Looking to boost event-day proceeds, Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation eschewed the basic silent auction setup of placing the prizes on a table, instead enlisting a group of hunky male volunteers to roam the crowd showcasing auction items on platters at its Wine, Women & Shoes benefit in February.
Photo: Courtesy of Yamila Lomba
At last year’s subway-themed Robin Hood Foundation gala in New York, guests received personalized cards resembling MetroCards that enabled them to donate funds anonymously throughout the night at their tables via IML devices, which were embedded into the centerpieces.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
At the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s “World of Chocolate” event in November, a silent auction let guests bid at different levels starting at $50. After selecting a bidding level, guests chose a corresponding number on a punchboard. Event staffers dressed as boxers then punched a hole through that number to reveal a prize.
Photo: Courtesy of AIDS Foundation of Chicago
Massachusetts General Hospital’s annual Storybook Ball in Boston traditionally uses carnival-style games as a strategy to raise more money. Guests can purchase access to a V.I.P. area with games including Skee-Ball for $500.
Photo: Aviran Levy for BizBash
Charity:Water’s benefit in New York last December sold helium balloons for $5 a pop, which guests could release into a 28-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide net rigged to the ceiling. As the balloons filled the space it began to resemble a giant Jerry can, the charity’s symbol.
Photo: Courtesy of Charity Water
At the DX Intersection benefit for Toronto’s Design Exchange last November, organizers arranged a balloon-pop raffle. Models wearing body paint sold balloons for $20, $50, and $100. Each balloon had a number inside that corresponded to a prize.
Photo: James Kachan for Arash Moallemi
