Charitybuzz

Charitybuzz

Type	Private
Foundation date	2005
Headquarters	New York City, USA
Key people	Coppy Holzman (CEO, Founder)
Industry	Online Charity Auctions
Website	charitybuzz.com

Charitybuzz is a for-profit internet company that raises funds for nonprofit organizations through online charity auctions with the world's most recognizable celebrities and brands.^[1] At any given time, hundreds of experiences are featured on the Charitybuzz auction block spanning music, entertainment, business, politics, sports, art, fashion and other industries.^[2] The company was founded in 2005 by CEO Coppy Holzman, and board members Brad Reisner and Serena Chew. As of November 2013, the company has raised more than $100 million for charity through its website, with more than 2,500 nonprofits partners.^{[3] [4]}

Origins & History

CEO Coppy Holzman founded Charitybuzz out of his Westport, Connecticut home in April 2005 with the goal of helping nonprofits harness pop culture and technology to raise funds. After a conversation with Chevy Chase and President Bill Clinton at a reception to benefit the Clinton Library in late 2004, he realized he could apply his 25 years of internet and retail experience to revolutionize philanthropy.^[5] He launched Charitybuzz a few months later with one employee and a directive from Chevy Chase to raise funds for The Center for Environmental Education. Holzman and his team persuaded 70 celebrities and luxury brands into donating meet-and-greets, VIP tickets, vacations and other gifts for the company’s first auction. The first experience auctioned was a Caddyshack golf outing with Bill Murray and Chevy Chase.^[5] After a segment with Chevy Chase on the TODAY show, the online auction site raised $250,000 within two weeks.^[6] After that initial success, Charitybuzz's business grew quickly through word of mouth.^[5]

Holzman ran Charitybuzz part-time until the fall of 2007, when he committed to operating the business full-time and moved the company out of his home and into an office space. In 2008, he registered charitybuzz as a chapter S in Delaware and secured a board of directors with notable figures including Kerry Kennedy, Peter Borish, Jonah Goodhart, Jon Melzer, Stuart Sundlow, and Jayni Chase.^[7]

Soon after, during the height of the recession in 2009, the company marked $100 million in bids and one million unique visitors.^[5] In 2010, with more than 1,500 online charity auctions under its belt, Charitybuzz doubled in size in just a year by expanding its focus to include corporate philanthropy support.^[8] People Magazine,^[9] Christie's,^[10] Audemars Piguet,^[11] Macy's,^[12] Chevrolet^[13] and Polo Ralph Lauren^[14] are just a few of the brands that turned to Charitybuzz to help them give back. Later that year, the company moved its headquarters and staff from Connecticut to an 8,000 square foot office at 437 Fifth Avenue in New York City.^[15]

In 2011, Charitybuzz marked $50 million raised for nonprofits and opened its first satellite office in Los Angeles.^[16] In early 2012, the company added Macy’s Chief Stores Officer Peter Sachse to its Board of Directors.^[17] In 2012, Charitybuzz launched a new celebrity concierge service for charity called "Do Good Dream Big," where bidders could request customized celebrity access for a minimum donation of $20,000.^[4] To support the company's rapid expansion, Charitybuzz unveiled a brand refresh in April 2013 featuring an updated logo with a more modern aesthetic.

Charitybuzz has become the best-known avenue for charities to raise funds. However, they are not the first or only ones to offer celebrity experiences. CharityFolks, Hollywood Charity Auctions and Bidding for Good are also well-established.

Business Model

By auctioning luxury items and celebrity-backed experiences through the internet to tens of thousands of bidders worldwide, Charitybuzz is able to raise funds for a multitude of foundations and non-profits.^[18] Charitybuzz's staff of 40 provides comprehensive auction services for more than 1,000 nonprofit clients, as well as cause marketing support for many for-profit brands looking to enhance their corporate philanthropy programs. Charitybuzz auction specialists work closely with each organization to build auctions that generate awareness and meet fundraising goals.^[5] There are no upfront fees to work with Charitybuzz. At the end of each auction, Charitybuzz keeps 20 percent to cover its operating costs.^[8] The company says it has a 95 percent client retention rate.^[5]

Top Auction Items

Charitybuzz auctions have included:

• Meet Jeremy Lin after watching the Knicks at Madison Square Garden from VIP seats and take home his game-worn jersey. Final bid: $42,388 (2012) ^[19]
• The chance to spend a day shadowing former President Bill Clinton to benefit the Clinton Foundation. Final bid: $250,000 (2011) ^[20]
• A meet-and-greet with Oprah Winfrey before the last taping of her talk show to benefit the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Final bid: $105,000 (2011) ^[20]
• Attend both the Elton John AIDS Foundation Dinner and the Vanity Fair Oscar Party to benefit the Natural Resources Defense Council. Final bid: $100,000 (2011)^[21]
• Pitch your big idea to Rupert Murdoch to benefit the Global Poverty Project. Final bid: $85,000 (2011)^[20]
• A private singing with Paul Simon to benefit the Children's Health Fund. Final Bid: $75,000 (2011)^[20]
• Front-row VIP seats to a Paul McCartney concert at Yankee Stadium and the chance to meet him backstage to benefit the Green Schools Initiative. Final bid: $70,000 ^[20]
• A behind-the-scenes tour of Facebook's headquarters with Company Director Blake Ross to benefit the Peace Corps. Final bid: $70,000 (2011)^[20]
• Meet legendary German designer Karl Lagerfeld at the Chanel Couture fashion show in Paris to benefit Runway to Green. Final bid: $65,000 (2011)^[20]
• Join Harrison Ford as his co-pilot during a flight over California to benefit Conservation International. Final bid:$65,000 (2011)^[20]
• A walk-on role on AMC's Mad Men to benefit the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. Final bid: $60,000 (2011)^[20]
• The chance to sit in on The Howard Stern Show at Sirius Radio and meet the host to benefit Rosie's Theater Kids. Final bid: $55,000 (2011)^[20]
• Take home Lady Gaga's signed Steinway Piano, used during her performance for the Robin Hood Foundation gala, to benefit Ten O'Clock Classics. Final bid: $42,500 (2011)^[22]
• Sit courtside with Jay-Z at a Nets vs. Knicks game to benefit the Stephen Gaynor School. Final bid: $42,000 (2011)^[22]
• Be part of a private Papal audience at the Vatican and meet Pope Benedict XVI to benefit the Robert F. Kennedy Center. Final bid: $39,500 (2011)^[22]
• Meet Taylor Swift backstage at the concert of your choice to benefit the Robert F. Kennedy Center. Final bid: $37,600 (2011)^[22]
• The very first Chevrolet Volt off the production line to benefit Detroit Public Schools. Final bid: $225,000 (2010)^[13]
• Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Las Vegas Strip Tourbillon Limited Edition Watch signed by Jay-Z to benefit Broadway Cares. Final bid: $220,000 (2010)^[23]
• Audemars Piguet Lady Millenary Astrologia Limited Edition Watch signed by Meryl Streep sold twice to benefit Broadway Cares. Final bid: $100,000 (2010)^[23]
• Meet Paul McCartney at the Apollo Theater to benefit the Green Schools Initiative. Final bid: $130,000 (2010)^[23]
• Meet Robert Pattinson of the set of Twilight: Breaking Dawn to benefit the GO Campaign. Final bid: $85,000 (2010)^[23]
• Play golf with Tom Watson to benefit The Pink Pony Fund. Final bid: $80,500 (2010)^[23]
• Play golf with President Bill Clinton to benefit Christie's Green Auction. Final bid: $80,000 (2010)^[23]
• Get a backstage tour from U2's The Edge to benefit Gabrielle's Angel Foundation. Final bid: $80,000 (2010)^[23]
• Meet Prince William at the Chakravarty Cup to benefit the Chakravarty Cup. Final bid: $71,250^[23]
• Watch Simon Doonan create the Barney's Christmas windows to benefit Christie's Green Auction. Final bid: $60,000 (2010)^[23]
• Be Sir Elton John's guest at his star-studded Oscar party to benefit the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Final bid: $52,000 (2010)^[23]
• Meet Ralph Lauren at New York Fashion Week to benefit The Pink Pony Fund. Final bid: $51,000 (2010)^[23]
• Have Shepard Fairey paint your portrait to benefit the Robert F. Kennedy Center. Final bid: $45,000 (2010)^[23]
• Spend a week interning at Vogue and meet Anna Wintour to benefit the Robert F. Kennedy Center. Final bid: $42,500 (2010)^[23]
• Meet James Cameron at a private viewing of Avatar to benefit MUSE Elementary School. Final bid: $42,500 (2010)^[23]

Charity Partners

Auction proceeds support the work of nonprofit organizations including: Action Against Hunger, American Red Cross, Art of Elysium, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Central Park Conservancy, Chris Evert Charities, City Harvest Food Rescue, Conservation International, Diamond Empowerment Fund, Doctors Without Borders, Do Something, Eric Trump Foundation, Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Gabrielle's Angel Foundation, GLSEN, Garden of Dreams, Habitat for Humanity, HELP USA, Jayni & Chevy Chase's Green Schools Initiative, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Kristen Ann Carr Fund, LIFEbeat, Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, Mayor's Fund to Advance NYC, Michael J. Fox Foundation, Minorities in Broadcasting Training Program, Musicians On Call, Natural Resources Defense Council, New York Women in Communications, New York Restoration Project, Noreen Fraser Foundation, North Shore Animal League, Oceana, Oxfam International, Partners in Health, Polo Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Fund, Project Angel Food, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, Rosie's Theater Kids, Rush Philanthropic, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, Save the Children, Share our Strength, Songwriter's Hall of Fame, Somaly Mam Foundation, Starlight Children's Foundation, Ted Turner's Captain Planet, Tibet House, The Jorge Posada Foundation, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Warhol Museum, Tony Bennett's Exploring The Arts, US Fund for UNICEF, VH1 Save the Music Foundation and more.^[24]

Celebrity Participants

Aerosmith,^[25]Jennifer Aniston,^[6] Lady Antebellum,^[25] Judd Apatow,^[1] Lance Armstrong,^[6] Antonio Banderas,^[11] Beyonce, Justin Bieber,^[1] Steve Case,^[1] James Cameron,^[23] Kristin Chenoweth,^[11] Kenny Chesney,^[25] Kelly Clarkson,^[25] Bill Clinton,^[20] Coldplay,^[25] Kenneth Cole,^[12] Sean "Diddy" Combs,^[12] Bradley Cooper,^[26] Alan Cumming,^[11] Johnny Depp,^[20] Celine Dion,^[25] Simon Doonan,^[23] The Edge,^[23] Melissa Etheridge,^[25] Edie Falco,^[11] Jenna Fisher,^[1] Harrison Ford,^[20] Shepard Fairey,^[23] Lady Gaga,^[22] Whoopi Goldberg,^[11] Kelsey Grammer,^[11] Cee-Lo Green,^[1] John Grisham,^[27] Neil Patrick Harris,^[11] Tony Hawk,^[1] Scarlett Johansson,^[11] Jonah Hill,^[1] Tommy Hilfiger,^[12] Jay-Z,^[22] Hugh Jackman,^[26] Lebron James,^[14] Elton John,^[20] Betsey Johnson,^[12] Bon Jovi,^[26] Mindy Kaling,^[28] Donna Karan,^[1] Calvin Klein,^[12] Anna Kournikova,^[1] Michael Kors,^[12] Jane Krakowski,^[11] Emeril Lagasse,^[12] Karl Lagerfeld,^[20] Miranda Lambert,^[25] Nathan Lane,^[11] Angela Lansbury,^[11] Cyndi Lauper,^[11] Ralph Lauren,^[12] Jeremy Lin,^[19] John Lithgow,^[11] Demi Lovato,^[29] Ricky Martin,^[26] Paul McCartney,^[20] Sarah McLachlan,^[25] Tim McGraw,^[25] Sienna Miller,^[11] Bebe Neuwirth,^[11] Cynthia Nixon,^[11] BJ Novak,^[28] Robert Pattinson,^[6] Michael Phelps^[26] Grace Potter,^[25] Chita Rivera,^[11] Rachel Roy,^[12] Liev Schreiber,^[11] Seal,^[25] Jerry Seinfeld,^[14] Paul Simon,^[20] Jessica Simpson,^[12] Bruce Springsteen,^[25] Howard Stern,^[20] Martha Stewart,^[12] Ben Stiller,^[1] Meryl Streep,^[23] Taylor Swift,^[22] James Taylor,^[25] Donald Trump,^[1] Tom Watson,^[23] Prince William,^[23] Vanessa Williams,^[11] One Direction,^[30][31] Oprah Winfrey,^[20] Catherine Zeta-Jones^[11] and others.

External links

Charitybuzz http://www.charitybuzz.com

References