Fundraising with an Antiques Roadshow Event

Are you looking for a new way to raise some money for your group or organization? An Antique Appraisal Event is a great way to offer a valuable service to your community while at the same time entertaining and collecting donations. With the popular success of the PBS series "Antiques Roadshow", most of the general population is familiar with the format of an Appraisal Event. Also, lots of folks have items in their homes that they question the value of.

This type of fundraising event works well for most non-profit organizations, but works especially well for senior centers, historical societies and organizations with an older population that are more likely to have antiques in their homes.

In order to organize an Antiques Appraisal Event you'll first need to find a knowledgeable individual to do the appraisals. A local auctioneer, antique dealer or appraiser are the best folks to contact. Some may volunteer their time in exchange for getting their name out in the area, or you may decide to offer them a flat fee for their service, or even a percentage of the donations. Most auctioneers are obviously comfortable with public speaking, but other individuals should be able to articulate and project if you are expecting a large crowd.

Next, you'll want to find a location for the event. If your organization has a facility this will be no problem. You may also be able rent a school, hall, church or even an outdoor tent in nice weather. The facility should have seating, be accessible (this event will draw an older crowd), have good lighting (especially near the appraiser), parking and a PA system.

Decide on a date and time for the event and then you are ready to begin publicizing it. You'll want to make fliers or posters to pass out and hang around town. Additionally, a press release in the newspaper and local publications will help get the word out. A spot on the radio or your local public access station may also help advertise the event. Don't forget to post the event online, on your website, craigslist or other event websites.

In your ads for your charity event you'll want to let everyone know what to bring. The best scenario is to bring the actual item they would like to have appraised. If it is too large a picture will suffice, but will not be as exciting for the crowd. If they have documentation or other relevant information, bringing that is a good idea. If the item is delicate or breakable, make sure it is packed well as the event may be crowded.

On the day of the Antiques Appraisal you should have an organized way to run the event. Individuals can be given numbers as they enter and you can call the numbers up. Or if a smaller event you can simply invite them out of the audience. If your appraiser is available as they enter, you may wish to have him do the most exciting pieces last. Your organization can charge for the appraisal (typically anywhere from $2 - $20) or you can accept donations.

For additional publicity make sure to take pictures of your fundraising event, maybe even invite the local newspapers to write a story or publish photos. You could also videotape the event to be run on local public access or to post on the web. All great publicity for your cause, and entertaining while providing a service. Good luck