Three Proven Ways to Raise More With Live Fundraising
Your gala isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s the single most concentrated moment of donor attention your organization will have all year. When that moment is wasted on entertainment alone, you leave both money and mission on the table.
At Call to Auction, we help nonprofits design live fundraising experiences that move beyond tradition—transforming galas into mission-driven catalysts for generosity. Whether it’s a paddle raise, a benefit auction, or a custom consultation, our role is to maximize the giving potential of your audience while reducing the lift for your staff.
Explore your options below, then let’s talk about what would unlock the most impact for your mission.
Why Live Fundraising Works
When donors feel emotionally connected, generosity peaks. That’s the principle behind live fundraising. Unlike silent auctions or raffles—which limit participation to a fraction of the room—live formats unify your audience around a single, shared giving moment.
With a professional fundraising auctioneer leading, the night shifts from a series of activities to an orchestrated experience where every guest feels invited to play a role in advancing your mission.
The Paddle Raise
Pure Philanthropy in Action
Also known as Fund-a-Need or Special Appeal, the paddle raise is the most direct and inclusive way to engage every guest in your room.
It eliminates barriers, cuts through distractions, and creates a pure philanthropic giving moment tied directly to your mission.
-
Every guest can participate, regardless of budget.
It centers your mission story at the most emotional point of the evening.
It can scale—50 guests or 500, with or without auction items.
-
Do your current events engage everyone—or just your top bidders?
What story, moment, or program could be elevated into a paddle raise?
Are your board and ambassadors prepared to model generosity from the stage?
See a Paddle Raise in Action!
Benefit Auctions
Competitive Generosity
Benefit auctions bring energy, entertainment, and competition together—but when done strategically, they do more than fill time in your program.
They convert donor excitement into transformational gifts aligned with your mission.
-
Limit to a handful of high-value, unique items that feel mission-connected.
Pair floor ambassadors with your auctioneer to keep energy rising.
Position the auction before your paddle raise to prime the room for generosity.
-
Are your silent auctions underperforming compared to the effort invested?
Do your donors enjoy the social and competitive aspect of bidding?
Could a live auction replace, or strategically complement, your silent auction?
Strategic Consultation
Your Competitive Edge
Most nonprofit teams don’t need more logistics on their plates—they need clarity, structure, and proven strategies that turn an event into a fundraising engine. That’s the role of consultation with Call to Auction.
This isn’t about telling you to add more elements—it’s about aligning your event design with donor psychology, audience capacity, and your mission’s story so generosity naturally peaks.
-
Precision timing: When giving moments land determines their success.
Story architecture: Identifying and elevating your gala’s “golden goosebump” moment.
Board and ambassador activation: Preparing your leaders to inspire from the floor.
Run-of-show optimization: Reducing stress, eliminating dead space, amplifying generosity.
Donor engagement strategy: Building relationships that last beyond event night.
-
Do your events run on tradition instead of strategy?
Does your staff feel stretched by logistics instead of freed by clarity
How much more could your gala raise with a professional partner designing the giving arc of the evening?
Rethinking “How We’ve Always Done It”
Tradition is comfortable, but it can also be costly. Silent auctions filled with gift baskets, galas designed around dinner instead of mission, or boards hesitant to try new approaches—these patterns leave money and momentum untapped.
Live fundraising asks a different question: How do we maximize generosity in this room, tonight, for this mission?
For some organizations, the answer is adding a paddle raise for the first time. For others, it’s replacing a silent auction with a tighter, more powerful live program. For many, it’s finally bringing in strategic consultation to unlock both clarity and capacity.
Let’s Design Your ‘Golden Goosebump’ Moment Together
You don’t need to decide today whether a paddle raise, benefit auction, or consultation is the right fit—that’s what our conversations are for. What matters is that you begin exploring what’s possible when you prioritize mission-driven giving moments over event tradition.
Our team is ready to help you design, execute, and elevate your next fundraiser—so your donors leave inspired, your staff leaves proud, and your mission leaves stronger.
