Welcome to Auction Season!
The auction season is well on its way, as the recent Portland Public School e-newsletter alerted us. We have two children at separate schools, and we have already worked the events, scoured businesses for donations, wined & dined at the event. Have you?
Our two schools are very different in nature: one more established institution with a large group of well-connected parents that brings in the school enough money to buy a small house (in some parts of the country) and one newer school whose auction this year was only its 3rd and still has much more room to grow.
Well, here are some things I never knew about the world of PPS auctions:
- Auctions helped schools raise over $1M in 2007
- The Portland School Board allows a school to keep the first $10,000 raised.
- A third of anything above the $10,000 raised is given to an "Equity Fund" at the Portland Schools Foundation for distribution through grants to schools across the district. "It’s one way for schools to spread the wealth."
Says PPS:
The school district and foundation are sensitive to the fact that some school communities have the resources to raise money, while others don’t. But years of budget cutbacks have left all schools scrambling to maintain academic support for students and programs such as the arts, PE and library. Half of PPS schools receive federal Title I funds because they serve higher-than-average shares of kids from lower-income homes. Title I revenue is far greater than any amount raised at auctions, but those schools have greater needs, and still have trouble maintaining their programs.
Auction season is unique to Portland (and perhaps Oregon) schools. It is a sign of our inability to fund complete programs at our schools. Friends with children at schools in the Bay Area, New York, or New Jersey say that auctions are uncommon. Some schools with endowments (!) will have auctions to fundraise to maintain and grow their endowments. But, here in Portland, schools established or not are raising funds for enrichment programs, to build libraries, to fund improvements at their schools. On some days, it makes me angry.
Other days, I do appreciate being given the opportunity to contribute time and effort to my school community, and to get to know other parents in the process. Auction planning can be fun and auction-going can be funner.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on auction season. Do you get involved? Do you go? Do you know what programs or improvements at your school auction proceeds fund? Have you had your auction yet? Or, have always seen signs for the auction but cannot / don't want to go? Does your school have a non-auction major fundraiser?
I go to the auction at my son's school every year, and it is just short of a blast. I always wonder, am I supposed to be having this much fun at a fundraising event? I love his school, so I guess that's why I love their auctions. If I was unhappy, I would imagine I would be less thrilled about going.
Posted by: fionnsnana | March 14, 2008 at 03:22 PM
We moved here from NY last summer. This is the first I've ever heard about the auctions. What's it all about? Do all of the schools participate? What gets auctioned off?
Posted by: KMat | March 16, 2008 at 01:39 PM
We had our auction last weekend, and I was the co-chair with two other Kindergarten moms. Yes... none of us was even involved last year! We worked our butts off, had lots of help from the previous co-chairs, raised over $70K, and had a blast. We already have ideas for next year.
What was auctioned off? About 65 gift certificates to local businesses (some for twice the face value), over a hundred "items" and "packages" ranging from an autographed Blazers basketball to three funky handbags and a week at YMCA summer camp. We also had a "wall of wine" grab bag where bidders paid $20/bottle and some got a $10 bottle and some got a $100 bottle.
We started our live auction with a dessert auction -- some cakes went for well over $100. Our classes put together art projects and special packages (incl a trip to Disneyland) that went for big $$. We raised nearly $20K in our "special appeal" -- direct contributions to our foundation.
Most people understand (though we may resent it) the situation the school district is in, and are happy to help. I made some great new friends, learned more about the school, and had an opportunity to contribute to the enrichment programs. Our Foundation funds go to things like art, music, and PE -- activities that IMO should be included in every school budget but are not. We do what we can to help.
I would encourage anyone to attend their school auction, even if they don't think they will bid on anything. It is a good time, and there are usually very low cost items up for bid along with the extravagant ones. And it makes the organizers feel like their time was not wasted if more people come!
Posted by: Beth | March 16, 2008 at 07:13 PM
It is my understanding that almost all schools hold an auction as it's major fundraiser - public and private, elementary and even preschools. At our schools, auction proceeds have funded the start-up of a library, new tables and chairs to replace old cracked classroom furniture, a technology fund for cameras and upgrade computers for teachers, and scholarship funds for after-care.
I really appreciate auction organizers trying to make the event as accessible to all as possible - namely by trying to keep the admission price low and by offering items at price points that range from a few dollars to thousands.
I love the social aspect of the event. It is a very social evening when you get to know the other parents and administrators in a different way. At some auctions, I have no intent to bid on anything. I just go to socialize. At others, I feel like it's nothing but a win-win since all profits go to the school and since everything is usually at a fraction of normal retail!
It certainly concerns me that we have to fundraiser for enrichment programs. While I love the auction as a social/community event (and all the planning that goes into it; and I have now helped with planning at 4 auctions at 3 schools), I wonder how much we could have contributed to the school directly in our time and efforts if we weren't so busy planning the auction.
I think I need to do a bit more research and find out what the State Dept of Ed covers at each PPS school and what it would take to make more enrichment programs part of the mandatory funded programs.
Posted by: olivia | March 17, 2008 at 09:01 AM
Every school doesn't have an auction. Our school may have it's first one next year, but we will be gone by then.
2 out of 3 public schools we have attended have not had them. I think it needs a core group of parents with time to make it happen. I tried to get one going last year at our school, but it just didn't happen. As a single WOHM, I have a limited amount of time for evangelism about the benefits of an auction. You need some parents with more flexible day time schedules to at least get the infrastructure going. It can be daunting to start from the ground up.
We, in Portland, enjoy the support of so many businesses, service providers, etc for school auctions. I've only had one "no!" from a restaurant. And getting donations is something anyone can do, regardless of work schedules.
In terms of equity, some schools don't have dedicated staff or parents skilled at grant writing to be able to access the PSF funds. So schools that do have auctions are someotimes the same ones who don't access the grant funding.
I agree with Olivia that we shouldn't have depend on auctions for enrichment programs for school. I also wanted to bring up that some schools (ones that may need it the MOST) don't have that resource.
Posted by: ProtestMama | March 17, 2008 at 11:13 AM
For those of you interested in attending one of these lovely events, Cathedral Park Cooperative Preschool invites you to the "Baja Lounge," April 26, 6-10Pm at the St. Johns Bachelor Club. Tickets (you can purchase them at the door) are $2.50 and include dinner and a great evening. We'd love to see you there.
Posted by: Tracy | April 21, 2008 at 01:39 PM