10 Hottest K-12 Solution Companies - 2018

SchoolAuction.net : Enhancing School Auctions through Technology

Roger Devine, Co-Founder

While evaluating different solutions to manage a school fundraising auction, Roger Devine, then president of a parent-teacher association, discovered that software providers claimed a percentage of the funds raised on event nights along with their standard charges. Devine was unwilling to pay such additional charges because the funds raised from charity events were meant to help upgrade the school’s facilities and buy new equipment. School fundraisers rely on volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to helping the community. Yet, volunteers lack tools that facilitate the convenience of collaborating from any location at any time.In 2004, Devine and three friends founded SchoolAuction.net to help schools retain a greater portion of the funds raised and allow volunteers to work together remotely from the comfort of their homes or offices. SchoolAuction. net is a web-based solution that helps plan, manage, and run fundraising events for schools, congregations, clubs, and other non-profit organizations. “We are a not-just-for-profit business invested in the success of your auction event,” states Devine, co-founder of SchoolAuction.net.

While schools leveraging auction software may initially find it overwhelming, SchoolAuction.net mitigates the problem with its user-friendly interface and straightforward approach. The solution is based on digital forms where volunteers enter information regarding auction items and guests into a central database that can be accessed through any browser. Every form has an integrated help that explains what needs to be entered into each field, and indicators as to whether the field is optional or mandatory. Volunteers can also watch help videos from within the user interface for further assistance on using the software.

We are a not-just-for-profit business invested in the success of your auction event

Additionally, SchoolAuction.net’s support team responds to email queries promptly, and during the critical time of an auction, the company also provides telephone support. The solution also features a configurable reporting module, and alerts when specific actions are completed, such as a ticket being sold or an item being donated.

SchoolAuction.net accommodates different methods of bidding, from traditional paper bid sheets and paddles to mobile bidding. Mobile bidding allows guests to bid through smartphones and view a digital leaderboard to check the availability of items and the current winners of the bid. SchoolAuction.net also offers “blind bidding,” wherein guests bidding on an item cannot view the details of other bids. Further, SchoolAuction.net is integrated with a number of payment gateway service providers including Authorize.Net to provide flexibility in selecting a compatible credit card processor..

Brian Chase, database administrator at St. Dominic High School, regards SchoolAuction.net as the holy grail of auction software and an indispensable asset. Such positive reception stems from SchoolAuction.net’s methodology to incorporate client requests into its solution. This is best illustrated by their solution’s ability to accept recurring donations, a feature that was added after a customer’s request; guests can pledge to donate a certain amount every month, and the solution manages the billing process automatically. Essentially, allowing every guest attending the event to participate in the auction irrespective of their budget. Another feature to garner wide attention and interest in school auctions is the introduction of support for Talent Contests, where the audience purchases votes through donations and then distributes them to their favorites using smartphones. SchoolAuction.net is intent on continuing to bring such innovations and be a game-changer in the auction software landscape for years to come.