Galas & Benefit Dinners for Community Foundations & United Ways

For a community foundation or United Way, the best auction items are experiences that draw interest from corporate tables and individual donors alike. Sporting events like the US Open, regional adventures, and international destinations such as Italy consistently perform. These are items your donors don’t already have access to, and they don’t require asking the same local restaurants and shops that your grantees rely on for donations. With consignment, you can fill the auction with packages that match the room’s ticket price and interests, from golf events to exclusive travel.

Community foundations and United Ways have professional staff and a corporate campaign culture. Your donor base spans the whole community, and your events often include business leaders who expect a polished evening. Unlike a single-issue nonprofit, you fund multiple causes, so your auction must appeal broadly without undercutting the very organizations you support. That’s why packages that offer experiences outside the local area work so well.

There is no upfront cost. You browse over 140 experiences, reserve what you like, and receive marketing materials. 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. Recommended starting bid is 15-20% above cost, so you profit from the first bid. The number of items depends on your audience size; the team helps you fine-tune that.

After you reserve experiences, you get a one-page PDF for each with photos, videos when available, and a marketing email to help promote them. On event night, the certificates are displayed or included in your auction software. When a package sells, you send the winner’s details to the travel team at Giveback XP, and they handle booking. Donors have up to two years to travel for non-event-based experiences; event-based ones like the Kentucky Derby are for that year’s event.

Your auction is filled with high-interest items that don’t conflict with your grantees’ fundraising. The room is engaged, bidding is competitive, and your bottom line grows without risk or last-minute scrambling.

Common Questions from Community Foundations & United Ways Events

You have questions? We have the answers.