Let’s talk about one of the most common fundraising myths still being repeated by well-meaning nonprofits across the country:
“If we just get enough donated items, we’ll raise more money.”
Unfortunately, that strategy no longer works — and in many cases, it’s the reason events underperform.
Here’s why:
🔍 The Reality:
There are over 1.5 million charities in the United States — and thousands more locally. Businesses like restaurants and retail stores are inundated weekly with donation requests. You're not the only one asking.
What most nonprofits don’t realize is:
Gift cards are donated because they drive customers back in the door
Merchandise is often overstock or outdated
And many donations aren’t even tax deductible anymore due to IRS caps (check the laws — it changed during the Obama administration)
🧠 Common Mistakes:
Silent auction gift cards often sell for 50% of face value or less
Gift baskets are everywhere, but let me ask you this:
“When was the last time you gave someone a gift basket as a present?”
That’s when people laugh and say, “Never.” And exactly — no one wants them.
You may have copied what you saw at another fundraiser, but did you ask:
How much money did they actually raise?
Was that strategy even profitable?
We call that “Broken Spoke Fundraising” — using outdated tactics just because you saw them done somewhere else.
🧩 What Actually Works:
The nonprofits we work with see massive gains when they shift from donation-based auctions to curated, premium experiences.
📈 Real example:
A nonprofit using mostly donated items raised $5,000.
The following year, with premium auction items — travel packages, signed memorabilia, upscale decor — they raised $60,000.
One guest even bid over $7,000 on a Tuscany villa trip because, in her words:
“I’ve been coming here for years and never saw anything worth bidding on — until now.”
🚫 The Bottom Line:
Donated items don’t create bidding wars.
They don’t build energy. They don’t inspire competition.
They’re passive.
They’re overused.
And they are holding you back.
✅ What To Do Instead:
Focus on curated, high-impact items
Create a bidding experience, not just a list of leftovers
Design your auction around what donors desire — not what’s convenient to collect
Because the truth is:
It’s not about more. It’s about better.
