Guides & Research

The Ultimate Auction Study: Volume 2

Data-Driven insights to power your next fundraising event

Live and silent auctions remain one of the most effective ways to raise mission-critical dollars. How can you ensure your next fundraising auction performs at its best?

The Ultimate Auction Study: Volume 2 analyzed 4.7 million data points from 4,200+ nonprofit auctions hosted on GiveSmart between January 2024 and March 2025. It offers a data-driven, clear view of what’s driving bids, donor engagement, and revenue growth.

Auction Study Key Findings

This study uncovers the latest trends and benchmarks to help your team make data-driven decisions before, during, and after your upcoming auctions and fundraising events.

Whether you’re planning a gala, golf outing, or online auction, this study helps you pinpoint where to focus for the highest return.

This study offers insights into:

Top-performing categories from travel to priceless experiences

Bidding behaviors and timing trends that highlight when donors are most engaged

Item ROI to better inform pricing and procurement

Monthly and quarterly performance comparisons to guide your planning

What’s working in the top 0.1% of all auction items

Don’t miss The Ultimate Auction Study: Volume 2 from GiveSmart by Momentive Software for detailed benchmarks, category breakdowns, and proven strategies that help organizations like yours raise more, without adding more work for staff or volunteers.