Silent Auction

As a result of the generosity of those who participated in the Silent Auction at NBIA’s 2007 conference in Seattle, 10 NBIA members received scholarships to attend the 2008 conference in San Antonio. Proceeds from the Silent Auction in San Antonio will provide scholarships for up to seven first-time attendees, whose organizations have not had the resources to send them to NBIA’s International Conference on Business Incubation in the past, to attend this year’s conference in Kansas City, Mo.

You don’t have to be a bidder to participate in the auction; you also can donate an item – or items – for bidding. For example, you could assemble a basket of products and services from your incubator clients and graduates. What a great way to show your colleagues all the great things happening at your incubator!

Not an incubator? Consulting services, gift cards to national stores or restaurants, or arts and crafts from your region are all great ideas, too – and a perfect way to introduce yourself and your organization to the 600+ attendees at the conference.

NBIA will recognize donors in the conference materials, at the Silent Auction table and through conference signage.

Get a sneak peek at all the bargains and put in an early bid on your way to the Opening Reception and Expo! The NBIA Silent Auction will kick off on Sunday, April 19. Bidding on items will close out at different times throughout the conference, with the final items closing out on Tuesday afternoon.

Donation Guidelines

The Silent Auction will be held during NBIA’s 23rd International Conference on Business Incubation, April 19-22, at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo.
To donate an item, complete the donation registration form.
Please submit your donation registration forms by March 31, 2009.
Donated gift certificates must be valid through Dec. 31, 2009.
Donated industry marketing products or services should be available May 1 – Dec. 31, 2009.
Clearly list any restrictions, such as expiration dates and blackout dates, on the donor registration form.
All donated items must have a minimum retail value of US$25.
Please assign a “value” (approximate retail value) to the donation on the registration form and include a 25- to 50-word description of the product/service.

Donation Suggestions

Donations could include, but are not limited to:

Incubator client products and services
Incubator graduate products and services
Gift baskets
Art
Books
Handcrafted originals
A vacation home/condo stay
Airline miles or other award points
Items native to your region
Sports memorabilia
Trade publication display advertising
Research or management support services
Professional industry association memberships
Industry trade show booth and registration fees
Public relations services or editorial coverage
Industry support services, such as software
Consulting service packages

Set Up and Shipping Guidelines

Set Up:

Sunday, April 19, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Auction Hours:

Sunday, April 19, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Monday, April 20, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, April 21, 7:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Pick-up and Payment:

Winning bidders may pay and pick up items anytime after the item’s close-out time, but no later than 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 22.

Auction Location:

NBIA exhibit area, Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Item(s) may be brought personally to the Westin Crown Center and dropped off at NBIA Information Central (near conference registration) between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 19.
Item(s) may be shipped directly to the Westin Crown Center. (Please contact the NBIA Membership Department for additional information regarding shipment.)
If you have brochures or literature describing companies or artists involved in production of an item, please bring or send for display.
Items requiring assembly must be assembled on site by the donor. If special assistance is required from NBIA, please indicate this on the donation registration form.

Tax Information

The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization. NBIA is the world's leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides thousands of professionals with information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies.

All contributions to the association are tax-deductible. Because of the complexity of rules concerning charitable contributions, we suggest that you consult a tax advisor or trained agent to determine the actual deductible amount of your donation.

If you have any questions about the Silent Auction, contact Leah Nairn, NBIA membership manager, at lnairn@nbia.org or (740) 593-4331.

Package Handling/Deliveries

The Westin Crown Center’s receiving entrance is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Advance arrangements must be made through the hotel for weekend deliveries. All Silent Auction items will be shipped three days (or less) in advance of the meeting.

The hotel will only accept pre-paid packages. The hotel will refuse any packages delivered C.O.D. and will not make notification to the shipper.

All packages must contain a label giving the following minimum information

Hold for Arrival – ATTN: Guest’s Name, Organization Name, Arrival Date
Number of Boxes (Example: Box 1 of 2)
Address as follows:
ATTN: Convention Services
Westin Crown Center
1 East Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
Complete Return Address

The Westin Crown Center shall not be liable for safe or timely arrival of any packages sent to the hotel. It is the shipper’s responsibility to check on the arrival of any packages and to ensure that the contents are intact. Furthermore, the hotel accepts no liability for lost, stolen or damaged goods.