Big auction items without asking the same families and businesses?

Your committee likely already knows the problem. Families, grandparents, alumni, and parishioners see the same requests each year. Local business owners get calls from multiple school committees in the same diocese. Word travels between Catholic and Christian schools, so an overused ask hurts the next event too. Committees are volunteers who often change every year, so the same list gets used again. You need a source of big auction items that does not depend on tapping the same people twice.

Consignment travel and experience packages are the practical fix. You do not buy anything upfront. Pick the packages that fit your event, list them on your bidding platform, and set a reserve at the package cost. Your committee can do this without changing the rest of the event. You only pay for an experience if it sells, keep 100% over the cost, and can sell experiences multiple times if the bidding gets hot. You are not too late: items can be added the same day as your event.

This week, have the committee look at the big slots in the live auction or fund-a-need. See which donated items are still uncertain. Then call Giveback XP and ask for online auction experience packages that fit Catholic and Christian school families. Give the team your event date and the number of big slots to fill. They can add packages the same day if a donated item falls through. If you already have items in final review, you can add these packages to the lineup without reworking the night.

Once the slots are filled, the committee can stop repeating the same ask. Local families and businesses can give what they want without carrying the whole night. The gala keeps its community feel, and next year’s chairs get a clean handoff. The big items are handled, and the community gifts stay local.