Coming up with innovative ideas for fundraisers can be challenging. You want to pique your community’s interest, offer something that’s of value to them, and raise money for your school in the process.
One idea might be to raffle off partial tuition as a fundraiser, perhaps as the ultimate item during your Auction Gala. This idea seemingly has many benefits—tuition as a prize feels exciting, one with long-term benefits for the winner. It will probably get many people involved in your Gala, helping you sell more tickets that also raise funds.
However, there may also be legal pitfalls or ethical issues associated with a tuition raffle. If you decide to move forward with an auction like this, beware of the following issues.
- Raffle tickets are not tax deductible and the winner has to pay tax on the winnings.
- The raffle has to raise, at a minimum, the cost of the prize in order for this to make good economic sense.
- A prize this large might detract from your auction guests spending on other items.
- In some states, raffles are either strictly regulated or are illegal because they are considered a form of gambling.
- Policies should be in place to handle issues such as families on financial aid—the prize might be greater than the family would owe.
It’s essential to check your state and local charitable gaming laws before moving forward with a fundraiser like this. It might be the perfect fit for your school—or you might choose to consider a different "big ticket" prize.
Here are some other ideas to get the ball rolling.
- “School Head” for the day—This is an inexpensive but interesting item for an auction. The winning student is given the “responsibility” of running the school for the day. Generally, it becomes more of a “shadow day,” allowing the student to spend some quality time with the School Head.
- Pizza party with faculty—Teacher volunteers host a pizza party for 20 elementary-age students at the school on a Saturday night, complete with games and movies.
- Trips at home and abroad—Everyone loves a vacation. From going to an exotic locale to donated timeshares, trips can inspire wonderfully large bids.
- Prime parking spaces—How much would your parents (or faculty!) be willing to pay for a premium space in front of the office doors? Instead of “first-come, first-served” or lottery distribution, consider putting these spaces up for bid at the auction—they could rake in thousands annually.
Additional ISM Resources:
The Source for Advancement Vol. 17 No. 4 Asking Employees to Volunteer at Events? Consider This.
The Source for Advancement Vol. 14 No. 9 Three Steps to Scoring Profitable Items for Your School’s Auction
Additional ISM resources for members:
I&P Vol. 42 No. 13 How to Jump Start a Stalled Fundraising Campaign
