Multi-prize raffle from local business donations
A parent team canvasses local businesses for vouchers, services and stock (~$2,000 retail), packages them into themed prizes and raffles them.
Typically raises
$3,000
$500–9,000 per campaignest.
About $100 per organiser hour
Based on a school raffle with ~$2,000 of donated prizes
Is it right for us?
- Money
- $2,000–10,000
- Work
- Weeks, part-time
- Helpers
- 16–40 people
- Lead time
- 1–2 months
- Red tape
- Light
Common: canvassing businesses for prizes is standard practice
- People
- 1-3 prize canvassers, 1 organiser, 1 treasurer, 30-200 sellers, 1 witness
- Organiser time
- 20-40 (canvassing alone 8-15) [Estimate]
- Lead time
- 6-10 weeks (4-8 weeks to collect prizes, then 2-4 weeks selling)
- Up-front cost
- Printing only. Very low cash risk because the prizes are donated.
- Risk
- Very low: the prizes are donated, so only printing is at risk.
How it works
The money, as an example sum
Take about $3,050, pay about $50 of costs, and you keep about $3,000 per campaign: the typical result for a school raffle with ~$2,000 of donated prizes.
From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.
Where the money figure comes from
[Estimate] $2,000 of donated prizes allows up to $10,000 printed (DIA 20% rule). With no prize cost, net is roughly tickets sold less printing. A typical figure assumes 30-60% sell-through. The ~$2,000-of-prizes school case comes from the brief, not a public source.
Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.
Step by step
- Set the goal and purpose; list 30-60 local businesses, with the families' own connections first.
- Prepare a one-page ask letter and a donor tracker (asked, pledged, collected, thanked).
- Visit in person on weekday mornings, 4-8 weeks before printing; give a reply-by date.
- Record each prize's retail value and any expiry or conditions.
- Group small donations into themed packs (pamper, garden, family day out, date night) behind one headline prize.
- Calculate the ticket cap from the total retail value and choose price and books.
- Print tickets and a poster crediting each donor.
- Allocate books, sell in person, promote with prize photos.
- Reconcile, draw publicly, publish results.
- Thank every donor publicly and report back what was raised.
Getting the word out
Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.
- Ask for help
- Sellers to take a book of tickets, and businesses to give prizes.
- Ask people to buy
- People to buy tickets.
- When to start
- Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.
Where to put it
- Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
- PostersPosters at the school gate, the clubrooms and shop windows, with the date, place, price and how to pay.
- Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.
- Free notices in local papersMany local papers print some community notices free: ask what they offer. Not every town still has one, so check what comes to your letterbox, and book early.
The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.
What you’ll need
- Place
- Not neededNone needed
- Landowner’s permission
- Not needed
- Council permit
- Not needed
- Food rules
- Not neededNo food sold
- Alcohol
- Not neededNo alcohol sold
- Gambling rules
- NeededClass 2: prizes up to $5,000 and all tickets printed worth up to $25,000. Run by a club or society, with the money going to community or charitable purposes. Prizes at least 20% of ticket value; sold in person only, every ticket numbered (our rule: on paper). Prizes over $5,000 need a Class 3 licence
Class 2 lottery: a society runs it, prizes up to $5,000 retail and turnover up to $25,000, no DIA licence. Sold in person only, no remote sales (Facebook comments, messages, phone, or online orders paid by transfer); our rule is a numbered paper ticket for every entry. Prize value is retail value even when donated; no alcohol or bottle-store vouchers as prizes.
Make more from it
Sell at a sausage sizzle table
often 100-300 extra tickets (estimate)
reaches people outside the parent group
Draw at a school or club event
last-minute ticket sales (estimate)
public draw plus urgency
What you can get donated
Local businesses: gift vouchers, beauty treatments, haircuts, car valet or WOF, mulch or compost delivery, surplus stock, experiences with spare capacity, trades' time, butcher meat packs.
Tips
- Ask for something specific in the $50-$150 range; it's easier to say yes to.
- Services and vouchers cost the business less than retail value, yet count at full retail on your ticket.
- Restaurants and spas get asked constantly; try trades, garden centres, mechanics and groomers (Eventgroove).
- Keep the donor list for next year (Red Cross NZ).
Watch out for
- Accepting wine or bottle-store vouchers.
- Vouchers that expire before the winner can use them.
- Adding a late prize after tickets are printed.
- Promising donors tax deductions the group can't give.
Multi-prize raffle from local business donations: checklist
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Before
After
Class 2 lottery: a society runs it, prizes up to $5,000 retail and turnover up to $25,000, no DIA licence. Sold in person only, no remote sales (Facebook comments, messages, phone, or online orders paid by transfer); our rule is a numbered paper ticket for every entry. Prize value is retail value even when donated; no alcohol or bottle-store vouchers as prizes.
Also pairs with: supermarket selling table
* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide