Donations & Procurement
Procurement & Donation Frequently Asked Questions
When is the deadline to turn in donations? Please submit all tangible and certificate items no later than Monday, April 15th. This will be a firm deadline this year. While we would love to, we can not accept any donations after April 15th due to the time and logistics it takes to enter items, take pictures, and add them to the catalog etc.
What is the difference between procuring and donating? Procuring involves asking a third party to contribute an item for the auction; donating is contributing an item from your own resources.
Do I need to fill out a description on the procurement form when all the information is on the item? Yes please. Providing an ample and accurate description of the item(s) on the procurement form will ensure a true and correct item description on display sheets, in the catalog and proper credit to you.
What is fair market value? The retail value of the item assigned to it by the donor.
What if I don't know the value of the item? Try Google or Amazon to find an approximate fair market value (FMV), or make your best guess. If you need help, let us know.
If I buy something at the company store, do I put my employee price as the value? No. The retail value should reflect the true market value.
I am donating something fabulous, can I assume it will go in the live auction? We must limit the number of live items for many reasons. As much as we’d like to, we can’t guarantee any item’s status (except for class projects). We do our best to put items in the live auction that have wide appeal and will generate the most return.
How do I turn my items in? Please bring your items to the school office with a completed procurement form. If you have completed an online procurement form please label the item(s) with your first and last name so we can match it to your online submission.
I would like to make a monetary donation to the auction to be used as needed, is that okay? Of course! Please make checks payable to Zion Lutheran School and memo as “auction use”. We use these donations for auction items on our wish list that will add value to the event.
How do I begin procuring items?
1. Approach businesses you frequent and ask if they’d be willing to support our school by donating an item or two.
2. Take a procurement letter(s) with you. Most businesses require a non-profit ID number which can be found at the bottom of the procurement letter and on the procurement forms.
(ZLS Tax ID 43-1966393)
3. Fill out a procurement form for each donation.