Has your organization been thinking about running a silent auction? This can be a great way to raise funds and engage your donors. Participants often find them more exciting than a traditional live auction. There’s less pressure on bidders and much more of a “feel good” factor. The winning bidders donate to your nonprofit and get something in return, which can be a big incentive to get involved. Running a successful silent auction can take a lot of planning, but it can also be a fun event to organize. And with the right set-up, you can make sure that it’s a big success!

1. STEP-BY-STEP
GUIDE ON
How to Run a
Silent Auction
WWW.DONORBOX.ORG

2. Has your organization been
thinking about running a
silent auction?
Great Way to
Raise Funds and
Engage Your
Donors

3. HOW DOES A SILENT AUCTION WORK?
In a traditional silent auction, each item has a paper bid sheet. Participants
place bids by writing their name, contact information, and bidder number
on the bid sheet.
Pro tip #1: Using silent auction software can make it easier to
run a silent auction.
Pro tip #2: If you choose to use silent auction software, look for
one that can perform various tasks to make it less stressful to
run.

4. WHY RUN A SILENT AUCTION? Raising the profile of your nonprofit
 Expanding your current donor base
 Increasing donor retention rates
 Making donors aware of the donation
channels
A silent auction can work well for helping
organizations in various sectors to raise funds

5. A STEP-BY-STEP
GUIDE TO RUNNING A
SILENT AUCTION

6. STEP 1: SETTING UP AN AUCTION
COMMITTEE
Set up a planning committee to handle key tasks such as organizing and
setting up the venue, securing items to auction, marketing, and ticketing.
 How much can your nonprofit spend on planning and
running your silent auction?
 How much does your nonprofit need to raise through
your silent auction?
 Will your silent auction be ticketed?
 When do you plan to hold your silent auction?
 Where will you hold your silent auction?

7. STEP 2: CHOOSING A VENUE FOR
YOUR SILENT AUCTION
Where will you hold your silent auction? Some of the factors to take into
account are
 How many attendees are you expecting?
 What type of atmosphere do you plan to evoke?
 Is there plenty of space to set out your auction items
in an attractive and organized way?
 Will there be good connectivity for using silent auction
software and mobile bidding?

8. STEP 3: SECURING ITEMS TO SELL
Securing a variety of items makes it more likely that your silent auction will
be a success. A diverse range of items will appeal to more attendees and can
lead to more bids being placed
 Encourage staff, volunteers, and donors to tap into
their network.
 Ask local businesses to donate auction items in
exchange for publicity.
Fundraising Software Features - > https://donorbox.org/features

9. STEP 4: PROMOTING YOUR SILENT
AUCTION
To get plenty of attendees registering for your silent auction, your
supporters need to know that it’s happening!
 Pro tip #1: Advertise your items too.
 Pro tip #2: If you’re not using silent auction software,
you can create a physical version of your auction
catalog instead
 Pro tip #3: Create an event page for your silent auction
on Facebook

10. STEP 5: SETTING UP THE
REGISTRATION PROCESS
With silent auction software, attendees can register for your event before
it officially starts. They can also register a payment card to simplify the
bidding process
 32auctions
 Givergy
 ClickBid
 Xcira
 Silent Auction Pro
 Tip Top Auctions

11. STEP 6: PRICING YOUR AUCTION
ITEMS
Create a bid sheet for each auction item. This can include the item name,
a brief description, and who donated it
 Pro tip #1: If you’re using paper bid sheets, print off
extra copies of your template and take them to the
venue.
 Pro tip #2: If you haven’t already, look at ways that
your nonprofit can accept credit card payments.

12. STEP 7: SETTING UP THE VENUE
Get to the venue early to set up and handle any last-minute issues that
may occur
 Make sure you have plenty of volunteers to greet
attendees
 Arrange tables around the walls of the venue to
display your auction items
 Try to display only one row of items per table so that
attendees can get a good look at items
 Set up separate areas for making announcements and
picking up winning items

13. STEP 8: CLOSING YOUR SILENT
AUCTION
Closing the bidding can be an important step in raising funds
 Pro tip #1: A silent auction isn’t the only way to raise
funds on the night. Your nonprofit can set a
fundraising goal and ask attendees to help you get
there before the auction closes.
 Pro tip #2: Hosting a raffle is another way to raise
extra funds on the night, and you need very few
resources to set it up.

14. STEP 9: FOLLOWING UP WITH
ATTENDEES
Once the silent auction is over and you’ve celebrated your success,
reach out to attendees and thank them for their participation.
 Pro tip: Send a thank you letter or email to all
attendees, regardless of whether they placed a
winning bid.

15. OVER TO YOU
Running a silent auction can be a daunting prospect for many nonprofits
but with the right planning, it can be a very lucrative event.
Holding a silent auction can be a fun way for your nonprofit to raise
funds, and it can also be a smart move for engaging with donors.

16. READ THE
ENTIRE BLOG
https://donorbox.org/
nonprofit-blog/silent-
auction/
WWW.DONORBOX.ORG