Nonprofit organizations rely heavily on fundraising to support their mission and operations. One popular fundraising method is hosting auctions, which can be both fun and effective in generating donations.
In this blog post, we will share nonprofit auction statistics that can help organizations plan successful auctions in 2022 and beyond.
Key Nonprofit Auction Statistics 2023 – MY Choice
- In 2020, the online fundraising platform GiveSmart saw a 50% increase in online auction revenue compared to the previous year.
- Nonprofit auction platform BiddingForGood has raised over $400 million for nonprofits since its founding in 2003.
- OneCause, another nonprofit auction platform, reported that its clients raised over $225 million in 2020, a 33% increase from the previous year.
- Greater Giving, a fundraising platform that offers auction and event management tools, has helped nonprofits raise over $6 billion since its inception in 2002.
- Mobile bidding is becoming increasingly popular among nonprofit auction platforms. GiveSmart reported that in 2020, 87% of their clients used mobile bidding for their events.
- Nonprofit organizations that use auction platforms to raise funds for their causes can typically expect to keep between 80-90% of the proceeds, with the remaining percentage going towards platform fees and transaction fees.
- In addition to auctions, nonprofit platforms may also offer other fundraising tools such as donation pages, ticketing and registration, and peer-to-peer fundraising.
- According to a survey by Nonprofit Hub, 79% of nonprofit organizations use online fundraising platforms, and 57% of those organizations use online auction platforms specifically.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of online fundraising platforms, including nonprofit auction platforms, as many nonprofits have had to pivot to virtual events and fundraising campaigns.
- Nonprofit auction platforms are not just limited to large organizations. Many smaller nonprofits, such as schools, churches, and local charities, also use these platforms to raise funds for their causes.
Nonprofit Auctions Stats
An Overview Nonprofit auctions can be live, silent, or online events. These events are typically organized by nonprofits to raise funds for their charitable activities. The items up for auction can vary widely, from unique experiences and luxury goods to one-of-a-kind art pieces and collectibles.
Statistics | Percentage |
Nonprofits spending less than $1,000 of their budget on marketing a year | 27% |
Live auction items producing their retail or fair market value | 65-75% |
Silent auctions resulting in fair market value | 50-65% |
Bidding price of each item’s original or market value | 30-50% |
Statistics | Percentage |
Supporting youth and family causes | 18% of Americans |
Men between the ages of 18 and 34 making charitable donations | Highest percentage |
Millennials donating to nonprofits | 60% donate an average of $481 |
Donations made by individuals | 69% |
Donations made by foundations | 17% |
Donations made through | 10% |
Individuals earning $25,000 or less donating the largest share | 16.6% |
Giving happening in the last three days of the year | 12% |
Giving happening in the last three months of the year | 35% |
Monthly donors giving 42% more in one year than one-time donors | 42% |
Dollars raised coming from 12% of an organization’s donors | 88% |
Projected increase in giving for 2021 | 5.1% |
Religious organizations receiving the majority of total giving in 2019 | 29% |
Education organizations receiving the next highest percentage of total giving in 2019 | 14% |
Online gifts made up of total giving in 2020 | 13% |
Online donations received by nonprofits earning less than one million dollars per year | 14.1% |
Online giving growing in 2020 | 21% |
Donors over the age of 60 giving online | 47% |
Young donors turned off by outdated websites | 75% |
Donations made on a branded donation form | 38% larger |
Supporters giving a second donation | Nearly 70% more likely |
Online resources influencing donors | 20% more useful |
Nonprofit videos leading to donations | 57% |
Donors giving on responsive websites | 34% more likely |
Traffic to nonprofit websites coming from organic traffic in 2020 | 42% |
American internet users on Facebook | 74% |
Online revenue via Facebook fundraisers | 1.3% |
Increase in revenue from Facebook Fundraisers in 2020 | 14% |
Donors looking at nonprofit website and social media accounts first | 81.6% |
Online giving processed on mobile devices | 26% |
Nonprofit event registrations occurring on mobile devices | 19.4% |
Visitors to nonprofit’s website on a mobile device | 51% |
Mobile responsive donation pages yielding more donations | 34% |
Apple devices processing mobile donations in past years | 80% |
Text donors | Most likely to be 49-59-year-old, married women with college degrees |
Americans without a landline | 41% |
Americans owning a smartphone | 91% |
Text messages opened within the first 5 minutes | 98% |
Nonprofit text messaging audiences growing in 2020 | 26% |
200% ROI for text fundraising | Raising $387 |
Donors supporting from an email on a mobile device | 16.6% |
Open rates for nonprofit emails | Between 15% and 17.5% |
Dollar amount raised by 1,000 fundraising messages sent increasing in 2020 | 35% |
Response rate for an advocacy email rising in 2020 | 5% |
Response rate for fundraising emails growing in 2020 | 41% |
Retention rate for peer-to-peer fundraisers in 2020 | 14.7% |
Generation Z open to becoming a fundraiser on behalf of your organization | 84% |
Donors regularly attending fundraising events | 56% |
Nonprofits planning to include virtual elements in their fundraisers going forward | 69.9% |
Nonprofits planning to stick with virtual going forward | 23.7% |
Fortune 500 companies offering a matching gifts program | 65% |
Benefits of Nonprofit Auctions
- Increased Revenue: Nonprofit auctions are a popular fundraising method because they can generate significant revenue for an organization. According to a study by the National Auctioneers Association, nonprofits can expect to raise up to 50% more through an auction than through traditional fundraising methods.
- Donor Engagement: Nonprofit auctions offer a unique opportunity to engage donors by providing them with an interactive experience. Attendees can bid on items and compete with each other, making the event more engaging and memorable.
- Marketing: Nonprofit auctions also offer an opportunity to market the organization and its mission. Through the auction items, nonprofits can showcase their cause and highlight their impact on the community.
- Community Building: Nonprofit auctions can bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds and interests to support a common cause. These events can help build a sense of community among donors and supporters.
Types of Nonprofit Auctions
- Live Auctions: Live auctions are events where auctioneers auction off items in real-time, with attendees bidding against each other.
- Silent Auctions: Silent auctions are events where attendees can bid on items placed on tables. Bids are recorded on bid sheets, and the highest bidder wins the item.
- Online Auctions: Online auctions are events where items are auctioned off through an online platform. Bidders can participate from anywhere, making it easier to reach a broader audience.
Trends in Nonprofit Auctions
- Mobile Bidding: Many nonprofits are now using mobile bidding platforms to make bidding easier for attendees. Mobile bidding allows attendees to bid on items using their smartphones, making the process more convenient and streamlined.
- Hybrid Events: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonprofits have started organizing hybrid auctions that allow for both in-person and online participation. This approach has helped nonprofits reach a broader audience and increase revenue.
- Luxury Items: Nonprofits are increasingly offering luxury items at auctions, such as high-end watches, designer handbags, and luxury vacations. These items can attract high-end donors and help increase revenue.
- Donor Data: Nonprofits are now using donor data to personalize the auction experience and provide more targeted marketing. By analyzing data on donors’ interests and giving history, nonprofits can curate items that are more likely to attract bids.
Nonprofit Auction Statistics
- In 2021, the top 10 live auctions in the United States generated over $1.6 billion in revenue.
- The average revenue per live auction in the United States was $6.4 million in 2021.
- In 2021, the top 10 online auctions in the United States generated over $193 million in revenue.
- The average revenue per online auction in the United States was $2.7 million in 2021.
- In 2020, the silent auction market was valued at $5.25 billion globally.
Statistics | Details |
Charges by BiddingforGood | $595 annual fee and 9% of gross sales |
“Substantially all” definition | At least 85% |
Donors using mobile devices to discover nonprofits | Approximately 25% |
Live auction generating fundraising revenue | Roughly two-thirds or 67% |
Silent auction producing funds | One-third or 33% |
Best predicted value for an opening bid of $300 | Found through data analysis |
Antique collectibles and documents seeing the greatest increase in total hammer value | Nearly 60% |
Letting bidders buy an item outright | At 150-200% of their initial value |
Gala costs to be roughly | 25% of the total event revenue |
Items in silent auction taking in a PVR of | 50-60% |
Items in live auction taking in a PVR of | 75-85% |
Qgiv’s auction suite pricing | Starts at $229/month with an additional 3.95% + $0.30 per transaction |
BenefitEvents fee | 10% of total online profit up to $25,000 and 5% of bids above $25,000 |
Android App Bidders | 9,818 users / 18% |
Android bids | 150,843 bids / 21% |
Bids per bidder | 12.4 |
Overall fundraising growth in 2018 | 4.1% |
Nonprofits’ year-end campaign touches | 27.6% of nonprofits surveyed make zero “touches” for their year-end campaign |