Auctions

Taking your charity auction online doesn’t mean it has to be any less engaging for your bidders.

Whether you’re just starting your item gathering process or are trying to round out your catalog before your auction, this list can help you. This is the biggest list of item ideas we’ve ever published, inspired by the thousands of successful online auctions.

Most nonprofits will plan one or two big fundraising auctions per year, leading to high expectations. Organizations need to find a multitude of ways to increase revenue streams to avoid leaving much-needed money on the table. The following are some tips to help development teams create financially successful events...

With the nonprofit sector facing unprecedented levels of disruption, it’s definitely a challenging time to be a fundraiser. However, smart nonprofits look at challenges with excitement, not dismay. There’s never been a better (or more necessary) time to explore new options and make your organization more resilient. This is particularly true when it comes to […]

Technology has become increasingly user-friendly. Donors from Baby Boomers and Gen X to Gen Y and Millennials have become more digital-centric. The smartphone has become an indispensable part of everyday life, making it completely normal to use as a tool during a special event rather than struggling to keep track of old-fashioned paper and pen bid sheets...

Martin Shkreli wants you to punch him in the face. Well, not you, in particular. But it could be you—if you're the highest bidder in this, um, unique charity auction. If you're not familiar with Shkreli, you may know him better as the "most hated man in America." He's the smarmy pharma bro who jacked up the price of a life-saving drug by 5,556 percent, allegedly helmed multiple Ponzi schemes, and turned a congressional hearing into a clown show...

When last we checked in on Dryer Lint Donald Trump, he was running unopposed in the race for the coveted title of "artistic work most likely to simultaneously instill existential horror and admiration." But now, finally, he has a challenger. Enter, Dryer Lint Hillary Clinton. Artist Sandy Buffie, creator of the dryer lint monstrosity, plans to auction the sculpture alongside her Trump to raise money for charity...

Look, there are some headlines you just hope you never have to write, but because we have now seen unspeakable terror, we felt we had no choice. It's like a horror movie where the only way to free yourself from the curse is to pass it to another person. We're sorry. But anyway, here it is, a bust of Donald Trump made from 30 gallons of dryer lint, which if all goes well will be auctioned for charity...

Benefit auctions, popping up every spring like Park Avenue tulips, have become about as ubiquitous as art fairs and openings. Charity sales are the primary means by which artists can pack a philanthropic punch, but they can be an exasperating staple of New York’s art-world calendar, burdening the artists who donate work with drawbacks and…

Lionel Messi is one of the world's best-known sports figures and one of the most famous people on the planet. So when the soccer star donated his cleats to an Arab television station, to later be auctioned for charity, it seemed like a nice gesture. Autographed Messi gear fetches big bucks online, so it's reasonable to assume it'd do the same for charity. Little did Messi know, his gift would cause an international incident...