The auction is the largest fundraiser for Friends of TOPS, raising over 80% of the budget. Those funds go towards supporting programs that have been envisioned and put into action by TOPS caregivers and staff. These programs are created to fill gaps left by the district budget as well as serve to enrich our students’ education and school community, and advance our social justice mission. You can learn more about FoT’s budget and fundraising goals here. Many of the programs offer our students experiences and opportunities unique to TOPS:

K-2 Assistants - part-time additional support for K, 1st, and 2nd grade teachers and students during class, recess and lunchtime;

Our robust music program - general music education for K-3, recorder instruction for 3rd graders, every 4th and 5th grader learns an instrument, Middle School Band and Orchestra;

Community events like the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Family Nights, movie nights and Taste of TOPS.

Math Agency intervention program designed to support students whose math skills were deeply impacted by the pandemic school closures.

Here is a full list of the 2024-25 Friends of TOPS funded programs.

It takes many hands! You can help procure items; donate an item, service, dessert or experience; help with set-up and/or take down; help with picking up auction items from businesses; assist with online auction item/data entry day of, or registration during the event; and more. To volunteer and join the fun, email auction@topsk8.org. Most of all, please come to the auction and feel free to bring family or friends!

You can still donate, volunteer, or bid online in the silent auction! A variety of exciting items will be available exclusively for online bidding in the week before and week after the event so you can still bid on great items and experiences to support TOPS. This is also a great way to involve extended family or friends who don’t live nearby.

Yes! Unique (and fantastic!) items will be made available for bidding online only in the week before and the week after the live event. We hope this will enable more TOPS supporters to participate and join the fun! Information about registering for online-only participation will be posted in April.

If you reserve a ticket online to the live auction, you will be automatically registered and receive an email or text with your unique link to access the online bidding.

The TOPS Equity Fund is a separate fund supporting the vision that all Seattle Public Schools have the resources to provide educational support and enriching opportunities to help their students thrive. This fund helps other Seattle schools that have minimal parent/community fundraising capability improve the lives of their students. Past recipients have included Lowell Elementary and the Southeast Seattle Schools Fundraising Alliance. You can specify an amount during the auction event and/or choose Donate to Equity Fund to give online. More information about the Equity Fund can be found here.

The in-person event will begin at 6:00PM at Victor Tavern in Eastlake (just down the street from TOPS!) and will include a live auction of items only available at the event as well as games, prizes and a raise the paddle opportunity to donate directly to Friends of TOPS. A silent auction will start in the week before the in-person and run after its conclusion, giving folks who cannot attend an opportunity to bid on more amazing items.

We encourage you to register in advance. When you arrive at the auction, you will check-in and receive a bidding number and paddle. During the live auction, you will raise your paddle to bid on one-of-a-kind experiences, vacation rentals and more! Sasha, our auctioneer, will also lead us in a Raise the Paddle, when you can raise yours to donate amounts between $50 and $10,000. This is where most of our money is raised so come prepared to raise your paddle!

The silent auction will open before the live event and continue after it. You can bid on silent auction items online from the comfort of your home. This is another great way to give to TOPS and get a little something in return.

There will be tables and chairs inside to sit during the auction, and cocktail tables to stand around and mingle with your friends, TOPS staff and fellow TOPS caregivers. As in previous years, there is no assigned seating or table captains at this year’s auction.

Victor Tavern is located just down the street from TOPS on Eastlake Ave. With the current construction in Eastlake, parking can. be tricky! The neighborhood is fully accessible via the 70 bus line and we encourage carpooling or ride-shares.

Please indicate any accommodations you may need when reserving tickets online and/or email auction@topsk8.org if you have any questions or concerns. ASL interpretation will be provided. If you need an interpreter for another language, please email us as soon as you can.

Dinner and drinks are provided in your ticket and Victor is helmed by local chef Ethan Stowell, so come hungry!

Desserts donated by local bakeries or homemade by members of our TOPS community will be up for grabs! A fun aspect of the TOPS auction is bidding on desserts and sharing the spoils once you win. We will share information on how to donate a dessert in the coming weeks!

Most auction activities will wrap up around 8:30-9pm, but the fun will continue with food and drinks until 10.