Experts Help Nonprofits Reach Fundraising Goals With Benefit Auctions

Wichita Falls, TX, June 23, 2009 — For decades, benefit auctions have consistently remained one of the most popular fundraising activities among schools and nonprofit organizations seeking fun, community-centered strategies to raise revenue.

However, since the onset of the economic downturn, organizations that have relied on benefit auctions to meet fundraising goals have reported lower attendance and sluggish bidding. Additionally, nearly 70 percent of organizations surveyed in 2008 reported difficulty securing donated items from local retailers.

To help nonprofits overcome these challenges, Step by Step Fundraising has launched a new audio seminar series entitled “Secrets of the Charity Auction Experts.” The series includes interviews with leading charity auction and event planning experts, and invaluable tips on how school administrators and nonprofit directors and board members can ensure the success of their next benefit auction, despite the downturn.

“Last year nonprofit contributions dropped more than $6 billion, prompting many nonprofit organizations to reevaluate their fundraising strategies,” said Sandra Sims, founder of Step by Step Fundraising, Inc. “But this doesn’t mean that organizations and schools have to completely reinvent the wheel. Instead they just need to revise the way they implement their current fundraising strategies in order to get better results. In our new series ‘Secrets of the Charity Auction Experts’ we share professional tips and guidance on how to capitalize on one of the most results-driven fundraising activities, despite the sluggish economy.”

“Secrets of the Charity Auction Experts” features one-hour interviews with charity benefit auctioneers Dawn Rose-Sohnly and Karin Costa, and Steve Lieberstein, a nonprofit professional with a diverse fundraising background. The series also includes a 30-minute bonus interview with Ray Hansen of IML, a leader in silent auction technology.

The experts weigh in on the importance of increasing planning time, drawing community interest, and maximizing visibility and promotion of donors and corporate sponsors. They also focus on how to utilize a variety of technologies to increase event efficiency, more effectively connect with donors and increase sponsor benefit offerings.