Managing Donors and Donor Reports

Donors play a critical role in every successful charity auction. CharityAuctions makes it easy to record donor information, connect donors to the items they contribute, and track all donor activity in one organized place.

You can add donors while creating items and manage them later through a dedicated donor management section.

Adding a Donor While Creating an Item

The most common way to add a donor is directly from the item entry screen when you are adding or editing an auction item.

To add a donor to an item:

1. Open your auction dashboard.
2. In the left navigation menu, click Item Management.
3. Select Item Catalog.
4. Click Add Item or edit an existing item.
5. Scroll to the area below the Add Image box.
6. Click Show Advanced Details.
7. Locate the donor information fields.
8. Enter the donor’s details, including:
   • Donor name
   • Company name
   • Email address
   • Donor visibility preference

Once saved, the donor is automatically connected to that specific auction item.

Choosing Donor Visibility

When adding a donor, you can control whether their name is displayed publicly.

You can choose to:

• Show the donor name on the item page
• Hide the donor name from public view

This gives you flexibility to respect donor preferences while still keeping accurate internal records.

Managing All Donors in One Place

After donors have been added to items, you can view and manage them from a central location.

To access your donor list:

1. Open your auction dashboard.
2. Click Item Management in the left menu.
3. Select Manage Donors.

From this section you can see:

• A list of all donors connected to your auction
• Contact information for each donor
• The items each donor contributed
• Donation statistics and activity

This area acts as your main hub for all donor-related information.

Tracking Donor Contributions

CharityAuctions automatically tracks which items are associated with each donor.

Inside the Manage Donors section you can:

• View all items donated by a specific donor
• See donation history
• Review item performance
• Track overall donor involvement

This makes it easy to stay organized and recognize your most valuable contributors.

Generating Donor Reports

Donor information can also be used to generate reports for thank-you letters, record keeping, and tax documentation.

Using the donor management tools, you can:

• View detailed donor summaries
• Export donor data
• Track total contributions
• Prepare information for acknowledgment letters

These reports help simplify post-auction follow-up and donor appreciation.

Sending Thank You Letters

Although thank you letters are not automatically sent, CharityAuctions makes it easy to gather all the information you need.

With donor reports you can:

• Identify all donors from your event
• Collect their contact details
• See exactly what each donor contributed
• Use exported data to create personalized thank-you communications

This helps you maintain strong relationships with supporters for future events.

Best Practices

For the best donor management experience:

• Always add donor details when creating items
• Keep donor information accurate and up to date
• Use visibility settings to respect donor preferences
• Review the Manage Donors section regularly
• Export donor reports after your auction ends
• Send timely thank-you messages to all contributors

Good donor tracking leads to better relationships and more successful auctions in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a donor to an auction item?
Donors are added directly on the item entry screen under Show Advanced Details when creating or editing an item.

Where can I view all my donors?
All donors can be viewed under Item Management > Manage Donors.

Can I hide a donor’s name from the public?
Yes. When adding a donor, you can choose whether their name is visible on the item page.

Can I see which items a donor contributed?
Yes. The Manage Donors section shows each donor along with all items they donated.

Are donor reports available?
Yes. You can view and export donor information and contribution data from the donor management area.

Does CharityAuctions automatically send thank you letters?
No, but you can easily generate reports with all necessary donor information to create and send personalized thank-you messages.

If you need assistance managing donors or generating donor reports, CharityAuctions support is always happy to help.

Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly, TEDx speaker and CEO of CharityAuctions.com, helps nonprofits raise millions through auctions and AI. He hosts The Million Dollar Nonprofit podcast and inspires leaders to live their legacy, not just leave it.