Raffle ticket prizes are crucial in helping you attract more people to your fundraising event. We have 15 unique ideas broken down into various budget categories that will easily fit every nonprofit's requirements. And in addition, we also offer a free sample of a raffle prize donation letter which can be customized for your organization. Keep reading this ultimate guide.
We know finding and securing raffle prizes can be a challenge, especially for smaller organizations. In this article, we’ll help you choose prizes that will appeal to your donor base and provide tips to successfully get them donated. We’ve also included a sample raffle prize donation letter that you can customize for your next event.
Raffles can be a simple and affordable way to raise funds for your nonprofit. Nonprofits can hold a raffle by itself or as part of an existing event.
Choosing the right raffle prize can mean the difference between hundreds of dollars to thousands. There are a few ways to ensure the prize you choose fits your audience and will encourage more participation.
Before soliciting raffle items for your event or campaign, you must understand your donors’ interests and financial capabilities. Other details you’ll need are age, hobbies, and gender.
Pro tip: If you have a significant number of women donors, a Mother’s Day raffle is an excellent option. Galatians Community Health’s Mother’s Day raffle sold tickets for spa, wine, and date night baskets that offered luxury items and gift certificates for women to pamper themselves. Remember to Include details on the items inside and the value of each basket to excite donors.
One of the first places to look for suitable raffle prizes is current and past event sponsors. Many businesses will be willing to give in-kind donations on top of their financial contributions.
Your event sponsors should already fit your donors’ interests, so contact them to see if they have any items that they’d be willing to donate.
Is there a popular family event or activity near your location? Is there an exciting concert happening? These raffle prizes will draw in a crowd if you can get your hands on them.
We’ve segregated the below list into various budget categories that will fit the requirements of every nonprofit.
Spa services are a popular raffle item because they are at once well-known and rare. Your donors will likely jump at an opportunity to win a facial, massage, manicure, or pedicure.
Another easy raffle prize is a gift basket. Nonprofits can get creative and make one that fits a specific event or create a few that cater to different donor types. Make sure to include one or two gift cards in each gift basket to increase the value.
Pro tip: Nonprofits may receive several low-value gift cards from several businesses. You can create themed gift baskets to increase the value of these gift cards and encourage more donor interest.
New City Arts did an excellent job with this for their Spring Dinner Raffle. A $10 raffle ticket gives donors the chance to win packages that include gift cards, memberships, weekend getaways, and other items.
Families are always looking for something to get the kids out of the house. Memberships for a local museum or fun activity can be an appealing prize for family-friendly events.
Another popular raffle prize for families, couples, and individuals is a gift certificate for a quality meal. A night out without the kids is a dream for many couples. If you can find gift certificates to a high-end restaurant this raffle ticket can bring in a large sum.
Signed memorabilia from popular athletes is still an excellent raffle prize. While most won’t raise a lot, you can usually find a small number of individuals who’ll jump at the chance to add these to their collection.
You may be surprised, but electronics can be an excellent money-raiser for your nonprofit raffle. One of the most popular electronics you can raffle is a gaming computer.
Gamers are always looking for the newest technology. If you can find a quality gaming computer to raffle, you’ll have a great chance at raising money for your organization.
Pro tip: Smaller independent companies may be willing to build a computer for your raffle in exchange for publicity.
Vacations are popular raffle prizes for a reason. Who doesn’t want the chance to get away? Nonprofits don’t have to solicit airlines and hotels to find an expensive vacation package.
Most donors will jump at the chance for a weekend getaway. A log cabin, beach resort, or Airbnb within driving distance will catch the attention of many donors.
Appliances and home repairs are other great choices for your raffle prize. Homeowners are often stunned by the cost of these items, and they inevitably happen.
Local home repair businesses may provide a gift certificate for their services as a marketing tool. Larger companies like Home Depot, Target, Costco, and Big Lots may provide gift cards and products for your raffle.
Jewelry can be another exciting raffle prize for your audience. Women’s events and Mother’s Days are excellent opportunities to raffle this item.
Jewelry businesses and individuals may have a unique item they’re willing to donate for this raffle. To get the most out of this raffle prize, you’ll want to promote the value and brand to your donor base and sell reasonably priced tickets to help donors feel like they’re getting a deal.
Adventure prizes are donor-specific, but if you cater to a younger crowd, these prizes can be very popular. Skydiving, circus classes, sailing, and other adventures are rare enough that people don’t know where to get them.
Donors are also more willing to pay $50 or $100 for the chance to win these types of adventures than the $500 or more that it takes to sign up on their own.
Vacations are an excellent raffle prize option for your nonprofit. If your organization can find a package that includes the flight and accommodations people will be more willing to spend more on the raffle ticket.
Camp Fire Green Country sold 100 raffle tickets at $100 to their donors for a four-night all-inclusive Cancun vacation or a 3-night golf/spa package in Scottsdale, Arizona. The exclusivity and affordability of the raffle ticket made it a popular fundraiser for the organization.
Have you seen the cost of gas lately? Imagine how many people would be willing to buy a raffle ticket to go gas-free for a year. There are a few restrictions you’ll want to add and communicate with donors before they purchase a ticket.
Determine prize specifics such as the quantity of gas they can get each month and any age or location criteria.
Cars and motorcycles can be another popular raffle prize, but nonprofits must ensure they have the right crowd and prize. People that love cars and motorcycles are very picky about the brand and type.
If you can promote your event to a larger audience, you can make up the difference if you don’t have a popular brand.
Pro tip: Make sure you are transparent about the taxes the winner must pay after the raffle. If an individual is surprised by this amount, they may share their frustrations with your organization on social media and you could lose donors.
Cash prizes will always be a rewarding raffle prize for the winner and the nonprofit. The popularity of the lottery shows that few will turn down the chance to win money.
Nonprofits can award cash prizes with 50/50 raffles, reverse raffles, and other raffle ticket sales.
Sportsmen for Charity has found great success with their cash raffle over the years. Donors can purchase tax-deductible raffle tickets for $100 for a chance to win $1,000 to $10,000.
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Throwing a party for your friends and family can get expensive, but special occasions call for the best. Your donors have likely been faced with an anniversary or birthday and no idea how to celebrate. You can help address this problem with a raffle prize to throw a party at a unique location or a free party tent.
Make a list of individuals and businesses to solicit. Determine the best way to connect and appeal to these donors.
Businesses are more interested in marketing opportunities. Find out who their target market is and see which organizations would be most interested in your donor base.
Pro tip: Don’t forget smaller donations. If you can get several individuals to donate a single item, you can create a unique and exciting raffle prize. Several supporters contributed to Williamsburg REALTORS’ Wheelbarrow of Fun raffle. The organization was able to combine them to make an exciting basket that included gift cards, alcohol, a cooler, a beach chair, towels, a pitcher, glasses, and more.
Each appeal should be different. When reaching out to individual donors, appeal to their interest in your mission. Share how their prize donation helps your organization.
Businesses may be interested in your mission, but they primarily care about reaching a new audience. Tailor your outreach to the business. How do event attendees fit their target market? Be specific about your needs and what they can receive in exchange for the gift.
Send personalized emails or letters to individuals and specific people in the business. If you don’t receive a response within a week or two, follow up with a phone call. Keep it professional but find a way to connect with them.
Businesses donate to nonprofits for marketing. Highlight the chance to display their name and logo on banners, programs, and other marketing material. Some businesses may give more to have a table or speaking opportunity at your event.
Virtual events also give sponsors a chance to share a video or commercial with a wider audience.
As the next step, we want to help make it even easier for you to solicit a raffle prize. The below sample raffle prize donation letter can be customized to fit your needs.
Click here to download it for free.
We hope the tips and ideas shared in this article will inspire and empower you to plan an exceptional raffle event. Don’t forget to use the provided sample letter as a resource to find and secure those sought-after raffle prize donations.
Donorbox is there to take your raffle event to the next level! As you’ve seen in various examples throughout the article, Donorbox Events helps organizations sell their event tickets online and boost their event revenue.
Join thousands of other organizations in leveraging powerful Donorbox tools including Events, Peer-to-Peer, Memberships, Text-to-Give, Crowdfunding, Customized Donation Forms and Pages, Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and more. Sign up today!
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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