Has anyone obtained a pro sports team autographed basketball or football to be used as a raffle item or silent auction item? If so, how did you go about requesting it? Is it sufficient to take a basketball or football to the team's headquarters with a letter asking for the ball to be autographed by the team? Thanks for your help.

Just bringing this thread back to the top..there have been so many posts about this same subject. Happy donation hunting ladies and gents!!!

Our organization did take advantage of the Holland America offer. We purchased the lowest cabin for a seven day cruise for 2 people. We advertised like crazy! Local papers, sent home flyers, posters (supplied from Holland America)hung up in the hallways, mailed flyers to local retirement communities, etc. We had a huge turn out at our event. Made the most money we have ever made (over $8,000) and the cruise went for around $1800. We weren't sure how it was going to do. We did a minimum bid of a couple hundred dollars over what we paid for it and it was no problem. The bidding was slow at first. But it kicked into gear. We even had one lady sitting there on her cell phone (talking to her husband I assume) bidding on it. It was a very good time and I believe something we would do again! The couple that won has scheduled their cruise for May I believe and upgraded to a better cabin, but also suggested not to waste anytime in booking because their first couple of choices were booked! Also, be sure to advertise that airfare and port charges, etc. ARE NOT INCLUDED in the cruise package. Feel free to e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any other questions I can help you with.

Holy COW! I had no idea the forms were such a pain. I was just going to foist them off on my accountant husband. Maybe I better review the forms before I start shooting off my mouth in board meetings...

tjbeath,
501 3C is an IRS designation for non-profit organizations. A PTO really should have it if it generates any real money.
Getting it is a long and tedious excersize. We are presently in the middle of it and I can tell you, it isn't for the faint of heart. The president and I have been working on the forms, with a not-of-profit lawyer for over a year now.

This may be a silly question, but when I asked our principal for a 501(c)3 letter she said she didn't have one because we technically don't have that designation because we are a school. Has anyone else run into that problem and if so, how do you get around it?