How do we make our annual dinner auction raise more than last year?

Scouting and youth development dinners are built on strong traditions: corporate tables, volunteer boards, and a room full of people who believe in the outdoors. The challenge is that the live auction often relies on the same types of items year after year. Cakes and gift baskets fill the block, but they rarely push bids past a predictable ceiling. A single adventure-based trip or a family experience changes the energy in the room because it fits what your crowd already values.

What this takes depends on your audience size and your evening’s flow. Giveback XP helps you choose the right number of experiences from over 140 options, with no upfront cost. You reserve what you like, set a starting bid 15 to 20 percent above the reserve, and keep everything above that. If an item does not sell, you owe nothing. The only real lift is picking the packages and printing the one-page display sheets.

This week, look at your past live auction totals and pick one slot where a bigger item could move the needle. Browse the experiences and reserve a few that match your crowd: sporting events, outdoor adventures, and family trips work well for Scouting & Youth Development dinners. You can add items up to the day of the event. The process hands off cleanly to professional council staff or a volunteer, and the travel team handles winners after the gala.

When the night closes, your auction total shows a clear jump, and leadership sees growth without a new event format. Winners get two years to travel for most experiences, and your team moves on to the next program priority.