Case Study: Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center achieves record silent-auction revenue and 99% on-night payment collection with Greater Giving

Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center - Customer Case Study

Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center, a 180‑year Boston nonprofit serving vulnerable youth, had grown its annual gala into a 450–500‑person event that now generates about 25% of its fundraising. That growth created heavy administrative burdens: two weeks to enter sales and collect payments, lost revenue from uncollected bids, crowded bid sheets that pulled guests away from the program, and time‑consuming manual entry into Raiser’s Edge.

The team implemented Greater Giving (adding Online Bidding and Go Time) and integrated it with Raiser’s Edge, registering credit cards at the event and using mobile bidding with volunteer‑assisted tablets. The result: 99% of items paid the night of the auction, rapid reconciliation and immediate donor thank‑yous, and a dramatic boost in silent auction revenue (from $10–15K previously to $25K the first year and $30K the next), along with improved data accuracy and a smoother guest experience.

Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center

Sarah Swanson

Senior Development Officer