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 To date, more than $40 million has been raised for nonprofits through items sold on eBay. We wanted to share a few success stories to illustrate the power of this innovative program that has changed so many lives.
Leading a Major Campaign
 The Prostate Cancer Foundation
http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. PCF's simple, yet urgent goal is to find better treatments and a cure for recurrent prostate cancer. In June 2004, PCF conducted a high-profile promotion entitled "Because You Love Him" leading up to Father's Day. PCF listed over 350 eBay Giving Works items, including experiences with Donald Trump and Avril Lavigne, as well as an impressive array of travel packages, sports memorabilia, and gift certificates. The event raised more than $200,000 for prostate cancer research and also inspired the eBay Community to list eBay Giving Works items to benefit PCF.
"The generosity of the eBay community was overwhelming - beyond our expectations. We received many touching emails from those who had been looking for a way to give back, and they decided this was a win-win opportunity. We look forward to making this a yearly tradition as we raise awareness as well as funds to find a cure for prostate cancer."
- Debbie Bohnett, COO
Collecting In-Kind Donations to Hold a Large Event
American Red Cross Serving King & Kitsap Counties
http://www.seattleredcross.org
The American Red Cross serving King & Kitsap counties has developed an annual "virtual auction" fundraising campaign. They conduct a community donation drive to acquire in-kind gifts to sell on eBay. Then they promote the event on their Web site and to their community to drive buyers to their listings. Over the last three years, they have sold approximately 3,500 items and raised nearly $700,000.
"The American Red Cross Virtual Auction on eBay harnesses the technology of the Internet to advance our fund-raising techniques. It is a time-effective way to fundraise while minimizing direct expenses. We are pleased with the success and look forward to growing the event in the coming years."
- Jim Hamilton, CEO
Educating Supporters About a New Way to Fundraise
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
http://www.nmss.org
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) has made eBay Giving Works part of their overall fundraising strategy through a variety of outreach efforts to their chapters and 2 million donors. To build awareness about this new way to support their cause, NMSS developed a special section of their Web site with detailed information, included eBay Giving Works messaging in newsletters, created a "webmercial" about eBay Giving Works and MS Walk events, sent postcards to 100,000 supporters asking them to list items on eBay to benefit the society, and incorporated the eBay Giving Works logo into the brochures for their signature fundraising events: the MS Walk, MS Bike Tour, and MS Challenge Walk. As a result of these efforts, NMSS was able to raise the profile of their cause and offer donors a new way to contribute to the fight against MS.
"The National MS Society was excited to learn about eBay Giving Works and their innovative way to raise money. Immediately, we saw a great opportunity to promote this to our donors and event participants. We are pleased to offer our donors this unique way to support our mission and fight MS on eBay!"
- Betty Ross, Director Campaign Development
Spreading the Word in a Broad Consumer Marketplace
House Ear Institute
http://www.hei.org
In March 2004, the House Ear Institute (HEI) introduced the Hollywood Auction for Hearing Health on eBay as a fun way for people worldwide to support its nonprofit hearing health research endeavors. It was also designed to create global awareness regarding the impact and magnitude of hearing loss as a health issue and HEI's role in helping to address it. Not only did the auction meet the nonprofit's goals, its success exceeded expectations. Entertainment and travel organizations, corporations, celebrities and other individuals donated items for the auction. Promotional activities before and during the 10-day auction drove thousands of additional Internet users to their About Me Page and listings. The Hollywood Auction for Hearing Health sold 146 items and raised $34,000. In March 2005, HEI completed their second annual Hollywood Auction for Hearing Health and sold 98 items raising over $25,000 for the organization.
"The Hollywood Auction for Hearing Health utilized the power of eBay as a global forum to expand public awareness and support of HEI's scientific research to help people with hearing loss and related disorders. We are pleased with the success of our first eBay Giving Works auction and look forward to making it an annual event."
- James D. Boswell, CEO
Selling In-Kind Donations Year Round through an eBay Store
Points of Light Foundation
http://www.pointsoflight.org
Corporate and individual supporters of the Points of Light Foundation routinely donate in-kind goods (including excess inventory), which are then sold in an eBay Store to support the foundation's work. They have hired a contractor to conduct their Direct Selling efforts, and since March 2003, they have sold over 5000 items, generating over $600,000 in revenues. They even earned PowerSeller status!
"In a giving climate that is challenged to say the least, offering donors the option to support us in-kind has yielded very promising results. The Points of Light store on eBay has given us an exciting new venue for turning donations that were heretofore unusable items into much needed financial support and awareness. It's a great marketing tool for our donors, and people feel good when they buy from a nonprofit. The unrestricted revenues we have gained through this effort have been invaluable to our mission of expanding volunteering across the country."
- Robert Goodwin, President and CEO
Creating Periodic Auctions During Relevant Issue Months
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
http://www.cwla.org
In April 2004, the Child Welfare League of America conducted their first online auction during National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The auction closed on April 23rd, signifying the culmination of CWLA's Children's Memorial Flag Campaign, an annual public awareness initiative to direct attention to the tragedies of violent child deaths and child abuse. Due to the success of their first event, CWLA held another campaign in November 2004 during National Adoption Awareness Month, coinciding with their Adoption Training Conference in Los Angeles. They've raised approximately $6,000 for their cause so far and are in the midst of planning future fundraising events on eBay.
"eBay's online marketplace and customer base of millions provided an ideal platform for the Child Welfare League of America to support our programs that enhance the services of our local member agencies and increase public awareness of children's issues. I have every confidence that our April auction put CWLA one step closer toward our overarching goal of making children a national priority. We look forward to hosting additional auctions during other relevant issue months throughout the coming year."
- Shay Bilchik, President and CEO
Enhancing a Live Auction
Playoff Hockey Challenge
http://www.poolsports.com/auction.html
The Playoff Hockey Challenge is an annual auction event that raises money for the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. The organization leverages three types of auctions - live, silent, and online - to achieve its community and fundraising goals. Items are acquired from individual supporters and corporate sponsors, and a few select items are auctioned live at a gala, while others are made available to the public on eBay. More than 100 items listed in 2003 were sold, netting more than $60K for the nonprofit.
"Integrating eBay into our overall auction fundraising strategy has allowed the Playoff Hockey Challenge to maximize total funds raised for The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. There are only so many people at my live event (approximately 500) who will bid on the live and silent auction items, whereas on eBay there is a bidding audience of millions."
- Ira Grossman, Chairman
Donating to Charity to Build a Business
Laura Iverson Gallery
www.iversongallery.com
The Laura Iverson Gallery lists original oil paintings through eBay Giving Works and selects a variety of charities to support with their sales. They believe strongly in the effectiveness of this program in helping nonprofits, as well as increasing sales since they tend to see higher sell-through rates and final sale prices. Laura Iverson also cofounded the Worldwide Women Artists group, many of whose members frequently donate part of their final sale prices to nonprofits through eBay Giving Works (you can find their listings by using the search term WWAO). They have collectively raised more than $20,000 for more than 70 different organizations.
"I believe that charity auctions and art are a natural match. The worth of art is what a particular piece means to the buyer and this is enhanced by its connection with a charitable cause. Listing for charity has helped me create better art also. The emphasis has changed from how much I sell to how much good my art is doing."
- Laura Iverson, Artist
Do you have a success story to share with the eBay Community? Post a message to the eBay Giving Works Discussion Board.
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