| Several months ago I wrote an article on the topic | | | | approached for donations by large non profits and |
| of creating Gift Baskets for Silent Auctions. There | | | | civic groups and they already donate thousands of |
| was such a great response to that article, that I | | | | dollars every year to community events. They have |
| decided to re visit the subject. | | | | budgets too, so when approaching them for |
| Non profit organizations are not the only ones who | | | | donations, keep your request simple. You can do a |
| are looking to raise funds by non traditional means. | | | | lot with a $25 or $50 donation when you are creating |
| Every day I read a newspaper article or see a poster | | | | themed gift baskets. |
| for fund raisers for individuals within the community | | | | When the first items start to come in, see if, by |
| who need assistance because a fire has left them | | | | combining some of the items, you can come up with |
| homeless or their medical bills from an accident or | | | | some ideas for themes. Did the bookstore donate a |
| illness are not being met by their insurance. I saw a | | | | book about gardens or birds or flowers? If so, |
| poster recently promoting a spaghetti dinner to raise | | | | combine the book with the garden planter and start |
| money to assist the family of a soldier wounded in | | | | a "gardening" theme. If the bookstore donated a |
| Afghanistan. The family needed help with travel and | | | | recent best selling mystery, you can still combine it |
| living expenses. A silent auction is a great way to | | | | with the planter but your theme could be a little |
| accomplish the goal of raising money for any good | | | | different. It could be entitled "the weekend", a little |
| cause. | | | | gardening, a little reading, you get the idea. Use any |
| The first step is to ask local businesses for help. A | | | | monetary donations to purchase items that will |
| retailer might be willing to donate an item from their | | | | compliment the themes you have chosen. |
| store. For example, a book store may donate a | | | | Some easy themes to design are a wine basket, a |
| book, a garden center a planter, etc. Ask business | | | | pasta basket, a night at the movies basket, an arts |
| people like insurance agents or car sales people. They | | | | or crafts basket and a game night gift basket. |
| may not have a product they can donate but they | | | | You can buy everything you need to finish off the |
| may be willing to donate a few dollars or an item like | | | | gift basket such as cello wrap and a hand tied bow |
| a bottle wine. | | | | at many local craft shops. If you have a gift basket |
| Remember that most banks and the few larger | | | | company in your area, ask them to donate their time |
| companies in your area are always regularly | | | | and expertise. |