival. Pair your silent auction with an event that draws a lot of people. Make sure you choose an event that allows people to get up and walk around, so people can easily look at and participate in the auction. You need time to collect donations and advertise for the event, so start planning at least a couple months before the auction.
Collecting Auction Items
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Ask local businesses for donations. Tell them what the money will go toward and what recognition they will receive (for example, perhaps you will print their logo in the event brochure). Consider asking for gift certificates from restaurants, stores, spas, parks, zoos and museums. In addition, ask for donations from parents, school board members and teachers. For example, someone with season tickets could donate a few tickets, and someone with a vacation home could offer a weekend getaway. The school may even be able to provide items, such as free season admission to football games or a coveted parking spot.
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Setting Up the Silent Auction
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Package the gifts as attractively as possible. Consider bundling smaller gifts together; for example, packaging a movie and dinner gift certificate together creates a fun evening package. Place all gifts on a long table near the main event. Clearly mark each item's minimum bid, which should be less than half of the gift's market value. Place a clipboard, bidding sheet and pens by each item. In addition, make sure the time the auction ends and the procedure for collecting an item (including the accepted forms of payment) are clearly posted.
Ending a Silent Auction
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End the auction before the main event ends so people are still there. Give 10 and five-minute warnings so people can make last-minute bids. After the auction ends, collect all bidding sheets and announce the winners. Collect payment for all items before the winners leave.
After the Auction
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After the auction, write thank-you notes to everyone who donated items, thanking them for their contribution and noting how much money the school raised. If possible, have students sign thank-you cards, too. For example, if the auction raised money to purchase new softball uniforms, have all the softball players sign each card. If the auction was successful, consider making it an annual event.
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