Gift cards may seem a little pedestrian on the surface, but they are really awesome. What student wouldn’t love getting a gift card loaded with several pizza dinners? And who doesn’t want an excuse to go out to a new restaurant? When you approach local eateries, keep in mind that, yes, you’re asking for a donation. But that donation helps their business, too. The raffle prize winner could be someone who’s never been to the restaurant before, making them a potential new customer. Plus, donating a raffle prize is a way to get good press and name recognition, both of which could translate into more people coming in the door. If you feel that the gift cards or gift certificates aren’t enough on their own, add them to a gift basket. Take our pizza gift card idea—you could easily build that into a college student gift basket that also includes movie tickets, yummy snacks, laundry cards, a snuggly hoodie, and more. Another would be to use the pizza card in a new-parent basket that’s filled with things like babysitting services, movie tickets, and maybe even a weekend getaway. Both would be great prizes!

Signed sports memorabilia, artwork, and antiques generate buzz as well as raffle ticket sales. Historical or antique items: Visit local antique shops, estate sales, and swap meets to find these! Sometimes, shop owners are willing to donate or offer items at a reduced price for a good cause. You might also find hidden treasures in your own attic or those of your friends and family. Celebrity connections: If you or someone in your network has connections to a celebrity, you might request an autographed item or a personal experience, such as a lunch date or a short video message. Custom experiences: Arrange for a unique experience, such as a private dinner with a local chef, a day with a craftsman, or a personal tour of a local attraction. The key here is to make it extra exclusive. Local business partnerships: Partner with local businesses to create exclusive packages or products. For example, a local brewery could produce a limited-run beer, or a boutique could offer a one-time fashion piece.

This raffle prize is an old raffle fundraising event standby because they’re effective at selling raffle tickets! They also happen to be fun to put together and handy if you’ve got a scattering of donated items that need a little filling out to become thrilling prizes. The key here is to be creative.

Raffle prize basket ideas:

A WFH (work from home) basket: This could include blue-light glasses, a glamour light you can clip onto your laptop for Zoom meetings, restaurant delivery cards, and an ergonomic seat cushion. Summer grilling basket: It could come packed with cooking tools, specialty sauces, a cookbook, craft beer, and twinkle lights to add some outdoor ambiance! Sports fan basket: Gather merchandise from a popular local sports team, such as jerseys, hats, and signed memorabilia. Tickets to a game or a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium would be icing on the cake! Local adventure basket: You could include gift certificates for local experiences like hot air balloon rides, ghost tours, horseback or carriage rides, docent-guided museum tours, or cooking classes. It’s also a terrific opportunity to promote local businesses, which may make asking for donated experiences easier. Pet lovers basket: This one is always a big hit! Fill it with treats, toys, a gift card to the groomers or a trainer, and maybe a pet camera or a gift certificate for pet-sitting services. Artisanal craft basket: Support local makers and create a terrific raffle prize by building a basket that focuses on handmade items from local artisans. This could include pottery, hand-woven textiles, artisanal soaps, and unique jewelry.