EXPAND AWARENESS.

MAXIMIZE FUNDRAISING.

About The Bidding Group
Modern-day
Robin Hoods
inspiring donors to
give their best.
The Bidding Group Event
Who We Are

The Bidding Group provides expert fundraising and charity event consulting, an engaging auctioneer, and proven results. Christopher J. Hanke and the goodwill bandits at The Bidding Group closely collaborate with your team to customize a plan that is exactly what you need.

That means more than just providing an auctioneer. We develop winning strategies to increase your financial returns — keeping your guests entertained and engaged, helping you raise more money year after year.

By The Numbers
20+
Years of fundraising & performance experience
$100M+
Raised for nonprofits nationwide
Expert Fundraising  ·  Charity Event Consulting  ·  Proven Results
Meet Christopher
Experience
You Can
Trust.

Our team has 20+ years in fundraising and has worked with organizations across multiple fields — in education, health and medicine, arts, and social services — raising over $100,000,000 to date.

The Bidding Group Event
Our Approach
01
Deep Mission Alignment
We work closely with your team to gain a deep understanding of your organization's mission before a single bid is placed.
02
Curated Procurement
We procure the right auction items for your audience — experiences and prizes that excite your specific crowd and drive bids higher.
03
Command the Room
Our auctioneer sets the tone for the evening — commanding generous contributions from guests while keeping energy high throughout.
04
Exceed Expectations
Every event is unique. We customize every element of your fundraiser to meet your organization's goals — and then surpass them.
Nonprofits  ·  Education  ·  Health  ·  Arts  ·  Social Services
Our Services
What Sets Us Apart
The Stage.  The Strategy.  The Results.

When you combine years on stage with deep nonprofit experience, you create a team that sees fundraising differently — one that understands the pressure of meeting an entire year's goal in a single night.

TPAC Gala 2024
01
Stage Presence
Years of Broadway and TV experience translate directly to commanding a room — reading the crowd, building energy, and knowing exactly when to push.
02
Nonprofit Fluency
We understand the stakes. Meeting a year's fundraising goal in one evening requires more than charm — it requires strategy, empathy, and precise execution.
03
VIP Experience
We know how to make your biggest donors feel seen and valued — creating moments that deepen relationships and drive generosity year after year.
Performance  ·  Strategy  ·  Execution
Meet The Team
Meet The Founder
Christopher J. Hanke
Actor
Writer
Host
Auctioneer
The Robin Hood

Christopher J. Hanke is an actor, writer, host, and auctioneer whose career spans Broadway, television, and the nonprofit world. His years commanding stages — from Broadway houses to TV sets — gave him an instinct for reading a room that no classroom can teach. Today, he channels that energy into something equally meaningful: helping organizations raise the funds they need to do extraordinary work.

Broadway · Television · Film · NBC · CBS · HBO · ABC · FOX · Bravo · Broadway · Television · Film · NBC · CBS · HBO · ABC · FOX · Bravo ·
Broadway
How to Succeed in Business
Bud Frump
Broadway
Rent
Mark
Broadway
Cry-Baby
Baldwin
Broadway
In My Life
JT
Television
Odd Mom Out
Devon
Bravo
Television
A Million Little Things
Dr. Ashley Anderson
ABC
Television
The Resident
Gregg
FOX
Television
I Know This Much Is True
Supporting
HBO
Founded on the belief that generosity deserves a great performance.
Christopher J. Hanke
Actor  ·  Auctioneer  ·  Founder
Work With Christopher
In The Room
Events That Move People.
Drag to explore
Galas  ·  Live Auctions  ·  Paddle Raises  ·  Award Dinners
What We Offer
Full-Spectrum
Services.

Everything you need to run a world-class fundraising event — under one roof, led by one team.

01
Fundraising Host / Auctioneer
A commanding presence that reads the room, builds energy, and drives bids to their highest potential — every single night.
02
Master of Ceremonies
Seamless event flow from start to finish — keeping guests engaged, transitions smooth, and the evening running on time.
03
Live Appeals
Emotionally compelling fund-a-need moments crafted to inspire donors to give at their highest level — and feel great doing it.
04
Strategic Event Planning
End-to-end guidance on event structure, timing, donor psychology, and revenue strategy to maximize your financial outcome.
05
Fundraising Consultants
Deep collaboration with your team to understand your mission, your audience, and what will move them to give generously.
06
Auction Procurement
Sourcing extraordinary experiences, travel packages, and exclusive items that excite your specific crowd and drive bids higher.
Host  ·  MC  ·  Appeals  ·  Planning  ·  Consulting  ·  Procurement
Get In Touch