It has been a busy season for the Inspire Foundation — with fundraising for a new school, our largest entirely virtual fundraising effort to date, and our first in-person theatre production in over a year, there was no short supply of excitement for us or for the community. As we transition to the next chapter of our work, we want to take a moment to celebrate the success of our reimagined annual fundraiser: the Inspire Virtual Auction.
To everyone who made this possible — from sponsors, to donors, to auction bidders, to volunteers, staff, and supporters — thank you. Fundraising during a pandemic is no easy feat, but because of your generosity and passion for Inspire, we made major progress this season.
AUCTION DOLLARS RAISED: $26,518
TOTAL NUMBER OF BIDS PLACED: 1,486
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS AUCTIONED: 82
TOTAL DOLLARS DONATED TO FOUNDATION PROGRAMS: $3,650
NAMING OPPORTUNITIES SECURED DURING AUCTION: 10
We could not have done this without the generous support of this year’s auction sponsors. Please join us in thanking them, and be sure to give your business to organizations supporting our work.
A LOOK AHEAD
As quickly as the auction ended, we are right back to work on next year’s event! With COVID-19 restrictions loosening and the broad rollout of the vaccine, we are planning our annual fundraiser, the Neverland Ball, for Spring of 2022 in person. However, with the success of this year’s virtual auction, we will be hosting next year’s auction portion of the event online as well. Don’t worry…for those who attend the Neverland Ball, you will have exclusive live auction items to bid on as well.
Here are a couple of things you can do to help us plan ahead for what is sure to be an elegant, fun, and entertaining event in 2022:
We are already sourcing items for next year’s virtual auction, and we need your help to make this the largest one yet. Here are some things we’re looking for as we plan our next year of fundraising to build a new school and support our students and staff:
– Trips at Airbnb’s, vacation homes, or timeshare properties
– Tickets to concerts, live events, sports games, etc.
– New Jewelry and fashion accessories
– Artwork (completed or custom)
– Wine tastings and tours
– Beer tastings and tours
– Experiences and excursions for individuals, couples, and families
– Baked goods for the live auction
To donate an item, please contact Celeste Cramer, Development Director, at ccramer@inspirechico.org.
We are currently building out sponsorship levels and benefits for individuals and businesses who offer their support of our annual fundraiser. Please stay tuned for information on these options and benefits, or get in touch with Celeste Cramer to discuss a custom sponsorship package. Benefits will include Naming Opportunities, marketing and promotion (digital and print), and much more, and we look forward to working with you!
