The Boston Globe hit on a great story about how schools are turning to eBay-style online auctions for fund-raisers.

Rather than asking the same tired parents for money month after month, the schools use online auctions to sell valuable stuff for big bucks. The Globe says:

Facing budget shortfalls that are squeezing education basics, more Massachusetts public schools are turning to online auctions this spring to raise money for supplies, field trips, library books, playground equipment, and computers. And they're raking in from $6,000 to $20,000 in the process -- more money than live or silent auctions generate at traditional fund-raisers.

The reason: Not only can far-flung grandparents bid on donated items ranging from restaurant gift certificates to hot-air balloon rides, but civic-minded strangers with no connection to the schools can pick up hard-to-come-by items, such as sports tickets, at a premium price.

"There's only so much money you can get from the same people, and we've been asking and asking and asking," said Sarah Windman, chairwoman of the auction at Heights Elementary School in Sharon. "When we held our auction online, we had people from all over the country helping us."

BiddingForGood.com and cMarket, Inc. run the online auctions. The company charges $595 plus 9 percent of whatever an auction earns. The company has overseen more than 700 school auctions and helped schools nationwide raise nearly $10 million, said Jon Carson, chief executive officer. The site says it has transacted more than $38 million dollars worth of goods and services and lists nearly 19,000 items for sale.
 
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