Raffle Tickets for Non Profits by Jonathan Fair
Raffle Tickets for Non Profits by Jonathan Fair
The use of raffles is a very good way for Non-profit organizations to raise money for worthy causes. The amount of money that can be raised can vary from a small amount to much larger sums. But this usually corresponds to the size of the non-profit since these organizations can also vary from little to big. To illustrate my position, let me use two examples to prove my point. My little brother’s elementary school holds a Christmas bazaar every holiday season. People can have a table (for free) and can sell products from whatever company they represent, whether it be Avon ™, Pampered Chef ™ or Yankee Candle ™. Some people will set up tables with homemade items, like cookies or knitted items or crafts carved from wood. And even some local merchants, like a home improvement or yard-work company, may bring a table.
There is always a wide array of tables set up in the gymnasium every year. However, when you walk into the school lobby, the first thing people come to is a raffle table run by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization. Some of the vendors will donate a few items to help fill some prize baskets. People can pay $1-5 for a chance to win one of these different types of baskets. 1 ticket for $1 and 6 or 7 tickets for $5. At the end of the bazaar, the winning ticket is pulled and the winner gets the basket. The PTO may not raise a lot of money but it is still enough for them to help pay for some things for the school kids, like new playground equipment or new computers. It is a quick and successful way to help the PTO and therefore help the kids.
Now, let’s look at the other end of the scale, for organizations that are held on the state or national level, like the Red Cross. But I want to focus on a local chapter of this organization. The chapter, like a local office of the Red Cross, may choose to run a raffle to raise money, but instead of using baked goods or a 30-minute spa session, they may ask a car dealership to donate a car for the prize. People would need to pay maybe $25 or more for a ticket but, then again, the prize is greater than a gift basket. And the time involved is much longer than a few hours spent on a Saturday afternoon in a school gym. The time of the raffle may take several weeks or a month. In the end, though, the results are similar. The non-profit chapter raises a lot of money but will in turn use it for worthy causes at the state or local level, like donating books to a library or helping with cancer research. Also, instead of getting a Christmas basket, someone will win a car—now that seems to be worth it. And even the dealership, itself, will probably be able to use the car as a charitable donation on their taxes.
So, clearly there are benefits for a non-profit organization to hold a raffle. The size of the results may vary, from something similar to items for a local school to something major like a donation to a medical center. The price of a ticket will fluctuate, like a $1 or so to $25 or more, depending upon the prizes. And the time involved for the contest with also vary, from one afternoon to one month or longer. But non-profit organizations, big and small, will find raffles are a great way to raise money for worthy causes.
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Contributed by Jonathan Fair