Laura S. Quinn, executive director Idealware for Tech Soup |

What tools can help you raise money and rally support for your cause through an online auction? We take a look at the software tools that are widely used in the nonprofit sector.

An online charity auction can be a good way to raise money, rally support for your cause, and hopefully, to have some fun. Like any special event, an online auction requires solid planning and a fair amount of staff time. What it won’t require, however, is substantial technical expertise. Several good online platforms will host and help you manage your online auction.

What should you be thinking about as you consider an online auction? What tools might work well? We asked a number of nonprofit professionals with experience in auctions for their software recommendations and condensed their advice here.