There are a number of threads on this same subject. I think the answer is that there is no answer. I have shared my list on this site countless times and have also taken some information as well. I especially appreciated the walmart info posted elsewhere. I am opposed to walmart business practices but many other families do shop there, so why not benefit from their donations.
Anyway, if any of you are looking for ideas, here are a few.
Go buy some cleaning supplies, rags, bucket etc and pair that up with a gift card from local cleaning company. No one in their right mind wants to win cleaning supplies but if it comes with a maid for a week/month, I would certainly buy tickets.
We got a donation of a hall rental for an event. We will pair that with a caterer and party supplies. Anyone who is even thinking of planning a large event would want that.
We are also looking for a limo company to donate a limo ride and are going to park it outside with balloons and signs 'picture yourself here'. Kind of gets people excited before entering the venue.
Get a bunch of man stuff from hardware stores, puzzle books, sports stuff and pile it all up in a wheelbarrow and call it 'King of the Hill'. It makes for a nice presentation.
Same for women, call it 'queen for a day', with local beauty shop gift cards, hair and nail stuff, gift cert for restaurant, shopping etc.
Hope you can use some of these ideas at your auctions.
Tim,
I agree about the companies with published policies rather than the others. It also might be helpful if you qualified the companies, stating something like "as of 1/17/06". That way newer people looking at the list would realize that the information may be out of date.
Then again, rather than listing each and every company, another option would be to just list ideas. Restaurant chains, book stores, jewelry stores, tuxedo rentals, etc. That would help people think of businesses around them that might contribute.
And if people are reading your boards, they are somewhat computer savvy. Perhaps just explaining how to go to a company's website to look up the corporate address and their donation policy would be enough.
I agree with Shelley. I know the donation list is a monster but an article with general ideas about corporate donations would be great. Plus, I think if a company has an internal policy about corporate donations that might be OK but as far as those companies that don't have "published policies" it would be unfair for them to be flooded all of a sudden with 10 times as many requests and then re-think their corporate giving policy all together.
Tim,
Would this be a great article for one of your PTO Today Magazines. For example, in the article give several examples of Welcome Packets, Volunteer Forms, etc. that you have reviewed and think are top notch. This way, as President, I can pass the information along to the apporpriate Baord Member. I love the idea sharing as I have been inspired by many of them and can redesign them for my school. Auction/donation lists would probably have to listed on the website in its own area.
1. What to do about me-too's for general forms and the like; and
2. The donation address list, which is a bit of a monster unto itself.
RE: #1 -- We do have the Bonus Tools area here: www.ptotoday.com/bonusTools.html
... and we'll be adding quite a bit to that in 2006 (several things already in process), but it's tricky dealing with all of the items offered for sharing on the boards. Frankly, sometimes we get 'em and they're just OK or sometimes even not very good. I hesitate to put them up in the Bonus Tools area, lest new leaders depend on those. There's some quality bar that we think people depend on PTO Today for. So I'm betwixt and between. Again -- would love ideas/feedback....
