Charity auctions are a way for people to support a cause that speaks to them, gain status, and have some fun too. My friend Seth Godin and a team of ruckus-makers just introduced GOODBIDS - a new way to create charity auctions.

Charity auctions encourage people to bid on a prize.  The highest bid wins and the charity doesn’t capture the potential donations that the underbidders were willing to pay.

• Some charities run in-person auctions, often at galas. People bid to gain status as their friends see exactly how much they are willing to donate when they raise their hands to bid.
• The silent auction is a similar theme, with everyone else seeing on a piece of paper what somebody bid .
• Anonymous virtual auctions end at a certain time, which rewards those skilled at sniping - getting their final bid in at the last second.

GOODBIDS = more money and attention too

A GOODBIDS positive auction features a fabulous reward for the winning bidder. The big difference is that every bid is a non-refundable, valued donation to a charity you care about.

The highest bidder gets a reward, every bidder gets the satisfaction of supporting a good cause (and sometimes a tax deduction), and charities get more contributions and more donors which equals more opportunity to do more good.

Unlike most other auctions, with GOODBIDS there is no fixed closing time. As long as people are bidding, the auction continues.

Another interesting twist is that supporters can share the auction and earn a free bid every time somebody with the link places an initial bid. In this way, GOODBIDS rewards sharing.

There are quite a few interesting auctions to check out, but here are a few of my favorites:

Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 Beta Cloth Mission Patch

I donated this patch from my personal collection to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation for auction on GOODBIDS.  This Apollo 11 Beta Cloth Mission Insignia was originally part of The Armstrong Family Collection™ and is exactly the same as Neil Armstrong wore on his spacesuit when he was the first human to step foot on the surface of the moon in 1969. It is CAG Certified and displayed in a sealed and numbered archival holder. It also includes a Statement of Provenance signed by Neil Armstrong’s sons, Rick and Mark who originally sold this item in 2019.

The patch also comes with a bonus collectors’ edition #3 of 100 of my book Marketing the Moon signed by me, my co-author Rich Jurek, and Gene Cernan, the last person to walk on the moon who wrote the forward to the book. 

So this wonderful auction delivers something tangible from both the first and last people to explore the moon.

Modulus Genesis Guitar signed by Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead

I’m on the board of the Grateful Guitars Foundation, a fabulous nonprofit that obtains world-class musical instruments for talented players who seek to carry on the tradition of jam band music into the 21st century and beyond.

This 1997 Modulus Genesis electric guitar is personally autographed by Bob Weir, the legendary rhythm guitarist of the Grateful Dead, who has used Modulus guitars on stage from 1983 until now. It offers fans and collectors a connection to Bob Weir’s illustrious career and the enduring legacy of one of rock’s most iconic bands.

Your name as a character in John Grisham’s next novel

I’ve loved John Grisham thrillers since I read The Firm when it came out in 1991. In an auction supporting The Innocence Project, the winner will have their name as used as a character in John Grisham’s next novel.

Host Seth Godin and Simon Sinek on your podcast

Transform your podcast into a powerhouse of thought leadership by hosting Seth Godin and Simon Sinek, two titans of business, leadership, and innovation. This auction supports The Curve.

There are many auctions to check out!