Benefit auctions are one of the most important and necessary fundamentals that can in essence make or break a charity. A successful benefit auction can ensure both the success of the event itself by encouraging future donations along with the amount of funds that were raised at the event. The first key to ensuring your success is the ability of your nonprofit to procure silent auction items that will appeal to your invited guests. Even if you have a knowledgeable and dedicated fundraising committee, approaching prospective donors can often feel like an overwhelming and daunting task. According to the full service charity and benefit auction services and consulting professionals at Auctioneerist Charity Auctions, developing a procurement packet for your auction committee can provide countless benefits for both the fundraising team and the potential businesses they are hoping to solicit for donations.
Value Added Advantages of a Professional Procurement Plan System
A professional procurement package has the ability to provide your organization with many benefits including professionalism, organization, and keeping your team on task. Your prospective donors will be more receptive to donating to an organization that has taken the time to develop a set of professional documents which contain clear and concise information about the charity and cause. Their are three essentials for a professional and effective procurement packet; the procurement letter, donation form and auction item wishlist.
Format for How to Write a Procurement Letter
In most instances, you will want to meet prospective donors in person to ask for items for your live and silent auction events. For those individuals and business that you are unable to meet with in person, you can deliver a copy of your procurement letter via mail, fax or email. Your procurement letter should provide a clear set of directives and information regarding your organization along with an explanation regarding how their donation can help your specific mission.
Your procurement letter should include:
• A touching story with photographs that will inspire your potential donors to give generously.
• An explanation regarding how donors can make an impact by donating to your cause.
• Opportunities regarding sponsorships along with recognition regarding contributions.
• Specific requests for a service or item to be donated.
• The specifics regarding donating a service or item.
• Your organizations professional logo and mission statement to reinforce your long-term goals.
Donation Form Template
The donation form should be used by your committee members to gather all of the information necessary regarding auction items. To reduce the amount of necessary paperwork that your donors need to fill out, instruct your committee to complete any and all information for each auction item they personally solicit. Once you receive the information, begin categorizing by building an excel spreadsheet that contains the information for each donation that your team has solicited. Your spreadsheet is an extremely valuable tool that will help you keep track of a large amount of information including your committee’s progress along with the type of items that were donated and by whom. Your spreadsheet is also an effective post-auction tool for evaluating the items auctioned and how much money was raised for each item.
Charity Benefit Auction Item Wish List
Keep track of the items that you are hoping to solicit by printing out a finalized copy of your wish list for each of your committee members to use as a reference when approaching potential donors. Your wish list is also a handy reference tool that can be used when a business is unable to donate the item that you have requested. Use the list to make it easier for your committee members to think quickly by asking for an alternative item and making the most of each donor opportunity.
Other Items You May Wish to Add to Your Non Profit Donor & Procurement Packets Include:
• Return envelopes for monetary donations or gift certificates donation requests.
• Pamphlets and flyers about your charity.
• Promotional materials including upcoming events and advertising materials.
Charity Benefit Auctions Consulting, Planning & Hosting in Huntington Beach, San Diego, Los Angeles, the High Desert & Southern California
For more information regarding full service charity and benefit auction services & consulting, contact the knowledgeable experts at Auctioneerist Charity Auctions today.