Charity Auction FAQ

For MFF Attendees

  • The Live Auction will take place Sunday from 11:00am - 1:00pm CST in a NEW location: Room 26/27 on the second floor of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

  • The Silent Auction will be held at the charity tables in Convention Center Hall A during Dealers Den open hours Friday and Saturday. The deadline to enter silent auction bids is 5PM CT Saturday evening.

  • Bids must be submitted in person, in writing, on the Bid Sheet attached to the item, and you will be required to enter your badge number. Minimum opening and successive bids will appear on the bid sheet.

  • Once the Silent Auction ends at 5PM Saturday and bid sheets are processed, a list of items and winning badge numbers will be available at the charity tables and outside MFF Convention Operations at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Reagan Room. You will be able to pay and pick up your items Saturday from 5 - 6PM at the charity tables.  You may also pay and pick up your items Sunday during the Live Auction or in the Dealers Den hours after the live auction (see “How do I pay for and claim an item won during the Charity Auctions?” below). 

  • Charity auction items can be viewed in the by clicking the gallery link on the Charity Auction page. The gallery is continually updated prior to the con as items are checked in, but once MFF begins, will no longer be updated.

    You can also visit the charity tables in Convention Center Hall F to view an auction item on Friday and Saturday during the convention.

  • Charity staff will decide prior to the Dealers Den opening on Friday which donated items will be up for silent auction and which will be held for Sunday’s live auction. All items will be on display at the charity tables in the Dealers Den.

  • Lot number will not necessarily reflect the order in which the item will be auctioned; order will be chosen by charity staff and the auctioneer during the course of the auction.  

  • The live charity auction format is a traditional voice auction. No advance bidder registration is required, and you will bid with your convention badge number. Bids on items will usually start at a suggested price offered by the donor, but may be modified at the auctioneer's discretion to a price significant enough to stimulate bidding. Bids will increase by a minimum of $1 per bid. Please limit bids to increments mentioned by the Auctioneer for higher-value items. 

    To place a bid, raise your hand and loudly shout the total amount you are willing to pay for the item. If you have a disability that prevents you from participating, contact the auction staff and we will assist you in bidding on items. 

    If you wish to inspect a piece more closely, call loudly for a "Runner" and someone will bring the item to you. Please remain in your seat. Only request to inspect the piece if you are seriously intending to bid on it, to keep the auction moving as efficiently as possible. Please be reasonably silent if not bidding, and respect others' requests for quiet. This includes silencing cell phones during the auction. 

    Only one round of final calls will be performed (“going once, going twice”...). Decide quickly so the auction may progress. When the item closes, the auctioneer will ask for your badge number. State it loudly and clearly so that it can be recorded to speed checkout at the end of the auction.

  • Please pay for and collect your items won during the Live Auctions at the checkout table during or immediately after the conclusion of the Live Auction. Please see the cashier at the rear of the auction room to pay for and collect your item. Buyers may pay with cash, credit card, or personal check (made out to Safe Humane Chicago). Debit cards that require a PIN entry are typically not accepted, and must be able to be run as a "Credit" transaction with signature.  

    A charity representative will take the payment, and no money will be handled by Midwest FurFest or Midwest Furry Fandom, Inc. A receipt will be provided upon request. After payment is received, the items will be released to the buyer. All items must be paid for during the auction. No late payments will be accepted.  

    For Silent Auction items won, see the charity tables in the Dealers Den where you placed your bids. Again, buyers may pay with cash, credit card, or a personal check.

  • Documentation of your charitable donation for tax purposes can be provided upon request. To request a tax receipt directly from this year’s charity, contact a charity representative at the convention. For questions, please contact charity auction staff (charity@furfest.org).

Disclaimer 

Midwest FurFest and Midwest Furry Fandom, Inc make no guarantees of any item's condition, and no warranty is provided.

All transactions are final. 

The auction staff reserves the right to remove or deny any auction item at any time for any reason.

For Charity Auction Item Donors

    1. Complete the online donation form by clicking the button on the Charity Auction page. If you prefer, you may complete the Charity Auction Donation Form when you check in your donation item(s) at the charity tables in Convention Center Hall A.

    2. Donation item(s) must be dropped off at the silent auction tables prior to 3PM CT on Saturday. The charity tables are the preferred location for item dropoff, but prior to and after Dealers Den hours, items may be dropped off at MFF Convention Operations in the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Reagan Room. Do not leave donated items at the charity tables or con ops if no staff is present.

    3. When you reach the charity tables or Operations, notify staff that you would like to check in a Charity Auction donation.

    4. A staff member will check in your donated item(s). A lot number will be attached to your donated item(s) and a photo will be taken of the item(s) for the Charity Auction gallery.

    5. The earlier a donated item is checked in, the more time charity staff has to promote the item via the gallery and social media, so please have your donation checked in as soon as possible.

    Reminder: Please check in Charity Auction donation items prior to 3PM CT on Saturday.

    If you will not be attending the convention, contact the auction staff (charity@furfest.org) and we can arrange for you to ship items for auction to us prior to the convention. The donor is responsible for all shipping costs.

  • A variety of different items will be accepted for auction. Original fandom-related artwork, sculpture, and costume parts are most encouraged. Other fandom-related items such as rare comics or magazines, videos, posters, and other media are also encouraged. Non-fandom related commonly available retail items tend to underperform at auction and are not encouraged, though items that are rare or otherwise unique may be accepted at the discretion of auction staff. All items must be G – PG-13 rating; NO adult items are allowed in the charity auction.  Please consult auction staff if you are unsure of the suitability or rating of your item.

    The suggested minimum value of donated items is $25. Donated items with a value of less than $25 should be combined into a collection or lot of items to be auctioned together. To check in a lot of items, you will only need to submit one Charity Auction Item Donation Form.

    If you are donating a service, you must contact the auction staff to approve your donation prior to the auction. Donors of a service must be 18 years or older and have a legal, definable service to offer. Examples include art commissions, costume commissions, or any other "custom-made" service to be provided at a later date. Please supply a physical certificate stating the service, how the buyer would redeem the service, and the approximate time frame for the service to be performed.

    If you are donating a regulated professional service (for example, if you are a tattoo artist or masseuse/masseur) you must provide proof of professional licensure to auction staff before the service may be auctioned.

  • The minimum suggested value has been added to help ensure we can complete the live auction in the two hours allotted for the event. If you have questions, please contact the charity auction staff.

  • Documentation of your charitable donation for tax purposes can be provided upon request. To request a tax receipt directly from this year’s charity, contact a charity representative at the convention. For questions, please contact charity auction staff.

  • Donors will designate how unsold, unclaimed, or unpaid items will be treated on the Midwest FurFest Charity Auction Donation Form.

    Donors can opt to donate the item to the charity organization; please note that any items not selected by the charity will become property of Midwest FurFest.

    Donors may also opt to reclaim unsold, unclaimed, or unpaid donated items at the charity tables prior to Dealers Den closing on Sunday.  An email notification will be sent to donors that opted to reclaim their item(s) if said item(s) are unsold, unclaimed, or unpaid after the event.  Donated items must be reclaimed onsite during the convention. Unclaimed donated items will not be shipped back to donors. Contact charity auction staff for any questions regarding reclaiming donated items.

Questions?

Please email charity@furfest.org.