Case Study: The Cancer Council's annual POSH Gala Ball 2016

Last week, GalaBid's silent auction software was enlisted to help facilitate fundraising efforts for the Cancer Council's annual POSH Gala Ball 2016. The night themed 'Once Upon A Time' was an incredible success with 750 attendees generously helping raise over $1.1 million for cancer research. Here's what they had to say: "Great experience with GalaBid for our event, with some obvious improvements from previous years. We were very well supported through the entire process by our account manager and the team on the night were fantastic in enabling smooth execution of the auction for 750+ guests. Thanks guys!"

Most nonprofits fundraising events aren't complete without at least a few tables filled with donated items for your supporters and in this respect, the Cancer Council knocked it out of the park. With over 130 auction items, the night truly offered something for everyone! A catalogue of well thought-out, unique and fantastic prizes and tangible donations mesmerised audiences, generating all the excitement one would need for a successful campaign. So how did they do it?  

Fundraising Auction Items: Experiential Travel Packages

For quite a few years now, travel packages have been a top seller in charity auctions and raffles around the world. And why wouldn't they be? Everyone loves to travel and experiential travel is particularly effective. Experiential travel usually comprises of lodging, airfares and highly sought after, one of a kind experiences that create long-lasting memories. They are aimed at creating more competition between bidders, ultimately delivering more revenue for your cause. This was evident at the POSH Gala Ball. The Cancer Council offered a range of experiential travel and luxury holidays options including: an 8-day Safari in South Africa staying at the exclusive Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve; a private island hideaway for two to Laucala Island in Fiji; and a winter getaway at the ski-in/ ski-out Kookaburra Lodge in Sun Peaks, Canada.

Fundraising Auction Items: VIP Experiences

Offering experiences with celebrities, entertainers and sport stars are priceless and are another great way to generate bidding wars. Acquiring the support of individuals such as Vince Sorrenti, Peter O'Malley and Tom Carroll, the Cancer Council was able to provide guests the chance to bid on a dynamic hilarious dinner party for ten in the Private Dining Room of Café Sydney, 18 holes of never-to-be-forgotten golf at Lakes Golf Course in Sydney and a day of surfing with one of the greatest surfers of all time.

Fundraising Auction Items: Tangible Donation

The marketplace contains many donors who are willing to, and able to donate to your cause. Your objective is to simply guide them in your direction. One way to do this is to differentiate your offering by providing supporters with the option for tangible donations. Remember, a donor loves to know how their contribution is making an impact. The Cancer Council had the brilliant idea to provide their supporters with the chance to fund a PHD researcher. Attendees were invited to fund a three-year scholarship for an up-and-coming researcher to work with one of Australia's top research and world recognised expert in prostate cancer, Associate Professor David Smith.

Fundraising Auction Items: Variety

The key is to provide variety and to procure items that will suit your audience, work well with your event theme and have a high potential for income generation. With this in mind, not only did the Cancer Council auction off out-of-this-world travel packages and VIP experiences, they also included everything from dream kitchens, unforgettable cruises, designs from international and Australian designers, stunning jewellery and fine art, memorabilia and adventure activities. The list is endless.

  Contact GalaBid now to chat about our fundraising solution efforts and items on consignment service.