Procurement 101

Fundraising doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be fun. In fact fundraising is my absolute favorite thing. I get to make great connections with people who love to give to something they’re passionate about. I also get to help a cause I am passionate about. Most of all at times I get to throw some awesome parties and it doesn’t cost a penny or very few pennies. Yeah you heard me right, not one penny. I have put on events for up to 500 people and spent nothing (okay I spent $2.67 on some last minute food coloring). In this blog I will share 10 of my secrets of item procurement. I will also list a few places, that if asked with plenty of notice, there is a 99% chance of a donation if you have a 501c3 status.

1. Start January 2. Most companies have limitations on the amount of donations they make throughout the year so if you ask in August there is a good possibility that they have met their limits. Don’t ask a week before your event because your sponsors need notice to get the item ready and record it in their books.

2. Start local but think big. Local vendors are the most likely to donate to your cause but if you are in a small town there is a chance that they have already donated to other charities and bigger cities have more to offer. Also remember internet businesses donate also. For one event I was able to procure an entire wait staff’s aprons, trays and tray stands from one internet company because the owner said no one had ever come to him.

3. Don’t look for a package, make one. If you want to have a wine country trip to Napa don’t call a travel agent. Call a local Napa bed and breakfast for a room, call a small winery for a free wine tasting, find a local restaurant for an evening out and contact several airlines (first tip, all airlines donate tickets, contact all of them and leave your location unspecified so you can use it accordingly). Now you you have an amazing trip that you didn’t have to pay for.

4. Think small. One of the items that I have learned that sell well at auctions is quilts. Quilts are easy to have donated and can make you an easy $200 at your silent auction table.

5. All sports teams donate. Contact your local pro sports teams. The Sounders here in Seattle are the most generous. One year they even donated a made up gift basket with tickets, a team autographed ball, t-shirts and stickers. That item went big.

6. Use the dollar store. If you have gift baskets and you feel it looks empty head to the dollar store for filler. No one cares about those filler items anyway it’s just to make the basket look pretty (get your baskets there too if you can’t get them donated). For spa packages I like to pick up some loophas, lotions and candles.

7. Utilize your resources. If you know someone who owns a restaurant ask them. Make sure not to ask more than once a year though. Don’t over use your resources because they can become burned out. What I’ve learned is most of my resources have become ambassadors of the charities I have them donate to. For example my parents donated a motel/dinner package at White Pass (and White Pass donated ski lift tickets) and now they never miss the charity events. Plus they have gained new customers from their kindness.

8. The hardest item to procure is printing costs. It is possible. I have found online companies are more likely to donate because most local places donate to schools (which is extremely noble and understandable).

9. Offer everyone who donates a sponsorship level. The bigger the item the bigger their name appears in the program (always have a program, it’s the best way to thank your sponsors). Also large sponsors like airlines will actually offer you a banner to hang up. It’s okay to do that. Attendees of your event will see how you thank your sponsors and someone in that room may have something to offer for next time.

10. Don’t limit yourself. I once held a comedy event at a large casino and the casino was unable to offer tables because they had a vendor for that. I contacted their vendors and they donated. I contacted a separate company which donated table cloths (which we were able to keep to use for the future). Our center pieces were made of vases donated from Fred Meyer with floating daisies donated by a local florist. The event made $70,000 and cost $2.67 for food coloring to color our water in the vases.

These tips are pretty basic and there is so much more to procurement. There are a few things to keep in mind: you will need more time and volunteers; you will get 50 no’s before you get a yes, don’t be discouraged; send a lot of thank you’s after the fact. I once was told do not ask for something again until you have sent seven thank you’s; be it a card, a phone call, an email, in person, etc. Your thanks is what keeps your donations coming. I will continue to post other fundraising tips including asking for money, event ideas and venue selection. So keep posted.

Do I Hear…Auction

Auctions are a great fundraiser because it’s so easy to procure items and make money without spending any. However, putting the perfect auction together can be time consuming and honestly one of the hardest types of events to put on.

The key to a successful fundraising auction is simple…attendance. Not just the number of bodies in the room but the quality. Quality doesn’t mean rich, it means willing to spend and care about your cause. I know many middle-income people that loooove auctions and love to spend their dough at these fundraisers. Not only do they gain a great item at a great price but they do something that impacts at the same time.

How do you get these people to your auction? Well it’s not easy. It takes timing, persistence and great items.Ask yourself these questions before planning your auction:

• Has there been an auction recently close to home or held for a similar type of cause? No, people may come but they already spent so they have less to spend now.
• Are you willing or do you have dedicated volunteer on-hand to procure good items? Yes. You can’t do this alone, plus connections make better items.
• Is your venue close to a downtown? Is it classy? Doing your event far away will detour people because they don’t want to drink and drive. And if the place is a dump it reflects on your organization and honestly your items.
• Are you going to have alcohol? This is a must. If the answer is no, unless you’re holding an AA auction you have to liquor your quests up.

If you answered these questions above accordingly then you’re ready to hold your auction. Now that you’re ready there is another set of questions you need to answer to move on. These answers can vary, but are important to know before you start.

• Who are you contacting to procure your items? What are they offering you? Don’t take something just because it’s offered. What is someone going to do with a $200 off floors coupon? No one will bid on something that still forces them to make a purchase. Having too many items slows things down and can hurt your bids on the better items. Just say no (if it is not worthy).
• Are you planning a casual event? If so, don’t expect people to spend as much. people dressed casual spend casual.
• What day of the week are you planning your event? Saturdays are the best, Sundays can be done, but are a little riskier.
• Are you planning a dinner or another type of activity to go along with the auction? Food is good and entertains your guests. Plus it goes well with the alcohol your continuously giving your guests.
• How long do you plan for the event to go? Don’t make it too long so people are tired and ready to leave before it even starts or gets to the good items. Limit your live items.
• Are you having a silent auction? If so, make sure your items are worthy to not turn people off to your live items.
• Who is your auctioneer? This can make or break your auction. It’s the only thing I don’t dismiss paying for. Make sure the auctioneer speaks clearly and slow enough because your attendees are probably not all professional auction attenders. You don’t want those pockets to miss anything.
• Have you ever attended a non-fundraiser auction? If not, do. It will only help you see how people like to spend and what they spend on.
• Are you charging admission to your auction? If so, don’t charge too much (covering costs for food and venue should be the only thing you should be charging for). Charging people only makes them not dig as deep into their pockets because they feel like they’ve already done their part.
• Do you have unique items? This is so important because the more unique the item the more it is wanted. Don’t do the same thing your competition did 6 months before. Your attendees are probably the same. Be creative and put packages together. Ask people with unique skills to offer them up for your auction. We’ve offered up murder mystery dinners that have gone for thousands.

There is so much more to putting on an auction but these questions are important questions to ask yourself before moving to the smaller less important things. Just make sure you have a lot of help and are dedicated. If you are your auction could easily raise tens of thousands of dollars. Give us a call at Unzipped Experience to have us help you with your auction and learn more secret tips to raising more money.