Online auctions have become a lucrative business for many entrepreneurs over the past decade, but it took the creative mind of Sean Milliken to figure out how nonprofits could benefit from this phenomenon. In 2000, Sean launched MissionFish, an online auction site that turns thousands of donated items into hundreds of thousands of dollars for good causes, including UNICEF, Children's Miracle Network, Amnesty International, The Nature Conservancy, and many others.

MissionFish turns auctions into valuable support for nonprofits.Individuals and companies using MissionFish help nonprofit organizations of their choice by selling an item and donating 10 to 100 percent of the proceeds to a charity; purchasing an item benefiting a charity; or making a cash donation directly through one of the organization's websites.

In November 2003, MissionFish launched Giving Works as eBay's exclusive charity. Today, more than 4,500 nonprofits have registered with MissionFish and Giving Works, which have raised and distributed millions of dollars. In 2003, MissionFish received an award from the Social Enterprise Alliance for its unique business model.

Owned and operated as a service of the Points of Light Foundation, MissionFish has received social enterprise investments from the Case Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Profits generated through MissionFish will help support other Points of Light programs and will provide a source of new charitable funds for the Case and Pew foundations as well. MissionFish was recently awarded first place in the 2005 National Business Plan Competition for nonprofits sponsored by the Yale School of Management, the Goldman Sachs Foundation, and the Pew Charitable Trusts.