Benefit and charity auctions in Middle Tennessee

A benefit auction in Middle Tennessee raises money for a nonprofit or cause by selling donated items to supporters who bid against each other. Bidding can run live at your event, online on a timed schedule, or both, as the event calls for. Your organization brings the cause, the crowd and the items, and Common Hour runs the sale.

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Is this the right fit?

A benefit auction fits when you have a committed group of supporters and a handful of items they will compete for. A signed guitar, a handmade quilt or a chef's dinner at home draws more interest than a stack of gift cards. Think twice when the guest list is small or the items can be bought new online, because each item needs more than one bidder who wants it. If that is where you stand, we will say so before you commit.

How it works.

Set the date and the format
Tell us the cause, the date, the place and who is coming. Live bidding suits a full room, and we come in person for it. Online bidding, which is how most of our sales run now, lets supporters take part from anywhere. Many events can use both.
Choose fewer, stronger items
Your committee gathers the donations, and we help sort them. The few items most likely to draw a contest go to the live portion. Others can run on a timed online close.
Catalogue the items
Each item gets a clear description, plus any limits such as expiration dates or blackout dates. Bidders should know what they are buying before the first bid.
Get the word out
Your organization invites its own supporters, because they know you. Registration and the online bidding platform get set up on our side.
Run the bidding
At a live event, the auctioneer calls the bids from the room. Online, the close may extend when bids land near the end, so others can respond.
Collect, deliver and settle up
Winners pay under the terms published for that event, and Common Hour does not take direct payment. Items go to winners after payment clears, and then we settle up with your organization.

Who handles what.

Common Hour handles

Recommending a live, timed online or blended format
Helping choose and order the items
Writing the catalogue and the bidding terms
Setting up registration and the online bidding platform
Calling the bids at a live event
Settling up with your organization

You handle

Collecting donated items and sponsors
Inviting supporters and filling the room
Running the venue, food and program
Sending donor receipts and thank-you letters, with guidance from your CPA

How fees work.

A benefit auction's fee turns on what you have, where it is and what the job takes, and Common Hour lays it out before you commit. A live night and a week of online bidding are different jobs, so ask about each. Common Hour's auction terms also set a standard buyer's premium of twelve percent of the hammer price, which can be modified in writing for your event.

Commissions and fees are not set by law and are fully negotiable.

Questions about benefit and charity auctions.

How does a charity auction work?

Supporters register, review the items and bid against each other, in the room, online or both. The high bidder wins, pays under the event's terms and collects the item. We then settle up with your organization under the agreement you signed.

What makes good charity auction items?

Look for things people cannot pick up on the way home: one-of-a-kind art, signed pieces, handmade furniture, a private dinner or a stay at someone's cabin. Put any dates, limits or conditions in writing so the winner knows what they bought.

What are some benefit auction ideas for a small group?

Keep the list short and the items personal. Ten strong items beat a table of fifty weak ones. Try a timed online sale that closes during your dinner, so guests and supporters at home bid together, and ask board members for experiences they can host.

Do we need a benefit auction specialist?

Not always. The title can mean an auctioneer who focuses on fundraising, and some auctioneers hold a formal designation by that name. Ask any auctioneer, us included, what the title means in their case and how they would run your event. Then judge by the plan they bring.

Is a charity auction purchase a tax deduction?

We do not give tax advice. Bidders should ask their own CPA about a charity auction tax deduction, and your organization should ask its CPA what its receipts need to say.

Do you run charity auctions near me?

We work across Middle Tennessee, including Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Murfreesboro and Columbia, and beyond it when the event calls for it. Online bidding also lets supporters join from anywhere. Consultations are by appointment, so call before you set your date.