You can make money using online auctions, and you can spend more time than it's worth doing it sometimes. If your school or church wants to sell off old items, a rummage or non-online auction might be a better option.
The internet can be used to help you make money for your non-profit, but a lot of it takes time and expertise. The professionals at Parish Funding and Innovative School Funding have spent the time researching internet marketing and acquiring relationships with retailers. Still, the only way Parish Funding and Innovative School Funding make money is through managing multiple sites, so going at it alone might prove frustrating.
Take a look at what Parish Funding and Innovative School Funding can do for you, and then ask yourself if you really want to tackle online auctions to raise money for your non-profit, or if you would rather promote a site that offers people what they really want from the internet--good bargains on quality merchandise from trusted sources.