Nonprofits Can Raise Thousands of Dollars Through Live and Silent Auctions

June 24, 2009 - PRLog -- For decades, charity 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 charity 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 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 charity 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.

“The series provides a detailed roadmap for nonprofits in need of winning strategies and pre and post-event checklists for their next fundraising event,” said Sims. “The resources provided by the experts interviewed in the series can help organizations successfully increase event attendance, revenue and overall volunteer and community participation.”

Nonprofits who are ready for a Step by Step approach to raising more funds at their next auction can get a copy of Secrets of the Charity Auction Experts at http://stepbystepfundraising.com The download includes both MP3 audio format and text transcripts of all four interviews.

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Based in Wichita Falls, Texas, Step By Step Fundraising provides fundraising strategies and resources for nonprofits to aid them in their efforts to make a positive impact on the world. The company publishes a monthly newsletter, annual fundraising guides and matches schools and nonprofits with reliable fundraising consultants. For more information, visit www.stepbystepfundraising.com.