Community foundation auction items without competing with grantees

Community Foundations and United Ways sit in a unique spot. You have professional staff, corporate campaign relationships, and a donor base that spans the whole community. When your event needs auction items, asking local restaurants, hotels, or boutiques puts you in direct competition with the nonprofits you fund. The same business owners see the same requests from your grantees. That is the conflict, and it is real. No one wants that dynamic.

The setup is simple. Browse over 140 travel and experience packages, reserve what you like for free, and receive the marketing details for your event. The right number depends on your audience size. 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. Start bids at 15 to 20 percent above cost, so profit comes from the first bid.

This week, do not lean harder on the same local businesses your grantees rely on. Instead, reserve a few travel and experience packages through Giveback XP. There is no upfront cost. You can fine-tune the number to match your audience size. The listings work on any online bidding platform, and adding items late is fine. Make the decision now so your next campaign kickoff or golf event has inventory that does not touch the local donation pool.

Your online auction has real trips from the US Open, regional adventures, and destinations like Italy. Local businesses hear from your grantees, not from you. Winning bidders book through the Travel Team and have up to two years to travel. Event-based trips like the Kentucky Derby are for that year. The event stays full, the local donation pool stays intact, and your grantees keep their relationships.