Blog
Fundraising Tips, Event Strategies & Platform Updates
The blog is your resource for nonprofit fundraising tips, auction best practices, and updates on the GiveGrove platform. We also share behind-the-scenes product updates so you can make the most of our tools as they evolve.
Latest Posts
Best Fundraising Platform for Silent Auctions
Mobile bidding is standard on every silent auction platform now. What sets them apart is what happens when bidding ends. See how GiveGrove, Givebutter and Zeffy handle auto-close, automatic charging, receipts and fees, plus setup tips drawn from more than 200 GiveGrove silent auctions.
Why People Give at Events
Most guests at a gala don’t walk in planning to give. Here’s what decades of research and GiveGrove’s own auction data say about why they raise a paddle anyway, and how to plan your next event around it.
Sponsorship 101
Sponsorships can cover your biggest event costs before ticket sales pick up. Learn how to price sponsor tiers, sell them online next to your tickets, and handle the IRS rules, with real examples from the Junior League of South Bend and a school auction gala.
Planning for Spring Gala Season
If your gala is in March, April or May, the planning starts this fall. Here is a month-by-month spring gala timeline, why selling tickets before the auction is built brings money in early, and when to open your silent and live auctions.
Silent Auction at a Fundraising Luncheon: How Restore Justice Did It
Restore Justice ran a 22-item silent auction during a two-hour fundraising luncheon in Chicago, with guests bidding from their phones. Here's what they put up for bid, how the timing worked, and how to run a silent auction at your own lunch event.
How to Plan a Charity Golf Tournament: Lessons from Christmas Commandos’ First Outing.
Christmas Commandos, a Granger nonprofit that delivers Christmas gifts to grieving families, held its first charity golf tournament in South Bend and sold mulligans, team throws and raffle tickets through GiveGrove's Fund-a-Need. Here's how Mission on the Green worked and what any nonprofit can borrow for its own golf outing.
Best Fundraising Event Platforms of 2026
Comparing fundraising event platforms for 2026? We break down GiveGrove, OneCause, Givebutter, Zeffy, Greater Giving and Handbid on pricing, auction tools and event-night support, with real fee math for a $60,000 school auction.
How $1 Votes Helped 26 Local Teams Power a $100,000+ BBQ & Brew Fest.
Twenty-six local teams sold $1 votes on GiveGrove and raised more than $100,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County at BBQ & Brew Fest. Here’s how the voting worked, how tip-jar cash made it onto the leaderboard, and how to run the same idea at your next event.
How the Center for the Homeless Turned Local Employers into a Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Team
Each year, local employers send a dancer to the Center for the Homeless gala, and friends cast $45 votes on GiveGrove to help them win. Here's how the South Bend nonprofit built a peer-to-peer fundraiser around that, and how you can borrow the format.
Running a Paddle Raise That Raises Money
A paddle raise can be the most profitable ten minutes of your gala. Using data from 150 live auctions on GiveGrove, we cover giving levels, timing, scripts, and how to collect every pledge before guests head home.
Is Free Really Free? Evaluating Zero-Fee Platforms
Zero-fee fundraising platforms are legitimate, but "free" can mean different things. We compare how GiveGrove, Zeffy, Givebutter and GoFundMe handle tips, card processing and payouts, and share what nonprofits like and dislike about each.
The Anatomy of a Successful Fundraising Event
A successful fundraising event has six parts: a clear goal, a strong planning team, several ways to give, early promotion, a smooth event day and real follow-up. Here’s what each one looks like when it’s healthy, and how GiveGrove helps.
Standing Out in Fall (or Spring) Fundraising Season
Fall and spring events compete for the same donors and the same weekends. Here are six planning habits that help your fundraiser stand out, from picking the right date to a thank-you plan that brings donors back next year.
Aligning Generative AI with Your Values
We explore how to craft better prompts for generative AI, ensuring your notes are aligned with your mission and feel genuine.
Why Donors Give: the Influence of Leadership Over Mission
We explore how strong leadership amplifies your mission, boosts donor confidence, and drives sustainable giving.