| A number of organizations recognize the need to | | | | Someday those 20 and 30 year olds will be in a |
| include activities which will draw a younger population | | | | position to give. You'll want to be the organization they |
| into their fundraisers. | | | | think of first. |
| Many of the auction galas I work have a population in | | | | A number of galas (primarily the larger ones) |
| the age range of 40+. Some galas skew much older. | | | | incorporate a Young Professionals (YP) tier into their |
| (As I think about the auctions we conducted last year, | | | | ticket pricing. There are many names for this tier (e.g. |
| the one exception is a church benefit auction in which | | | | Young Professionals, Young Benefactors, Young |
| everyone in the audience was 18 - 30 years old.) | | | | Supporters), so select a title which fits your style. |
| Although there are many reasons to host a fundraising | | | | The YP's reduced ticket price can include the entire |
| auction, the primary reason is often for financial | | | | event, or a portion of the evening's activities (such as |
| support. You will raise the most money if you have an | | | | the reception and silent auction, or the entertainment |
| audience filled with guests who understand your | | | | and after-party with dessert bar). |
| mission and have the financial means to support it. | | | | Guests purchasing at that level must be younger than |
| As many people reach their prime income earning | | | | a certain age (30 to 40 seems to be common), or |
| years between 45 to 54, it only makes sense that | | | | even be already be active in the non-profit's regular |
| gala auctions often find their guests to be "of a certain | | | | YP club. (Some non-profits organize regular activities |
| age." Some guests in that age range are also in a | | | | for this set, with the auction gala becoming one of |
| mindset in which they are ready to start 'giving back' to | | | | those monthly activities.) |
| their community more readily, either through financial | | | | If your auction committee wants to try this, I encourage |
| support or volunteer hours. (Non-profits like both!) It | | | | you to ask one or two of those YPs to help on your |
| wouldn't usually make sense to target professionals in | | | | auction committee and solicit their input. Not only will |
| their 20's and 30's to attend because that crowd | | | | they offer a fresh perspective to your planning, but |
| would be less likely to buy a ticket, and even more | | | | their involvement will encourage other YPs to get |
| unlikely to significantly add dollars to your bottom line. | | | | involved and/or attend the event, too. |
| That said, what about cultivating your audience? | | | | |