As you delve into the raffle ideas below, start thinking about logistics. Sure, not every one of these raffles will be the right fit for your nonprofit, and that’s OK—you just need to find one that works for you.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you go through the ideas:
- Could we do this online or benefit raffle ideas a hybrid format, or does it need to be exclusively in-person?
- What about in the first place? What partnerships or connections do we have with the community that we could use for raffle prizes and services?
- Will we need benefit raffle ideas to facilitate this raffle? If so, how many?
- When would be the best time to hold this raffle event? Should we reserve it for a stand-alone affair, or should we incorporate it into an upcoming event?
- Given the prizes available, how much should we charge for raffle tickets?
Download for deeper insights into hosting a fundraising event. In it, we’ve collected data benefit raffle ideas over 1,000 fundraising event attendees to give you the real-life data you need to create compelling events with all the right details.
1. Raffle Off a Product
Find a local business to donate a gift for your raffle. It’s good exposure for that business and can be a huge incentive for your donors. Depending on your connections, you have a couple of options for product raffles:
- Single-product raffle: If you receive a high-value donation, hold a raffle solely for this item. Tickets benefit raffle ideas cost anywhere from 10% to 20% of the retail value.
- Multi-product raffle: If you don’t have any high-value items, wait until you have a collection of low-value prizes for a successful raffle.
2. Provide a Service or Experience
Instead of a tangible good, consider giving away a service or experience for your raffle. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Haircut from a favorite stylist
- Lunch with the mayor
- Climbing with a guide
- Personal chef for a night
- Babysitter for an evening
- Cooking class with a local chef
- Photography lesson with a local pro
3. Help Your Supporters Get Away
Everyone loves a getaway. Offer anything from a tropical resort to a cruise to a ski vacation. You could even partner with a local hotel.
Consider these other unique getaway ideas:
- Exclusive camping at a coveted, hard-to-get spot
- Camper van rental and week-long itinerary
- Hotel stay outside a nearby national park
- Weekend getaway to an amusement park
- Hot springs and massage package at aresort
4. Offer an Exclusive Tour
You don’t need the Notre Dame Cathedral Paris or Windsor Castle in your backyard to have an unforgettable tour. Sometimes, a tour of a local restaurant, brewery, winery, or sporting center can satisfy your donor’s curiosity.
Think outside the box. Perhaps your donors would appreciate a backcountry ski tour, whitewater rafting guide, climbing expedition, backpacking trip, or geological exploration.
This is where knowing your constituents come in handy.
5. Supply Signed Memorabilia
Do you know someone willing to donate a prized piece of signed memorabilia? Your raffle prize could be a basketball signed by LeBron James, a poster autographed by Blackpink, or a T-shirt signed by Tiger Woods. People love practically anything signed by a famous athlete or celebrity.
Ask your team members, volunteers, partners, and anyone in your network if they know of anything. You might be surprised what cool items come out of the woodwork.
6. Assemble Gift Card Baskets
Collect gift cards from local businesses to create a must-have gift card basket. You could get various gift cards in the mix, including:
- Restaurants
- Gyms
- Bakeries
- Hotels
- Retailers
- Theaters
- Pet shops
- Florists
- Car repair shops
And, if you receive a big enough gift card donation, consider excluding it from the basket and making it a one-off grand prize.
7. Give Out Subscriptions
Subscriptions can be a fun way to expand a one-off service into a lifelong benefit for your donors. For example, instead of raffling off a weekend getaway to an amusement park, you could replace that with a year-long membership.
Another entertaining raffle idea is subscription boxes—a great way to feature local businesses that might not have a storefront. Research businesses near you (whether that’s your city, county, or state) that provide subscription boxes.
8. Arrange a Mentoring Opportunity
Want to have a raffle at a college or university? Consider offering a mentorship program. This could be virtual sessions with an accomplished CEO or shadowing opportunities at a local business.
The mentorship could be as simple as making a life-changing introduction or include elements like breakfast with a developer or invitations to exclusive networking events.
9. Reserve a Parking Space
A coveted parking space could be worth more than gold (in some places). So if your nonprofit owns parking spaces in a high-trafficked part of town, you could reserve them for lucky donors for six months or a year.
Reserved parking spots are a great raffle prize for colleges and high schools, too. That’s especially true if your donors are supportive parents or alumni.
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