Welcome to the Members Only area of the ISONG Website
INFORMATION FOR ONLINE AUCTION
Dear ISONG member:
We are excited to announce the first ever, online fundraising auction initiative for ISONG, which will be held during Nurses' Week, May 7 - 12, 2012 (note, May 12 is International Nurses' Day).
We are partnering with Charity Buzz, a premier online auction company in order to raise substantial funds that can allow our ISONG organization to remain a sustainable leader in the world of genomics education, research, and clinical care. Check them out at:
http://www.charitybuzz.com/
However, for this initiative to be a success, we need each and every member of ISONG to participate!
Sponsors Needed!
First, we need each member to find at least one "sponsor" for this online auction. Sponsorship levels and the benefits for potential sponsors are listed in the ISONG Online Auction Fundraising Sponsorship Levels document. Since Charity Buzz has online bidders around the globe, the genetics providers that agree to be sponsors at these incredibly cost-effective rates, will have exposure to a world-wide audience of genetics colleagues as well as other businesses. At these highly affordable rates, each ISONG member should be able to recruit at least one auction "sponsor"! ISONG is deemed a 501 (c) (6) organization, for charitable purposes, and this information needs to be shared with prospective sponsors and donors.
Member participation needed!
Second, we need each and every member (or pairs of members, if you prefer to work in a "team") to put together at least one online auction package. This is not the same kind of donations ISONG has typically offered in the silent auctions we have at our annual meetings, but rather, an auction of much "bigger packages" and items that will appeal to a variety of online bidders.
Think "big" and be creative. An extensive "ideas" list of the kinds of donations we need our members to seek out is provided for you below. You may have other contacts in various types of businesses that would also have other fantastic items or trips that would create excitement for our auction. Be creative, and don't be afraid to "ask" for a donation. The worst that could happen is they say "no", but most businesses are very generous for a good "cause"! For questions, you can contact Lori Farmer or Dale Lea by e-mail:
Or, you can call Lori directly at (650) 565- 4399 Central time zone, U.S.A.
A donation solicitation letter is attached, and you can personalize it with the name of the business or person you are approaching for a donation. Information about Charity Buzz is also included, so they understand the business and marketing benefits for their company by donating for this auction.
What are the steps you need to do to help?
1. Distribute the Auction Flyer to your genetics colleagues, nursing department, etc. Create excitement about the event, so people start getting excited about hearing more.
2. Print out and email the Auction Sponsorship Fundraising Sponsorship form. Ask any genetics vendors or organizations that you know sponsor various genetics events, to participate. Remind them this is one of the most cost effective ways they can advertise, to literally reach thousands of people.
3. Consider businesses you want to target for your package. Personalize and print out the Donation Solicitation form, and take it to or mail it to the manager or owner of the business, discuss the purpose of the auction for ISONG, the importance of our group, and the marketing benefits for their company, when their donation is listed at the Charity Buzz website auction link. Remember: Charity Buzz reaches a worldwide audience! Once they agree to donate, you assist the donor in sending the certificate or item to Charity Buzz (see Charity Buzz Fact Sheet, attached).
More important information:
- The deadline to have sponsors pay their sponsorship fee is April 15, 2012. Checks are payable to the International Society of Nurses in Genetics. The address to mail the check is on the sponsorship form.
- The deadline for gift certificates, or donated items, to be sent directly to Charity Buzz is April 20, 2012. Donors can send them directly, or you may send them on the donor's behalf. The cost of shipping to Charity Buzz is up to the donor/solicitors. Once Charity Buzz is in possession of the items, they will "package" them with a description, photos (if appropriate) and help market them on the auction website link, once the auction goes live. They will be responsible for marketing the auction world-wide, collecting the funds, providing receipts to donors, and shipping the package items to the winning bidders.
Now that you are ready to get started, we have links below to additional resources:
- Online Auction Flyer
- Examples of Auction Packages
- Auction Sponsorship Levels & Benefits and Payment Form
- Donation Solicitation Letter
- Letter of Invitation to be a Sponsor of the ISONG Online Auction
- Charity Buzz Fact Sheet
- Charity Buzz Online Auction Donation Form
