How  Do We Get Free Charity Raffle Prize Donations?

Finding companies willing to donate free raffle prizes for your charity can be a challenge.  You can get the raffle prize donations needed by contacting local and national companies.  Our free Help Finder directory enables you to do that very quickly and simply and once logged in, the in-system AI bunny will even write your request for a charity raffle prize donation for you.

But there are also other ways to request charity raffle prizes.  Whom do your trustees/governors, volunteers and supporters know in local companies and organisations or do they know any celebrities?  You may well be surprised.  You can also maybe talk to your suppliers, visit local companies and businesses or call them.  To help you, I've included some charity raffle ideas at the end.

How Do We Find UK Companies Willing To Donate Raffle Prizes?

Once logged in to Help Finder, use the Category pull down menu to select Raffle & Auction Prizes.

• By Location. From the UK Country/International pull down menu select UK Wide and your UK country.  If applicable, in the England - City/County section enter your county and/or city.  Then click Search.

If you want results specific to your charity, or want more results, try these types of search.

• By Sector.  You can also use the Keyword search box to find companies that support your cause.  For example, by using search terms like 'young people' or 'animals', and you can also drill down by using words like 'dog'.  If you use Select All in the Category pull down menu, you will get more results.
• By Prize. You can run searches using words like 'chocolate', 'experience days', or 'tickets.  If you use Select All in the Category pull down menu, you will get more results.

The system will display details of each provider, with a link to the relevant section of its website.  Some very large companies have 1000s of outlets, so I've included an office locator link in the text.  Copy and paste this into your browser to find the company office or outlet local to you to contact and get a raffle prize.

Help Finder - UK Company Charity Raffle Prize Donations

The system finds free donations of services and goods for charity, so scroll through your results to find the ones that would make the best raffle prizes for your charity or school.  Here are some of the types of company donation entries you'll want.

• Experience days.
• Complementary tickets to theme parks and cinemas.
• Sweets, chocolate and toys.
• Gift vouchers.
• Company product donations, such as household goods.
• Donated company services, such as spa days and hotel stays.
• Donated rail, plane, ferry and cruise tickets.

Here are some great charity raffle prize ideas.

• For cheap and cheerful raffle prize ideas, you might consider high street shop gift cards, cash prizes, homeware, such as candles and picture frames, or drinks, food, flowers and books.
• Vouchers for a local shop, restaurant, gym, spa or hairdressing salon.
• Also free, are raffle prizes that money can't buy, if you have contacts or approach in local companies or organisations.
  • For example, a behind the scenes tour of a company or organisation or announcing the weather on your local radio station.
• Or perhaps the higher end raffle prizes, such as an I Pad or Apple Watch, VIP access to an event, an artwork, holidays.
• If you approach or have contacts with a celebrity, perhaps a signed piece of memorabilia or a recipe, or even cooking a meal at home.

How to Write a Raffle Prize Donation Request

Your letter or e mail should be clear, polite, and persuasive—while showing why your cause matters to them.  Here’s a simple structure that works well in the UK:

• Addressee.  Address your letter or email to a specific person—ideally someone in charge of community engagement, marketing, or customer service.  For small local companies, address it to the owner or manager.  Address him/her by name, if possible as this makes it more personal.
• Start with a warm introduction.  Briefly introduce yourself and your organisation. Mention your charity registration number if you have one—it builds trust.  For example “I’m writing on behalf of Willow Grove Community Trust, a registered charity supporting local families in need (Charity No. 1234567).”
• Explain the event and its purpose.  Share what the raffle is for, when it’s happening, and how the funds will be used.  For example “We’re hosting a Summer Fair on 20th July to raise funds for our community food bank, which supports over 100 families each month.”
• Make your request specific. Let the company know what kind of prize you’re hoping for—vouchers, products, experiences—and why you thought of them.  For example, “We’d be thrilled if your business could donate a gift voucher or product for our raffle. Your handmade chocolates would be a real crowd-pleaser!”
• Offer recognition.  Mention how you’ll acknowledge their support—on social media, at the event, or in printed materials.  For example, “We’ll proudly feature your business in our event programme and thank you on our social media channels.”
• Close with a thank you and contact details.  Thank them in advance and make it easy for them to respond. For example, “Thank you for considering our request. If you’re able to help, please contact me at jane@willowgrove.org or 07700 900123.”

Other things to bear in mind.

• Keep it Short and Succinct. People are busy and many companies receive a lot of requests, so include everything you need to but more is not necessarily better - a long letter may simply not be read.
• Additional Information.  If you have a leaflet or a link to your website or similar that would enable them to quickly and easily find out more about your charity, consider including this.

Charity Raffle Prizes - Regulatory Guidance

• Gambling Commission - Fundraising Raffles and Lotteries.
• Fundraising Regulator - Lotteries & Raffles.

Companies That Donate Raffle Prizes FAQs

• Are charity raffles a good way to make money?  Except for the very large raffles, these tend not to raise substantial funding but are a great way for charities and clubs to raise funds.  There are some rules, but items are usually donated by volunteers or local companies, so raffles are often a simple and low-cost way to raise funds.
• How do I get companies to donate raffle prizes?  People give to people for causes that are important to them. Use your supporters and the Internet, or Charity Excellence Help Finder, to identify and contact companies that are local to you or whose work may have some connection to what you do.
• How do you request charity raffle prizes?  Try to speak to someone who can make decisions and, if you or a supporter knows someone, that significantly increases your chance of success.  In requesting a raffle prize, keep it short, simple and clear - people are busy.
• Is a raffle classed as a lottery?  'Lottery' is a broad term and includes many types of events, such as raffles, tombolas and sweepstakes.
• Can I hold a raffle without a licence UK?  Your charity, community group or club can run a small society lottery to raise money for good causes.  Raffles cannot be run for commercial purposes.  You don't need a licence, however you must register your lottery with your local licensing authority.
• What are good charity raffle prizes?  It seems obvious but have prizes your audience will actually want and try and include items that will appeal to everyone, such as vouchers. No one wants to win a raffle prize they don't want.
• How many raffle prizes should you have?  You want one 'big' raffle prize that will encourage everyone to buy tickets and enough smaller ones to appeal to everyone you will want to sell tickets.  Avoid having a large number of prizes as this is unlikely to increase the funds you raise but will increase workload.
• Can I give away alcohol as a charity raffle prize?  You don't need a licence to give alcoholic beverages away as prizes, like a bottle of champagne for a winning raffle ticket, but there are rules about what can be given away. Contact your council for more information.
• Can I run a charity raffle as a fundraiser at an event?  An incidental lottery (raffle) can take place alongside a commercial or non-commercial event. It cannot be the main reason for holding the event and any money raised must go to charity or other good causes. It cannot be run for private or commercial gain.