Companies That Give Donations for Raffles

Raffles, like galas and auctions, are a timeless fundraising method commonly used by nonprofit organizations. During a raffle participants are able to purchase tickets that give them a chance to win a prize. At a predetermined time numbers are drawn randomly from a container that holds a copy of each ticket purchased. Participants with a ticket that matches the number drawn from the container will win a prize associated with the number on their ticket.

Often raffles are organized to raise money for a charitable cause and this is where corporate donations are useful. In the context of a raffle a donation is an item or experience that is offered to the nonprofit organization to be used as a prize. Donations can be anything from a food and drink hamper to a skydiving experience. As long as the donations have a wide appeal and would encourage people to participate in the raffle they're perfect.

Corporate donations for the purpose of a raffle are extremely important. They allow nonprofits to host raffles with little to no upfront costs. Without these donations charities would have to supply their own prizes which would eat into the revenue generated from the event. Furthermore companies typically have the ability to provide prizes that are much more enticing than those that could be offered by the nonprofit itself. Therefore corporate donations result in raffles that are much more attractive and generate greater support.

The realm of companies and donations is a mixed bag. Plenty of corporations are willing to make charitable donations and fulfill their social obligations, and many aren't. As a nonprofit organization you'll have to conduct research and use specific strategies to increase your chances of procuring corporate donations.

In the remainder of this article we'll cover a range of techniques that'll allow your nonprofit to identify opportunities for corporate donations and capitalize on them. On top of this we'll explore the benefits of corporate donations in detail, take a look at some examples of successful corporate donations, and answer frequently asked questions associated with the topic. By the end you'll be able to approach companies with confidence and procure enough donations for an effective raffle fundraiser.

Benefits of Corporate Donations for Fundraising Raffles

Companies that donate are crucial to the nonprofit industry. Corporate donations have a huge positive impact on fundraising initiatives and, as an extension, the furthering of charitable missions. Without the generosity of companies many nonprofits would lack the ability to continue operations effectively. In this section we'll dive into the benefits of corporate donations and how they can help organizations to develop stronger relationships with businesses and their local community.

Why Corporate Donations are Beneficial

Corporate donations are beneficial for a variety of reasons, here's a breakdown of the most important:

1. Financial Support

The financial support that is offered via donations from companies is second to none. When hosting a raffle the costs can be kept exceptionally low when the prizes are provided as a donation. Aside from the ticketing aspect, which is a relatively low cost, the prize pool is the only component that requires an upfront investment. Removing the burden of purchasing prizes from the nonprofit can greatly increase the revenue generation of a raffle fundraiser. This is because the cost of the prizes doesn't need to be offset by income generated from selling tickets. Instead all proceeds go directly to the charitable cause.

2. Access to Otherwise Unattainable Resources

Due to the greater financial power of corporations they have the potential to donate prizes that would otherwise be unattainable by the organization. For example a company might donate an expensive watch. The nonprofit wouldn't generally offer a prize like this because it adds risk to the fundraiser. If the nonprofit is unable to generate enough funds to cover the cost of the watch then there won't be any revenue to contribute to its charitable cause. Having a company donate these premium items alleviates the risk involved.

3. Greater Raffle Success

Corporate donations result in more successful raffles for a couple of reasons. Firstly because the prize pool is more attractive and this helps to generate greater interest in the fundraiser. And secondly the upfront cost of the raffle is heavily reduced which means that more of the revenue can be contributed toward the nonprofit's mission.

4. Relationships with Businesses

When communicating with companies and procuring donations nonprofits can use this interaction as a stepping stone to a long-term relationship. If organizations are able to have success forming these relationships they can expect to receive recurring support in the future. Building relationships with companies is vital for nonprofits. While receiving donations for raffle prizes is great there's so much more that businesses are able to do to help support the nonprofit sector. Building relationships with companies is the best way to access these benefits.

5. Exposure Through Business Relationships

Compounding on the previous point nonprofits can expect a great deal of exposure when entering relationships with businesses. Corporations share their charitable work as evidence that they are fulfilling their social responsibilities. With this comes free advertisement for your nonprofit organization and fundraisers that companies are involved in. This exposure will help to generate support for your nonprofit and improve fundraising potential.

Building Community Relationships Through Companies that Donate

Nonprofits, companies, and their local communities are entwined in a connected relationship. This relationship can exist in both a positive and negative way. Corporate donations help to strengthen the ties between each of these three entities and, as a whole, bring the community together.

This three-way relationship begins with the connection between a nonprofit and local businesses. Companies form relationships with charities because it allows them to fulfill their social obligations. As an extension nonprofits benefit from these relationships because they typically result in financial support, greater fundraising abilities, and a variety of other forms of assistance.

However relationships between businesses and nonprofits must be mutually beneficial in order for them to succeed. Companies aren't willing to donate unless the nonprofit receiving the donation can fulfill their end of the bargain. This usually comes in the form of helping the business to achieve its social obligations through charitable work.

The charitable work carried out benefits the community and is funded by local businesses. Here is where the relationship between nonprofits, companies, and their local communities becomes clear. When nonprofits are able to form strong relationships with local businesses they can have a greater impact on their local community. This results in stronger relationships between nonprofits and their community, and companies and their community.

Identifying Potential Donor Companies

The first step that nonprofit organizations should take when attempting to procure corporate donations is to identify potential donor companies - those likely to give to charity. In this section of the article we'll explore some different methods that are commonly used to carry out this task. It's important to note that nonprofits will typically have to use a combination of these strategies for the best results. The following is a brief overview of each technique that we'll unpack later:

Utilizing Online Resources: Online resources can be leveraged to identify potential donor companies. The internet is a wonderful tool that can help make the process of procuring corporate donations a lot simpler. There are a variety of websites available that display information on companies that offer their support to charities. Through this method the majority of the work can be taken care of for your nonprofit.

Corporate Giving Programs: Many companies will have established giving programs with the intention of making corporate donations as simple as possible for the parties involved. These programs are generally well-advertised and structured for ease of support.

Approaching National Chains: It's an excellent idea to take a proactive approach as a nonprofit when seeking corporate donations. There's nothing wrong with sending out some emails or making some calls to national businesses to inquire about their charitable giving. These conversations have the potential to lead to extremely beneficial relationships.

Networking and Referrals: Once your nonprofit organization has its foot in the door other opportunities are likely to open up. Through an existing relationship with a company your nonprofit can begin to network with other associated businesses in the industry and receive referrals. Networking and referrals will result in further business relationship and donation opportunities for your organization.

Utilizing Online Resources

As previously mentioned the internet is one of the most powerful tools available to nonprofit organizations. When it comes to identifying potential donor companies the world wide web is your best friend. It's filled with information pertaining to corporate charity initiatives and opportunities to form relationships with businesses.

One such online resource is Candid's Foundation Directory. The function of this tool is to help connect charities with foundations that can provide them with a donation. In this case the foundations aren't limited to corporate foundations but extend to private and independent foundations, U.S. federal foundations, and international foundations. There are plenty of opportunities available.

According to Candid 90% of U.S. foundations can't be found using standard search engines because they don't have a website. The Foundation Directory catalogs foundations regardless of their search engine visibility. It provides up-to-date and in-depth information about corporate, and other, philanthropists that would like to support your organization's mission.

Outside of this tool you can simply visit the websites of companies and their foundations to solicit a donation. An example of an opportunity like this is through the Charity Safaris foundation. On their website they have a page dedicated to requesting donations. The page presents the user with a form that can be filled out to make a donation request. Your organization must simply provide some basic information and select the type of safari it's interested in receiving as a donation.

In the case of Charity Safaris they offer trips for four individuals to Argentina, New Zealand, or South Africa. These trips range from $8,000-$12,000 in value and are available to nonprofits at no additional cost. They're designed to be used as part of a raffle or auction, and the fundraising event keeps 100% of any revenue generated by the donation. Furthermore Charity Safaris will provide marketing material to the nonprofit that'll help promote the associated fundraising event.

Corporate Giving Programs

A corporate giving program is a grant-making program formed within a for-profit business. Any proceeds generated by the program are donated directly to charities that are partnered with the company. Corporate giving programs typically make use of employees to generate funds. Businesses will encourage donations from their workforce using incentives and likely match the total raised to increase the amount of the donation. Therefore the more that employees contribute to the program, the higher the resulting donation will be.

An example of a successful corporate giving program that makes use of this strategy is BMO Bank's support of United Way. Employees of BMO Bank have the chance to earn incentives through making donations to United Way. These donations are eventually matched by BMO Bank resulting in a large corporate donation to United Way's campaign. BMO Bank is consistently recognized as one of United Way's top corporate partners and donated $31 million to the campaign in 2023.

In order to receive the benefits of a corporate giving program a nonprofit must apply. Many businesses will outline the application process online. However if your organization is unable to locate a directive for this type of application then simply reach out the the company via phone call, email, or letter. Most businesses are happy to provide more information on the application process and might even help your organization to take the next steps.

Be mindful of the intentions of your application when going through the process. If your organization is targeting raffle donations then this should be made clear in its communication with potential corporate donors. Otherwise the donation may be made in the form of cash and your nonprofit will have the responsibility of making use of this cash appropriately.

Approaching National Chains

Nonprofits have to be ready to take a proactive approach to soliciting corporate donations. This includes approaching national chains for support. A national chain is any large corporation that has multiple locations across the state, country, or world. The reason why national chains are highlighted is because they are more likely to make donations to charitable causes. However this strategy can apply to businesses of any stature and size as long as they engage in corporate philanthropy.

The initial step in this approach is communicating with relevant businesses. Before making first contact it's best to conduct some research into the company in order to identify whether or not they have an existing foundation. If they do then there will likely be details about the type of charitable causes that they support. If your nonprofit's mission is to improve education in the local community then it might not be a great idea to approach a business that focuses its foundation on environmental causes. Corporations are likely to only donate to charities that align with the goals of their foundation.

When your organization has identified a national chain (or other business) that is suitable to approach it's time to think about first contact. It's advised to communicate using email or telephone call, but a letter will also do the job. The benefit of a technological approach is that communication is more streamlined and, as a result, more prompt. This can help to get the process moving more swiftly.

During your communication with the company you'll have to make a proposal. We've discussed the idea of mutually beneficial relationships between nonprofits and businesses. They'll want to know what your organization can offer in return for the donation. For example your nonprofit might be able to use the name of the business to sponsor a fundraising event or, in the case of a hefty donation, name a building after the company. These details will have to be ironed out before the donation is made.

Networking and Referrals

Networking and referrals are a great way to compound on existing business relationships.

Networking refers to the exchange of information between two or more individuals that are connected by their shared interests or involvements. In the context of business donations this would likely be between your organization, and individuals that are involved in for-profit businesses and have the ability to grant donations to nonprofit organizations. Essentially your organization is leveraging its relationship with one business to open the door to others.

Referrals are straightforward to understand. Businesses that your organization is partnered with might refer your nonprofit to other companies. This can help your charity to expand its relationships and connect with new potential corporate donors.

Because networking and referrals can't be taken advantage of without the existence of a current business relationship they expose the importance of mingling with the corporate world. Not only will you receive donations by partnering with businesses but you'll likely find that these relationships will grow into more exciting opportunities through association. Be sure to uphold your end of the bargain and ensure a mutually beneficial experience for the best results.

Best Practices for Securing Donations

After your nonprofit has identified suitable corporate donors it's time to secure their support. This part of the process is vital and can be the difference between attracting a large donation and losing contact with a potential long-term business partner. Follow the advice in this section of the article to give your organization its best chance of capturing corporate support.

Crafting a Persuasive Proposal for Raffle Donations

Crafting a persuasive proposal relates back to the idea of first contact with a business. When connecting with a company regarding their support your organization should produce the most compelling proposal it's capable of. Below are some tips for writing a persuasive proposal:

• Understand the Company: Your proposal should clearly demonstrate that you understand the company that you are seeking to solicit raffle donations from. Indicate that you understand their business, customers, and philanthropic goals. Once they see that your organization has done its due diligence they'll know to take your proposal seriously.
• What Your Nonprofit Can Offer: We've highlighted the importance of mutually beneficial relationships between nonprofits and businesses - it cannot be overstated. Your proposal should clearly outline what the company can expect to receive in return for their generous donation. They'll likely want some form of exposure and to have their brand tied to your organization's fundraising efforts.
• Provide Success Stories: If your organization is fortunate enough to have previous experience with corporate donors then bring this to attention in your proposal. Describe what was received by your nonprofit, what was given to the business involved, and any major successes that came from the partnership. Businesses are more likely to support nonprofits with a good track record of corporate engagement.
• Address Appropriately: When it comes time to send your proposal make sure it gets in front of the right eyes. Larger companies will have a dedicated section of their business that deals with philanthropy. If possible your nonprofit should direct its proposal to the appropriate individuals. This will help to keep the communication process on track.

Highlighting Mutual Benefits

Since the mutually beneficial aspect of a relationship is so crucial, in the context of corporate donations, we'll detail some of the offerings that nonprofits can provide to help achieve this goal:

• Sponsorship: When it comes time to host the raffle your organization can make sure that promotional material contains the name of the business that has provided a donation. This applies to all fundraising events. For example the 'Fun Run' can become the '[Business Name Here] Fun Run' - it's quite simple.
• Volunteer Opportunities: Nonprofits can offer businesses volunteer opportunities for their employees. Staff members from the company supporting your raffle can be offered the chance to volunteer at the event and ensure that it runs smoothly. This provides a great photo opportunity for the business that they can use in future communications to showcase their commitment to their social obligations.
• Event Invitations: In the same vein as volunteer opportunities your organization can simply invite individuals associated with the business to the raffle or other event. This will also benefit your organization because it will increase engagement and result in more revenue.

It's important to be creative when outlining the benefits that your nonprofit can offer to businesses. Organizations vary form charity to charity meaning that you'll have to explore the unique advantages that your nonprofit has to offer. The more you can help the business you're partnering with, the stronger the relationship will grow and the longer it'll last.

Building Long-Term Relationships

Long-term relationships equate to long-term support. Your nonprofit must aim to establish lasting relationships with businesses to continue benefiting from their donations in the future. The following are some tips that'll help your organization to build strong, long-lasting relationships with corporate sponsors:

• Communication is Key: Communication channels between your nonprofit and associated businesses must remain open and well-used. The quickest way for a relationship to fail is through lack of communication and this applies not only to relationships in this context. Constantly convene and make sure that your goals align with those of your corporate partners.
• Remain Beneficial: Relationships between businesses and nonprofits tend to end when one party is no longer benefiting from the agreement. Ensure that your organization remains beneficial to the relationship in order to sustain it over the course of time.
• Deliver on Promises: When discussing the terms of the relationship your nonprofit is likely to make promises to the business that it's partnering with. If your organization doesn't fulfill any promises made then this will be viewed poorly by the company. Be sure to deliver on promises to avoid erosion of trust.
• Personalized Approach: Tailor each relationship to the business involved in it. This is especially applicable if your organization is in multiple corporate relationships simultaneously, different businesses will expect varying types of treatment. Customize each relationship to suit the preferences of the involved parties.

Follow-Up and Gratitude

This piece of advice ties in with building long-term relationships because follow-up and gratitude is an essential part of maintaining corporate partnerships. Once you have received your donation and used it for the purpose of fundraising it's a great idea to follow-up with the business that made the contribution. Simply letting them know how the event went and how well their donations were received by participants can go a long way.

On top of this your nonprofit is advised to express gratitude for each donation. Once again this should be personalized based each individual donation and the company that it came from. Tailoring your messages of appreciation will amplify their effect, indicating that your organization is truly appreciative of the specific details of each contribution.

Effective follow up and expression of gratitude, as mentioned above, is a potent method for ensuring the long-term success of nonprofit-business relationships.

Examples of Successful Corporate Donations

There are countless examples of successful corporate donations that prove the effectiveness of raffles backed by businesses. Let's begin by looking at the Talk Norwich City raffle.

Example 1: Talk Norwich City Raffle

Talk Norwich City is a media outlet focused on the English soccer team Norwich City. Earlier this year, in March, Talk Norwich City teamed up with Big C, a cancer charity, to host a fundraising raffle.

Talk Norwich City's raffle was supported by the business that their media outlet revolves around Norwich City Football Club. The team coordinated with its players to donate signed items for the raffle. Players such as Angus Gunn and Ashley Barnes got involved by autographing soccer-related prizes that were given to Talk Norwich City to support Big C.

Ultimately the raffle raised £7,794.00 for Big C.

Example 2: Howard Hannah Raffle

Howard Hannah is a small real estate company located in Aurora, Ohio. In December of last year Howard Hannah hosted a charity raffle in aid of their Children's Free Care Fund. The charity supports a variety of educational, health, and humanitarian programs across the state.

The theme of the raffle was holiday gifts and the prizes included hampers filled with food, customized cushions, and baskets filled with a variety of household goods.

This particular raffle raised approximately $3,000.00 for the Children's Free Care Fund adding to the total of $18 million raised since the inception of the nonprofit in 2012.

FAQs

Q: How do I find companies that give donations for raffles?

A: There are many avenues a nonprofit organization can take to identify businesses that are willing to make donations for raffles. Make use of online resources, research corporate giving programs, approach national chains, and leverage networking and referrals. It's likely you'll need to use a combination of these strategies for the best results. All of these methods have been explored in more detail earlier in the article.

Q: What are the benefits of corporate donations for raffle events?

A: The benefits of corporate donations for raffles are plentiful. The key benefit of these donations is that your nonprofit organization will avoid the upfront costs associated with purchasing prizes for the raffle which means that more revenue can go directly toward the charitable cause. Furthermore businesses tend to have more financial power than nonprofits resulting in the donation of prizes that would have otherwise been too expensive to include.

Q: How can I build long-term relationships with companies that donate for raffles?

A: Your organization will have to take care of each individual relationship that it has with different businesses, tailoring them to the needs and preferences of the companies involved. It's important to remain in frequent contact with corporate partners, deliver on the promises made by your nonprofit, and remain beneficial to the relationship. Doing these things will help your organization to sustain long-term relationships with businesses.

Conclusion

Securing donations from businesses for raffles and other events isn't always going to be a walk in the park. Sometimes it's going to take a significant amount of research and effort. There are companies that are willing and open about their donation programs, and companies that prefer not the engage in philanthropy. It's your job to wade through local options and identify those that are likely to work with your organization.

When searching for appropriate businesses be sure to make use of all resources available to you. The most powerful tool you have at your disposal is the internet which contains the majority of the information your nonprofit will ever need when locating corporate partners. Aside from the internet you can utilize a proactive approach and get in touch with companies yourself. Be mindful of your proposal if you take this route, it must be persuasive and should highlight the value that your nonprofit can provide to the business in question.

It's advisable to be in it for the long run when approaching corporations. Seek to form long-term relationships that will continue to be beneficial to both your organization and the associated business.

If your nonprofit requires assistance with fundraising, including the hosting of events, contact Paybee. Paybee is an all-in-one fundraising solution that assists with streamlining the revenue generation process for nonprofit organizations. Paybee has a wide variety of useful tools that'll help your organization to further its mission.

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