Everyone loves a game of chance, and raffles are great for incentivizing more ticket sales – resulting in more funds to support your important work. If you're not sure how to get started, we have 10 fundraising raffle ideas to inspire you and make your next raffle your best yet. We also share top tips to ensure the success of your raffle, plus a bonus resource to get you going!
Did you know that 47% of donors give to their favorite charities through online raffles or sweepstakes? If you want a unique way to promote your mission or a specific program, a raffle is an excellent way to raise funds and get the word out. In this article, we share 10 creative raffle ideas and how you can use them to achieve your fundraising goals.
Read on!
Before we get into fundraising raffle ideas, it’s important to note that some states have specific laws and regulations regarding raffles. Raffles are considered a form of lottery by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Most local governments require nonprofits to buy permits before selling raffle tickets. Review our list of U.S. raffle laws to understand the requirements for your state.
Important to note: You must file Form W-2G to report any winnings and federal income tax to the IRS, along with Form 1096. Don’t forget to send a copy to your raffle winner, too. Raffle winnings are taxable as ordinary income. For prizes exceeding $5,000, you must withhold 25% or pay the withholding tax.
There are an astonishing 1.97 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S. alone! For many nonprofits, it can sometimes be challenging to keep donors loyal and engaged while raising funds for their causes.
Raffles are a fantastic way to create excitement and boost donations to keep the wheels of your nonprofit turning. Online raffles are also a creative way to find more Facebook friends, share stories, and encourage peer-to-peer fundraising.
If you’re looking for unique raffle ideas that can raise a lot of money, here are a few raffle ideas that can be held at your next event or as a separate campaign.
On the hunt for simple raffle ideas? This one is for you. The idea of this raffle is in its name. You hold a raffle with one big prize up for grabs to encourage participation and ticket purchases.
Request and receive a quality product, service, or any other in-kind gift by connecting with local companies. This way, you’ll build community partnerships that benefit both organizations in the long run.
Pro tip: Collect the names, emails, and addresses of those who bought raffle tickets. Take the time to introduce your organization to these individuals after the raffle. This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about these supporters, connect with them, and turn them into long-term donors.
Here’s a great example of a single-prize raffle idea. You don’t always need a separate fundraising event to sell raffle tickets.
Arts Impact found a winning raffle prize idea that they knew would excite their donor base. Hamilton continues to be a popular show for Broadway lovers. With this charity raffle, Arts Impact supporters could purchase raffle tickets to win a chance to see the show live!
A whopping 81% of donors attend fundraising events! If you want to wait until your next event to hold a raffle, a 50/50 raffle can raise a lot of money.
Unlike traditional raffle ideas, a 50/50 raffle is when the prize is halved between the raffle winner and an organization. The more tickets sold, the bigger the prize! This is a popular raffle idea because it is cost-effective (no need to secure prizes beforehand!) and easy to organize.
Many people already know about this type of raffle, but you may have to explain the raffle to event attendees on the day.
You will have the best results from your 50/50 raffle if your event is large and attendees will be staying until the end. There is no product or service to encourage people before the event, so your event will need to attract a larger audience.
How it works:
Child Network is a nonprofit helping abused and neglected children in Kankakee and Iroquois counties. Check out this simple form out for some inspiration. We love how they have concisely described the event’s purpose along with a catchy image.
Another fun raffle perfect for an in-person fundraising event is a Heads or Tails raffle.
Hold this raffle during a large enough event. Since standing and sitting are a big part of the game, this raffle is best for galas or other indoor events.
With this raffle, have your emcee and event attendees play along and have fun. Make sure your crowd is right for this raffle idea, and your emcee can get the crowd excited enough to play!
The prize for this raffle can be anything. The game is generally more appealing than the prize, but if you expect people to pay $10 or $20 for a chance to play, the winnings will need to match that price.
Get More Attention
Use creative raffle ideas to garner awareness in the local press and on social media. A raffle can be an excellent way to introduce your organization to individuals who have never heard of you.
Reverse raffles have gained attention in local communities because they are unique and can become a huge event for the public.
Generally, you will limit the number of people entering the raffle, and raffle tickets are sold for a more significant amount, like $100. If you sell 300 tickets for $100 each, that gives you $20,000 and the winner $10,000. Unlike the 50/50 raffle, players know the amount of the prize before the game begins, which is half the appeal.
The winner of this raffle is not the number called. Instead, the winner is the last one left whose ticket number was not called. Watching is exhilarating, and people want to stay until the end to see what happens.
Pro tip: To help encourage more excitement and participation, you could offer participants the chance to buy back into the game if their ticket number has already been called. Another way to keep people going until the end is by asking the last five if they want to split the pot or keep playing until the end.
If you want to make the most out of this raffle idea, hold the game recurrently.
Suppose the first raffle earns your nonprofit $20,000 and the winner gains $10,000. You could take the $20,000 and be content or add $10,000 to the next pot. The following 300 people who pay $100 for a raffle ticket now get the chance to win $15,000, and you can pocket the rest or keep the game going.
If you can keep the fun going and encourage enough participation, you will likely gain more attention from the press and public.
Pro tip: Invite the local media to cover your event to gain more attention. Also, reach out to the press in advance to print some articles on the upcoming raffle so that more people are encouraged to attend and partake. Such news should essentially highlight your nonprofit and its mission.
Spread your mission
Raffles are a great way to raise money and spread the word about your organization. Most people who buy raffle tickets may have never heard about your nonprofit.
Still, if you start a conversation with these people right away, you may be able to turn a one-time raffle ticket sale into a recurring donation.
Online raffles gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial benefits made it easy for nonprofits to continue using this raffle idea instead of worrying too much about the expense of hosting a fundraising event.
Cleveland Tri-League Little League has turned its online raffle into a series of successful fundraisers.
On the first of every month, the organization sells tickets to win a new prize. Drawings happen at the end of the month. Supporters can purchase tickets with PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App.
Donorbox offers an easy way to hold successful online raffles with our free online donation tool.
Get More Online Connections
Social media has become one of the easiest and most affordable ways to get the word out about your organization and mission. It’s the ideal platform to share information like event updates, program information, and success stories.
While it’s easy to share these activities online, you may feel like your efforts are pointless if you do not have enough followers. Some nonprofits have found a way to find more connections online and ensure their stories are heard – such as Facebook raffles.
34% of donors are most inspired to donate to nonprofits via social media.
Several of your current donors may have Facebook accounts but have no idea you have an account and regularly post information. One way to connect with them is simply by asking them to be your friend.
Another way is to entice them and their friends and family to join your social media network and pay close attention to what you have to offer. A Facebook raffle is an excellent idea to encourage more participation from your current Facebook friends while gaining new followers.
This raffle may not earn you money right away, but it will introduce your organization to more people and find more ways to connect with your current donor base.
Pro tip: You can also use this raffle idea to build a stronger relationship with potential community partners by promoting their goods and services throughout the campaign and giving your donors the chance to win their products.
Another way to gain more attention and raise funds online is with a peer-to-peer raffle campaign.
This donor information can be a great resource for you to reach out to new people through marketing techniques.
Pro tip: Offer bonus points for those who manage to get their friends and families to follow/subscribe to your social media handles along with getting donations. Here, your focus should be on meeting a long-term goal of creating a strong donor base rather than getting instant donations.
Use In-Kind Donations
Have you ever received in-kind donations you don’t know what to do with? This is a fairly common problem with nonprofits, and most organizations are opposed to sending any gift back. Instead of junking the items or hiding them in a closet, why not use them as raffle prizes?
Regardless of the worth or size of an item, you can raise money from these gifts and spread the word about your mission.
If you have an upcoming event or location that sees many visitors, a door prize may be the right raffle prize idea for your nonprofit.
Pro tip: This is an opportunity to use the gifts you received that do not have a place and collect contact information for visitors and event attendees at the same. Don’t forget to connect with each of the raffle players by email or phone call and start a relationship that can benefit your organization for years to come.
Kid-Friendly Raffle Ideas
Raffles are the perfect game for kids’ events. These games are easy to play and understand and don’t require a lot of money to participate. If you host a fair or other kid-friendly event, look for ways to include a raffle to raise funds and boost awareness about your organization. Golden tickets are an excellent raffle idea to get the ball rolling.
“I’ve got a golden ticket!”
This cry was heard in the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and can be exclaimed at your next kid-friendly event.
You can hold this fun and tasty event by purchasing a bunch of candy bars and placing one or more golden tickets under the wrapper. Sell the bars to all attendees, and watch the winner’s eyes light up when they find their prize. To make sure the winner does not ruin the game for everyone else, you may want to collect the money first and pass out the candy bars all at once.
The great thing about this raffle is everyone is a winner. After all, everyone ends up with a yummy candy bar! Raffle ideas like this can excite younger players and get their parents to spread the word about your event and organization with their friends.
Our final raffle idea can raise money or be for free.
Your nonprofit will fill a jar, tub, bear, or whatever you want with small items. The winner of this raffle is the one who chooses the closest amount to what you have. You can either sell tickets to guess the amount or ask everyone for one guess each.
It’s best practice to choose items that fit your mission to give this raffle an extra benefit for your organization. While the children choose a number, you can talk to the parents about your organization and the work you do on the ground. At the end of the game, you could also pass out the items to the players to keep your mission fresh in their minds.
Pro tip: Partner with your local schools to conduct a raffle of this kind. That way, whether or not your raffle is free of cost, you get to promote your organization among school staff and parents alike. You can even invite the adults to your next nonprofit event or talk to them about an ongoing online donation campaign while students are playing the game.
Coming up with unique and exciting prizes to match your raffle ideas can sometimes feel daunting.
We’re here to help, with some fun and creative ideas for raffle prizes:
Bonus resource: Need more inspiration? Check out our 15 unique raffle ticket prize ideas (plus a sample donation letter) in our blog post!
Raffle ticket templates are a handy resource when it comes to creating your raffle ticket! These easy-to-use templates cut down your design time, boosting your efficiency and productivity.
Teams can also collaborate easily and provide input before you finalize the design of your raffle ticket.
If you’re looking for customizable raffle ticket templates, check out our blog post for four free raffle ticket templates you can personalize using simple online tools!
Here are some helpful tips to ensure the success of your fundraising raffle – no matter which idea you choose.
Raffles are a great way to raise money for your nonprofit, but there are several other ways you can benefit from this fundraising idea.
Whether you’re looking for ways to stand out in your community, boost your following online, or get the word out about your mission, these raffle ideas are unique and creative ways to accomplish those goals.
Discover other fundraising tips and ideas on our Nonprofit Blog. If you need an online donation processor, Donorbox offers a no-contract affordable option for organizations of all sizes. Visit our website for a breakdown of features and more information on how our system can help you raise more money.
Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor