Charity Auction Tips, Strategies & Fundraising Insights.

How To

How to Protect Donor Privacy in Online Auctions

Donors lose trust with nonprofits that overstep boundaries. Learn how your nonprofit can respect its donors’ privacy in online auctions by complying with privacy laws, allowing for anonymous donations, and preventing donor list sharing.

FAQ

What Are the Most Secure Payment Methods for Online Auctions?

One in five donors say they’d stop donating to a charity if their data was stolen. Make sure your donors’ data is safe by using secure payment methods during online fundraising, including online charity auctions.

FAQ

Must-Have Security Features When Choosing Auction Software

Donors want to know that their information is safe online. Learn which security features keep your donors safe when choosing your charity auction software.

How To

The Nonprofit’s Guide to Auction Software Security

Sensitive data from millions of donors was leaked during the 2020 Blackbaud breach. Learn how to protect your donors and your team by choosing secure auction software.

Guides

The Ultimate List of Charity Auction Item Ideas

Need inspiration for your next charity auction? Browse 200 creative auction item ideas by category and learn which items sell best at auctions, including exclusive experiences, items related to your niche, and travel packages.

Guides

Mobile Bidding Checklist for Nonprofits and Schools

Be prepared on event day with the correct equipment, important signage, and essential mobile bidding features. Our mobile bidding checklist is your task list for integrating online solutions for charity auctions.

FAQ

Mobile Features to Integrate Into Your Next Charity Auction

Mobile bidding features like text notifications, mobile check-in, auction previews, and live dashboards can make donors more engaged at your charity auction—while saving time for your nonprofit or school.

How To

Top 5 Mobile Auction Software for Nonprofits (& How to Choose)

Learn how to select the best mobile bidding software for your nonprofit or school’s auction needs, and choose from our top five picks—CharityAuctions, Givebutter, OneCause, Auctria, and GiveSmart.

Guides

Mobile Bidding for Charity Auctions: Complete Guide

Mobile bidding transforms charity auctions by making it easier for donors to participate, increasing engagement by 52%, and boosting revenue by up to 30%—all while simplifying logistics for your team.

How To

What to Say (& What Not to Say) During Charity Auction Marketing

What if your social media posts and emails aren’t attracting donors to your charity auction? Fundraisers can learn how to truly inspire supporters to donate with word-for-word examples of marketing messages that work.

Guides

The Silent Auction Promotion Timeline

Struggling with auction turnout? Boost attendance at your charity auction with our 2-month marketing timeline. Our timeline includes 5 promotion phases, from first announcements to post-event follow-up.

How To

The Complete Guide to Influencer Marketing for Nonprofit Fundraisers

Discover how influencer marketing can expand the reach of your nonprofit's fundraising events and charity auctions. Learn how to find, reach out to, and partner with influencers who want to support your cause.

Guides

The Complete Guide to Charity Auction Promotion

Nonprofits can attract more guests to their charity auctions through expert auction promotion strategies—content scheduling, authentic messaging, teaming up with partners, and more.

AI Tips

AI Prompts That Make Charity Auction Prep Easy

This article shares AI prompts and ethical AI practices that nonprofits and schools can use for quick auction setup. Find AI fundraising prompts for donation requests, auction item ideas, thank you messages, and more.

Guides

Charity Auction Quick Setup Guide

Small nonprofits and PTA parents will find a collection of quick start guides for setting up a charity auction in record time. Learn how auction software and AI can speed up event management for auctions.

Guides

Affordable Graphic Design for Charity Auction Promotion

CharityAuctions offers a Media Kit starting at $99 for nonprofits and schools to promote their auction fundraiser. Includes personalized social media posts, digital banners, tabletop flyers, and more.

Guides

Companies That Donate to Auctions in 2026 (+ Easy Item Ideas)

Make auction setup easy with our curated lists of companies that donate to charity auctions and easy-to-obtain auction items—designed for small nonprofits, large nonprofits, and schools.

FAQ

Charity Auction Basics - Learn Auctions in 15 Minutes

This beginner’s guide plus auction glossary helps small nonprofits and school PTAs get started with charity auctions faster. Choose from three auction types, learn how to set bidding terms, and learn what donors can deduct for taxes.

How To

How to Follow Up After an Auction: 3 Emails to Retain Donors

Our 3-step follow up sequence for charity auctions—complete with email templates—help your nonprofit improve donor retention. Thank donors within 48 hours, share your impact, and troubleshoot common issues that arise after an auction.

How To

How to Master Live Auction Fundraisers

Learn how nonprofits of any size can master live auctions by choosing an auctioneer, strategically ordering items, incorporating storytelling, and more. Our sample live auction timeline will show you how it’s done.

FAQ

Are Charity Auctions Worth the Investment? The Data Says Yes

This article pulls insights from two fundraising research reports, showing that 95% of nonprofits have great ROI with auction fundraisers. Learn how to maximize your auction ROI with donor engagement and the right software.

FAQ

Why a Third of Auction Bids are Mobile (& How to Maximize Them)

Learn about mobile bidding features that donors love, like outbid notifications and item previews, while maximizing bid revenue for your nonprofit through easy-to-use software, volunteer training, and more.

How To

How to Launch a Charity Auction in Under 30 Minutes

Learn how nonprofits can spin up a fully functioning charity auction in 30 minutes—connecting payments, item uploads, and bidding rules instantly—so your fundraiser goes live fast and avoids weeks of manual setup.

How To

How to Actually Use Your Auction Data

Learn how to read your auction’s data—identify underperforming items, retention dips, ROI stats—and act on insights. Many organizations using historical analytics report ~32% increases in revenue across events.

How To

How to Photograph and Display Auction Items (While Saving Money)

This article shows nonprofits how to photograph and stage auction items affordably using white backgrounds, consistent lighting, clean edits, and smart displays—so donors bid more and items sell out.

How To

How to Source High-Quality Auction Items for Your Fundraiser

How to Source High-Quality Auction Items teaches nonprofits how to build a wish list, ask aligned donors, and focus on fewer, high-value items to boost donor bids and engagement — often selling out auctions when generic ones fail.

How To

How to Plan Your Charity Auction (Plus Auction Checklist)

This guide walks nonprofits through planning an auction—set goals, build your team, budget, choose venue, document tasks, and use a checklist—to run a smoother event and avoid surprises.