Should the big trip go in the live auction or the silent auction?

When your Police & Fire Foundations committee lands one serious trip, think golf at Pebble Beach or a Kentucky Derby package, you’re holding the night’s biggest fundraising lever. At banquets and golf outings like yours, the crowd expects a live auction moment. That’s where an auctioneer can work two bidders against each other, driving the price up and, crucially, selling the trip to more than one bidder if the competition stays hot.

A single big trip in the live auction can double or triple profit if the bidding gets hot. Silent tables, on the other hand, work best with volume, about one item per seven guests. Because your committee is made up of officers and firefighters, not event professionals, you don’t need to risk foundation money on a package upfront. Travel experiences can be reserved at no cost, and you only pay if they sell. You keep everything above the reserve. If a package doesn’t sell, you owe nothing.

This week, lock in your live auction lineup with that headline trip. An auctioneer can work two bidders and sell the package more than once. Do not bury it on a silent table. Then browse Giveback XP’s 140+ no-risk experiences to add volume to your silent auction. Reserve what you like at no cost. You can add items the day of your event, and you pay only if they sell.

On the night of your banquet or golf outing, the live auction hums with energy as two bidders push the trip past its reserve. Your silent auction moves volume without drama. You reach your equipment or family support goal, spend nothing upfront, and every dollar over cost stays with your foundation.