How a Raffle Becomes a Community Builder
Most organizations switch to online raffles solely to increase proceeds — but many are surprised to find that they’re not just raising more money. Online raffles also strengthen ties between supporters and bring new audiences into the fold.
Wondering how to build community while fundraising? Discover how Go Raise Dough raffles serve as a community builder.
Raffles unite people under one goal.
Fundraisers emerge from a specific financial target. Maybe a church is falling into disrepair or a sports team needs new equipment. Whatever the case may be, a raffle gives individuals a common goal to rally around.
Take St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School as an example. The school hosts a Queen of Hearts raffle and a 50/50 raffle in support of scholarships, curriculum enhancements and professional development. These causes unite parents, students, teachers and more around a shared goal of improving outcomes in their community.
Put simply, buying a ticket makes you a part of a collective effort. This shared investment creates camaraderie that doesn’t come from isolated donations.
Raffles create shared experiences.
Our brains love an element of chance and unpredictability. It responds to suspense by releasing dopamine, which sparks joy and anticipation — but what happens when those feelings occur in a group setting?
Raffles serve as a community builder by providing collective conversation topics. With commonality established, community members feel safe approaching one another at in-person events to discuss prizes, winners or drawings.
St. Agnes is a prime example of how to build community with a raffle. The parish hosts its Queen of Hearts drawings both online and in-person. By facilitating face-to-face interactions, the parish encourages neighbors to converse, meet new people and interact with local leaders.
Raffles prompt repeat engagement.
Raffles give your community a reason to pay attention over time. Rather than ending with a single event, community members engage with your nonprofit multiple times for sales updates, prize reveals, winner announcements and more.
Progressive raffles are particularly effective as community builders. Participants return to purchase new tickets, select board numbers and follow the growing jackpot. These touchpoints keep your organization involved in a routine that supporters look forward to.
Consistency translates into stronger participation for many of our partners, including All Saints Academy. The school switched to online raffles in 2015, which allowed for greater engagement. Each Mega Raffle increased engagement — boosting raffle proceeds from $22,000 to $87,000.
Raffles promote your organization.
Supporters often share online raffles with their own network of family, friends, coworkers and acquaintances. Members of this new audience may only be interested in vying for the prize — but some may also be interested in joining your organization.
This could be as an employee, volunteer, parishioner or teammate. Whatever the case, online raffles attract new audiences to your cause.
One recent example of this is St. Theodore’s Knights of Columbus. After switching to Go Raise Dough, the chapter noticed that membership inquiries skyrocketed. Ultimately, they found that the online raffle put their chapter in front of prospects interested in joining their community.
Become a Community Builder with Go Raise Dough
Go Raise Dough transforms something as simple as a Queen of Hearts drawing into a catalyst for stronger communities. Our online raffle platform serves as a community builder that creates shared experiences, encourages ongoing participation and attracts new supporters — all while raising the funds you need.
Wondering how we build community while fundraising? Contact Go Raise Dough today to explore our online raffle solutions.