In every household, there will be at least one or two sports buffs who have a game or players they never miss to watch in action. Others have a collection of cards, such as baseball cards, signed posters, bats, shoes, vests and other sports equipment that has been worn by sports idols. This is why sports-related items are a good choice of items to put up for an auction fundraiser, especially one that is being held to raise funds.

The way silent auctions work is that things are done silently as the term implies. This is because the auctioneer is replaced by slips of paper on which prospective buyers put down their bids for the items they are interested in. They also note down their names so that the auctioneer will know who was won the bid for an item at the end of an auction.

People then look at the items, choose what they would most like to have and place their bids for items of their choice on a piece of paper. Anyone interested in the same item checks the bid indicated on the paper and puts down a higher bid in the hope of winning the bid.

Technology has touched every part of life and that includes how auctions are done. There are thus silent online auctions. Here, things are done on the internet. There are auctioneers who will periodically show their wares on the net. The way bidding is done online is that people log on to these sites and will view the items available and see which bids have been placed on each item.

Silent auctions can be held for private functions like bridal and baby showers to get items a bride or newborn would need and they can also be held to liven up corporate functions and raise funds that can be used by the company to make donations. Silent auctions can also be organized by communities like churches, schools and neighborhoods to raise funds for various projects that they wish to initiate.

If you are trying to raise funds for a charity, try and get these high end items as donations before you resort to going out to buy them. One way to do this is to contact designers offices directly. You can send off e-mails to them, explaining your mission to them. Most designers are big on charity and you should find ready assistance in terms of donations.

Sports-related equipment and tickets to sports events are another option. The key to get tickets to major games or to games and events that would otherwise be difficult to get. Try and get most wanted seats as well which would be front row seats or VIP seats. Start at ticketing offices, explaining your mission to them and even inviting them to the event.

Be careful about how you dispatch payment for auction fundraiser items as well. The web has opened up countless opportunities but it has also made way for less than honest people. It is very easy for anyone located anywhere to set up a silent auction website, invite bids and ask for payment, perhaps with the promise of having them delivered for an additional cost. Payment will be requested online. If you are bidding on a well-known site, then you can do so but for little known sites, ask if you can pay as you collect the item.