The short answer
To organize an online charity raffle, you need a specific cause, a prize you can deliver, a realistic budget, and clear rules. Next, it’s time to spread the word, hold the raffle at random, and share what was achieved with the amount raised.
The prize helps more people discover your initiative; the cause is what convinces them to collaborate. That’s why everything starts with explaining who you want to help and why you need the money.
In this guide
- What a charity raffle is and how it differs from a draw
- Define the cause and who is responsible
- Choose the entry method
- Choose a prize you can deliver
- Calculate how much money will go to the cause
- Make the terms clear before outreach
- Set up the page and an easy-to-share message
- Organize outreach with your collaborators
- Share the outcome and where the help goes
- How Kukumiku charity raffles work
- Frequently asked questions about online charity raffles
What a charity raffle is and how it differs from a draw
Day to day, we use charity raffle to describe any initiative where a prize is raffled off to support a cause. Terms like benefit raffle or charity draw are also used. But those names don’t always describe the same setup: what matters is how you enter, not what you call it.
The Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) defines a raffle as a format requiring a financial contribution to enter, subjecting it to specific requirements. You can consult its information on occasional raffles. Having a charitable purpose does not exempt you from complying, and swapping the word “payment” for “donation” doesn’t change how it is treated.
That’s why, before anything else, you should decide who will draft the terms and handle the paperwork and taxes. If you do it on your own, check which authority has jurisdiction in your territory. If you use a platform, ask exactly what it covers. At Kukumiku, the raffle’s terms and conditions and taxes are on our account (we explain this below).
Define the cause and who is responsible
Explain the need in enough detail so that someone who doesn’t know you understands what they will support:
- Who will receive the support.
- What expense or activity you will fund.
- Who is organizing the initiative and how to contact them.
- How you will report on what has been done with the money.
“Helping an animal shelter” is a broad purpose. “Paying for food for sheltered animals for one month, with an itemized budget” is clear and builds trust.
If you are going to tell someone else’s story or use their image, agree with them on what can be published. Share only what is necessary to explain the cause.
Choose how entries work
There are two common ways to organize an online charity raffle. Choose the one that best fits your prize and your community:
In both formats, every entry must have the same chance of winning. Also decide who can participate and from where, when entries close, and how the winner will be selected.
Choose a prize you can deliver
Look for a prize that appeals to your community, is confirmed, and can be delivered exactly as advertised. The best prize is one that attracts new eyes without costing the cause any money: a jersey signed by a club that promotes it on social media, an experience donated by a local business, or a meaningful item donated by a public figure.
Avoid buying the prize using the funds raised: it takes money away from the cause. If the prize costs you money, it might be better not to run the raffle.
To compare options, check out what prizes to choose based on your audience and budget. If you need someone to donate it, here is a template to request a prize from a company.
Calculate how much money will go to the cause
Gross funds raised and the money available to help are not the same thing. Build a budget with all the costs: prize and shipping, platform fee, payment gateways, and any other expenses.
Funds for the cause = gross funds raised − total costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross funds raised | 1.000 € |
| Platform fee (5%) | 50 € |
| Shipping for donated prize | 30 € |
| Available funds, before gateway fees | 920 € |
Also prepare what you will do if less is raised than expected, without promising changes not covered by the terms and conditions.
Make the terms and conditions clear before promoting
The terms answer the questions anyone wanting to enter will have. Review them using this checklist:
- Who is organizing it and which cause it benefits.
- Who can enter and from where.
- How to enter and how it relates to the contribution.
- When entry closes and when the raffle takes place.
- What the prize includes exactly (and what it doesn’t).
- How the winner is chosen and contacted, and what happens if they don’t respond.
- Who handles delivery and covers its costs.
- How participants’ data will be processed.
Publish a final version before launching and do not change the rules once entry is open.
Prepare the page and an easy-to-share message
The page should connect the prize with the cause: who is organizing it, the goal, a real photo of the prize, the terms and conditions, and how to collaborate. To announce it, use a message that makes sense even without prior knowledge of the project:
Launch message
We are organizing a charity raffle to support [cause]. We want to fund [specific need] and we are raffling off [confirmed prize], donated by [collaborator].
At [link] you’ll find how to participate, the rules, and where every euro will go. Thank you for helping us spread the word!
Avoid phrases like “guaranteed prize” or “the more you donate, the more chances you have” if they don’t accurately reflect how your raffle works.
Organize outreach with your collaborators
Don’t rely on a single post. Prepare a sequence:
- Introduction: the need and who is behind it.
- Collaboration: the prize and who provides it, with their permission.
- Follow-up: updates and answers to common questions.
- Reminder: the actual closing date.
- Outcome: a thank-you note and the next step.
Ask each collaborator for a specific action: share the link, introduce the cause to their community, or put up a poster at their location. The company providing the prize is usually your best amplifier. Find more ideas in our tips for outreach on a solidarity campaign.
Share the results and where the support is going
When it closes, hold the raffle according to the terms, notify the winner, and document the handover. Publish the list of winners so anyone can verify it.
The relationship with those who have contributed continues after the raffle: account for how much money reaches the cause, what you were able to fund, and when you will share updates. If there are delays, explain them.
Raffles on Kukumiku
How Kukumiku charity raffles work
Kukumiku is Fundación Kukumiku’s charity crowdfunding platform. A raffle always supports a project published on the platform: first you create the campaign and then you add the raffle, choosing one of the two formats. We review it before publishing it.
€0 adding a raffle does not change your campaign fee
1 + 2 winner and two alternates per prize, chosen at random
10 business days to accept the prize before moving to the alternate
- We handle: legal terms and taxes, entry registration, random raffle drawing, contacting the winner, and prize acceptance.
- On your account: the prize and its delivery or shipping.
- The list of winners is public on the raffle page.
- If a company donates the prize, they can request an in-kind donation certificate.
Frequently asked questions about online charity raffles
What can I raffle for a charitable cause?
A prize that interests your community, is confirmed, and you can deliver unambiguously: experiences donated by local businesses, signed memorabilia, crafts, or sports equipment. You can find ideas and criteria in the charity raffle prize guide.
Is adding a raffle to a campaign mandatory?
No. It’s only worth it if the prize can expand outreach. People contribute primarily to help; if you don’t have a good prize, focus on explaining the need.
Does a charity raffle need authorization?
A charitable purpose alone does not exempt it from requirements: they depend on how people enter and the territorial scope. The DGOJ provides information on occasional nationwide raffles. For Kukumiku raffles, we handle the legal terms and taxes.
Can it be organized through social media?
Social media is great for spreading the word, but posting there is no substitute for official rules or an orderly entry system. Gather all information on a page you can keep updated and link to it from your posts.
Does donating more give you a better chance of winning?
In raffles linked to a Kukumiku campaign, no: each donor who chooses to participate enters with one entry, regardless of how much they donate. In direct entry, each entry purchased has the same probability.
How much can I raise?
There is no guaranteed amount. Prepare scenarios with different contributions and costs, and at the end, don’t attribute all funds raised to the prize. You can find inspiration in the history of published raffles.
Can I raise funds without a prize?
Yes. A crowdfunding campaign without a raffle works just as well if the cause is clearly explained. Our guide to creating a charity crowdfunding campaign helps you prepare it.
Keep preparing your raffle
Do you have a cause and a prize in mind?
Create your raffle on Kukumiku: we provide the terms, the random drawing, and contact with the winner.