by Lance on April 22, 2013
Pizza Fundraiser Supports Police Unity Tour
It is unfortunately rare that a day goes by in this country when an officer of the law doesn’t fall in the line of duty. Initial reports of such an event will hit communities hard, but it usually won’t take long before the details of those incidents are forgotten to the general public.
Stuart Slotnick, a 20 year member of the sheriff’s department in New Jersey’s Essex County, is one of the many people working to make sure that doesn’t happen.
The Police Unity Tour was first organized in May 1997 with the hope of bringing public awareness to those who perished in the line of duty, and as a way of honoring the ultimate sacrifice they made. This year’s four day trip will take participating cyclists from East Hanover, NJ to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (NLEOM) in Washington, D.C.
Slotnick helped organize a fundraiser at Starlite Pizzeria in West Orange, NJ to raise money for Team Essex, his touring team. The event raised around $1,200, which will help pay for riders’ hotel stays, fuel for the support team vehicles along the way and donations to NLEOM. This is Slotnick’s third year on the tour.
“We have about 12 members of Team Essex,” Slotnick says. “Members are either bicycle riders who ride in memory of a fallen law enforcement officer, or support personnel [who follow the route in vehicles and work on the various teams that help the riders on their trip].
“I am actually motorcycle support for motorcycle officers who break down [along the route],” Slotnick explains. “I follow the procession, and tow any disabled motorcycles to the local dealer, which is usually Harley. Since I have been on the tour, only Harley’s have broken down!”
Slotnick used Facebook, flyers, email, and word of mouth to let people know about the fundraiser, and says that getting people to buy tickets in advance was the hardest part of planning.
About 50 people attended the pizza, beer and pasta dinner. Entertainment was provided by a two-piece band and ticket stubs were used to give out door prizes of iTunes gift cards, team tee shirts, and ticket books for a nearby amusement park.
by Lance on March 26, 2013
Gumbo Cook-Off Supports Premature Babies
Preparing for the arrival of a newborn baby is stressful enough. And, when a baby is delivered premature, Mom and Dad can feel overwhelmed.
Lafayette, LA non-profit Heartstrings & Angel Wings held their 5th Annual Gumbo Cookout Raffle to fund their mission of assisting micro-preemie babies (one to five pounds) and their parents. The organization has volunteers who meet once a month to hand-craft clothes and accessories for those tiniest of tots. Those items are then donated to local neonatal intensive care units.
It’s a mission that means a lot to founder Jennifer Patin.
“We donate the clothing because the babies are born from emergencies, and the parents do not often know where to find clothing so small,” she says. “Also, [a typical preemie] shirt costs anywhere from $15 to $20, so we save the families a little money.”
“It’s also good for uplifting the spirits of the family members because [the newborns] are viewed more as babies, instead of hospital patients with tubes and wires coming from their little bodies.
“Our family had two preemie babies: one born 15 weeks early and another born seven weeks early,” Patin adds. “The seven-week one was mine, and I feel the purpose of my having a premature baby was to start this organization.”
Forty-six cook-off teams assembled this year to prepare all-you-can-eat gumbo (seafood, or chicken and sausage) for attendees. Their event also featured a raffle, silent auction, two live bands, a magician, and music provided by a DJ.
This event helped them raise around $35,000.
Patin used every means at her disposal to get the word out, including print and Internet advertising, social networking, and media interviews. She believes that their Facebook page, and several features on a local news program prior to the event, helped them out the most.
One of the highlights this year: several of the group’s beneficiaries were able to attend.
“Our family participation was at an all-time high,” Patin says. “It’s hard to say how many families were there, because some cooked and some only attended. Out of the teams we had, I think 18 were families we’ve helped. [They] got involved in order to help [others] that will be in that situation. It’s a great feeling knowing that everyone wants to continue the mission and help others, just as we do.”
While Patin says that preparation for this event “is always stressful and hectic”, she thinks organization and flexibility are two keys to running a fundraiser like this.
“We plan and prepare as much as possible before the event and roll with the punches on the day of the event. The best advice I can offer is to delegate small tasks to others, and not to panic when things do not go as planned.”
by Lance on December 14, 2012
How One Man Sells Raffle Tickets to Raise Funds for Those in Need
As the holiday season draws nearer, many of us who have more than we need begin to ponder those out in the world who don’t have enough. As we sit down to a warm and cozy holiday meal with our friends and families, many of our minds are on the men, women and children who unfortunately don’t have the luxury or the ability to do the same.
It’s exactly that kind of thought that goes into what Christopher Rawles is doing to help the needy this holiday season.
After growing up in difficult circumstances and surviving Hurricane Katrina, Rawles has a unique and positive point of view when it comes to giving back to his community.
If I Were a Rich Man…
While Rawles reports that he isn’t wealthy, he believes that’s no excuse not to give back. In a recent article, Rawles said, “I am not a rich man. I don’t make a lot of money. But whatever I can do to help, I want to do.”
That’s why Rawles is selling Raffle Tickets to help raise funds for families in need this season. To help him in his endeavors, he’s partnered with Catholic Charities in Odessa, TX, which is also his place of residence.
By selling $1.00 Raffle Tickets, he hopes to raise enough money to donate several $200.00 gift cards from local shopping centers to several needy families in the area.
Catholic Charities and Rawles will work together to choose the families who will receive the gift cards.
And to add to the holiday generosity, the raffle will end on Friday, December 14th with a drawing for a live Christmas tree and a $75 Home Depot gift card as well.
Filled With Holiday Spirit
Rawles says part of what has inspired him to help those in need is a story from when he was a child.
When he was only 6 years old and his family was struggling to make ends meet, exchanging presents during the holidays, something many of us are accustomed to, didn’t always happen in his family.
In the spirit of giving on Christmas Day, someone who worked with his mother, and had discovered her family was struggling, generously sent over a truck of food and toys to their house.
This, among other things, has inspired Rawles to help others in need. And selling Raffle Tickets is a simple, fun and easy way to do just that.
by Lance on November 28, 2012
Raffle Benefits County Alliance; Group Advocates for Community Members
Monroe County, Pennsylvania, is a close knit community where everyone takes care of their neighbors and no one is alone. This is in part because of the Pocono Alliance organization. Member Maria Schramm said the Alliance, “links people in need to services in the community and also develops programs to support initiatives that benefit residents of the county.” The Pocono Alliance sponsored a 50/50 Raffle that was drawn at their annual meeting to report to the community. All proceeds are going to be used for the many programs the alliance offers.
The raffle was also a way of celebrating the 10th year that the Pocono Alliance has been helping the community. The Alliance has a great history that all started in 1996. “In September 1996, several community individuals attended a Welfare to Work conference sponsored by the Department of Public Welfare designed to explain the upcoming Welfare Reform Legislation, effective on March 3, 1997. At the conclusion of the conference a small group of Monroe County residents decided to organize a task force that would address the major barriers of those individuals who would be transitioning from welfare to work. In 2001, the name of the Task Force was changed to Pocono Healthy Communities Alliance to more accurately reflect the work and focus of the group. In 2002, PHCA received its 501 (c) 3 status. PHCA changed its name to Pocono Alliance in 2009,” the history straight from their website. You can see the Alliance’s current projects and member’s doings by checking out their Facebook page.
In order to sell the raffle tickets and continue to spread the word about the Alliance, Schramm and her colleagues used email, the seasonal newsletter they send, and word of mouth. Social media and the Alliance’s website were very useful in advertising the raffle. Schramm said, “Probably the most successful strategies were social media on Facebook and word of mouth as we conducted outreach efforts in the community.” The event was not planned by Schramm, but from previous experiences, her biggest piece of advice to others is, “the most important aspect of planning any event is to start planning early.”
The raffle did not raise as much money as planned, but Schramm and company are still ecstatic about the turn out and what the money will be able to do for their future programs. There was also coverage by a local media outlet, which can be found here.
by Lance on November 13, 2012
Cocktail Fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy Association
While the country may not look too favorably on Wall Street these last few years, the supporters of the Muscular Dystrophy Association are trying to reverse that negative view. The Wings Over Wall Street cocktail reception was started 12 years by Warren Schiffer, whose wife, Toni Diamond, suffers from ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Funds raised throughout the night were donated to the MDA specifically for ALS research.
Schiffer and Diamond joined with another ALS patient, Michael Beier, who brought awareness to the Wall Street community and they rallied to raise money for ALS research. Unfortunately, Beier and Diamond have since passed away but Nicole Dupuis, Associate Director of Business Development, said “we continue to fight on their behalf with a strong committee, strong MDA staff and our founder, Warren Schiffer.”
To put together such a large and important event, takes a lot of hard work and the help of sponsors. Dupuis explained that different companies can sponsor at different sponsorship levels. Some of the largest sponsors this year were “Bloomberg, Weeden & Co. and Etro, Bloomberg being our Guardian Angel Sponsor,” Dupuis said. The goal of this year’s cocktail reception was $10 million, and the night only felt a little short. But money isn’t everything. The number one goal of the organization, Dupuis said, “has always been to find a cure.”
Building Awareness, Bringing People Together
The other goals of these events, according to Dupuis, “are always to a) bring awareness of muscular dystrophy and how devastating it can be to individuals and their families, and b) bring people together. Whether it is people from different aspects of the financial sector or a CEO of a major company that sponsors us with one of the families that we serve. We want everyone to connect, learn from each other, feel that they are not alone in the fight and also see what an impact they are making.”
When planning an event of this magnitude, you have to use a wide scope. Dupuis explained, “We had email blasts to our database go out to anybody who has attended one of MDA’s social events in the past, along with those family and friends of MDA. We used twitter and Facebook to promote the event as well as word of mouth (many of our committee members are well respected in their communities and places of business, so they were able to spread the word). We also had a local segment on MDA’s Show of Strength this year where Warren Schiffer, our founder and Larry Schiffer, a committee member and Warren’s brother spoke about the impact Wings Over Wall Street has had.” Dupuis said, “this event took a lot of planning—a lot of moving parts. The experience was an incredible learning experience. My advice would be to have excellent time management.”
While it’s easy to lose focus once the event you spend so time planning is over, Dupuis offers some sound advice on the importance of follow up. “My number one priority (after raising money) was making sure I responded to all emails, got anyone involved anything they needed, returned voicemails and kept in touch with all members of my committee. I am there to help and they need to know that,” she said.
For the guests of the cocktail evening, the highlight was “the tribute video to Robert Amaro, our spirit award recipient who passed away about two weeks prior to the event. Though it was truly heartbreaking, it brought this disease that we talk about all the time down to reality. Here was someone who was working with us for this event and now he is no longer here with us. That is impactful!” Dupuis said.
by Lance on September 18, 2012
Why Raffle Tickets are the Workhorse of Fundraisers Everywhere
Raffles happen to be one of the most popular ways to raise money for a cause you support in today’s day and age. Non-profit organizations in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, and the US are actively using raffles as a way to attract donors and raise much-needed funds.
For many non-profit and charitable organizations, raffles are the most sensible way to go about fundraising. Printing your own raffle tickets is inexpensive, easy, and you may even have fun while you’re doing it.
How the UK Does Raffles
Amnesty International UK is a great example of a non-profit organization that uses raffles and selling raffle tickets to generate funds and secure donations. Their raffles tend to be very successful.
The Amnesty Spring 2012 Raffle raised over £153,000 for the organization’s cause. Not only that, but they were able to raffle off valuable prizes, namely, four sums of cash, ranging from £100 for fourth prize, to £5,000 for the grand prize.
Their website lets donors know that when they buy a raffle ticket, they are helping raise money that will save lives. This is a great way to encourage donations for any fundraiser.
The International Bison Conference Raffle
An annual event which took place in Quebec City in 2012, the International Bison Conference (IBC) is aimed at celebrating the incredible recovery of bison in North America over the last 100 years.
In order to support this multi-day event with all its activities and learning sessions, IBC held a raffle and sold raffle tickets for $100 a piece.
Though $100 is no small sum of cash, the raffle ticket buyers had a chance to win TEN different prizes valued at $68,000 total.
Attractive and valuable prizes can be a successful way to encourage people to buy your raffle tickets, a theme that the IBC has definitely caught onto.
Sweet Sports Fundraisers
Premier International Tours is an organization aimed at providing kids from the US a program for traveling abroad to Europe so they can participate in international sports competitions.
Last year in 2011, they held a raffle to help players raise money for the purpose of traveling abroad.
The grand prize was two airline tickets from North America to Paris or London, and the players were allowed to keep 100% of the profits.
The players were also allowed to sell the raffle tickets themselves, enabling them to take control of their own fundraising.
Overall, raffle tickets are a unique, smart, and stress-free way to organize almost any fundraiser. No matter where you are in the world, stop worrying about donations, and start printing raffle tickets!
by Lance on February 24, 2012
Event of the Month: The Big Bucks Raffle
The benefits of music education are vast and varied, but sources for fine arts educational funding are, unfortunately, not. A commitment to music education is all too often a commitment to seeking out donations to music programs, and every school has its own solution.
Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy has made good on both those commitments.
Serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, the private Catholic school is located on multiple campuses in the Dorchester and Mattapan neighborhoods of the city of Boston. The faculty, administration, and staff, including M. L. Greenidge, the Director of Advancement, pride themselves on an “exciting and challenging curriculum based on high academic benchmarks,” including, the “largest fine arts music program in Boston for elementary schools.” Every week, six hundred fifty students at PJPIICA take music classes.
PJPIICA’s year-round fundraising campaign involves the sale of Bishop’s Blend Coffee, a premium coffee roasted exclusively for the Academy by Caffe Appasionato Coffee Company in Seattle, Washington. One half of the proceeds support overall student experience. More information on purchasing Bishop’s Blend Coffee can be found here on the school’s website.
But, as in most schools, there is always a need for more funding.
To help support this amazing music program, along with other student needs including scholarships and reading and writing literacy, the school runs their annual Big Bucks Raffle, a cash raffle. This year’s raffle will be held on March 30th, with the students selling tickets beginning in March when they return from their vacation.
For the last two years, raffle ticket printing was done in-house, but this year the decision was made to outsource the job to a professional online ticket printer. Greenidge had never used such a service, and didn’t really know anyone who had, so she went to Google and came across TicketPrinting.com.
The website, she found, was “easy to use,” so she had no trouble designing the tickets just as she wanted them. She chose the Color Money Raffle Ticket, and when her order arrived a few days later, she was impressed with the product and the quality. “I didn’t know what I was buying,” she explained, and had never purchased raffle tickets online before, so she “just went based on the website, which was accurate.”
The turnaround, Greenidge says, was “faster than I expected.” Her tickets actually arrived before she thought they would, and she was very happy with the order, which exceeded her expectations but was still very affordable.
by Lance on November 12, 2011
The Right Choice for a Nonprofit: Sharing Ideas for Success
The tickets we purchased were reasonably priced and very professional looking, which was great for our small not-for-profit group.
~ Britt C. Menchhofer, R.S., Northwest Ohio Environmental Health Association Planning Committee
The Ohio Environmental Health Association (OEHA) works as a state association, but has four district planning committees that provide education for environmental health professionals and advocates for the profession. Each OEHA district plans its own events throughout the year.
The Northwest planning committee organizes an “education conference each fall that is offered to local sanitarians (specialists in sanitary science and public health) and other environmental health professionals and industry workers.” Attendees are able to network with other members in environmental health fields, and they are provided with opportunities to earn educational credits.
“In the past our district has had a raffle where prizes were available and tickets were purchased by attendees and placed into the buckets for the prizes. Prizes were usually items donated by individuals and businesses for the event. In the past few years, it has been harder to get businesses to donate prizes for the raffle,” Brad told me.
For that reason, the Northwest Planning Committee needed to rethink its fundraising strategy. It looked to the Northeast Planning Committee for advice.
A Reverse Raffle
“We decided this year to try a reverse raffle to raise more money and also be able to reach more people because the tickets could be sold prior to the event and to people other than attendees. Our Northeast district has a reverse raffle and gave us the details on their raffle.”
The Northwest district learned from the Northeast’s district’s success and adopted its fundraising strategy.
In the most common version of a reverse raffle, tickets are sold as they would be in a regular raffle, but the goal is to not have your ticket drawn. Instead, tickets are drawn in a reverse order. The losers are the ones that are drawn early, and the winners are the remaining tickets. For this raffle, the grand prize was $500, and $25 for every twenty-five tickets sold.
The money from this reverse raffle went to the George Eagle scholarship fund. “The scholarship fund aims to provide one graduate and one undergraduate scholarship each year for individuals studying a field of Environmental Health.”
Everyone is Responsible
In order for the reverse raffle to work, all the planning committee members needed to be on board. Each was asked to sell at least ten tickets each. “The tickets were marketed through email and mailings related to our conference. Asking people face to face is one of the best marketing strategies.” The organization employed both digital and physical mediums in order to reach its intended audience and did not downplay the importance of word of mouth sales.
Unfortunately, some of the tickets were not sold, and the fundraiser fell a little short of its goal, but, “[We] were still able to give a significant amount back to the scholarship fund,” Brad explained. And for that reason, “the event was a success.”
by Lance on August 2, 2011
State by State: Raffle Law in America
Six weeks, six posts: today we present the conclusion to our fifty-state guide to US raffle law.
Outside Assistance?
In some cases, the law specifically prohibits licenses based on past transgressions. Indiana, for instance, takes a stand against repeat offenders by denying the right to run a raffle if the “applicant is not of good moral character or reputation; or…. The organization has engaged in fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.” Kentucky warns fundraisers that, while the state “provides a regulatory framework allowing charitable gaming to thrive as a viable fundraising mechanism,” organizations must be wary of for-profit corporations offering to oversee raffle and boost profits.
Kentucky legislation, “prohibits any individuals from receiving financial gain from charitable gaming activities,” and groups employing such tactic may lose their licenses in addition to being fined. The same holds true in Massachusetts, where “a for-profit entity cannot hold a raffle for itself or a nonprofit; and an individual cannot hold a raffle.”
Our State, Our Rules
California also opposes gambling activities for personal or business gain, but provides for charitable fundraising conducted in this way. Interested organization must register their intent to hold a raffle with the state, and must ensure that “at least 90 percent of the gross receipts from these raffles go directly to beneficial or charitable purposes in California.” Pay attention to the language! The money raised in California, it seems, must stay in California. In Pennsylvania, registration is only the first step: the state requires twelve distinct pieces of information regarding the raffle, including “The maximum odds of the game,” which it then publishes in a periodical called the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
Seriously, Don’t Worry
Some laws are not as tough as they could be. While Mississippi exempts raffles from its definition of gambling and allows “any nonprofit civic, educational, wildlife conservation or religious organization with all proceeds going to said organization” to run such an event, the punishment for violating this law is not too extreme: anyone violating the law for personal gain “shall, on conviction, be fined not more than Twenty Dollars ($20.00), or be imprisoned not more than one (1) month in the county jail.” Nevada, the home of legalized gambling, naturally allows raffles while reserving the right “to license, tax, regulate, prohibit and suppress all tippling houses, dramshops, public card tables, raffles, hawkers, peddlers, pawnbrokers, gambling houses, disorderly houses and houses of ill fame.”
Surprising Details
It’s important to do your own research of course, as each state has its own quirks when it comes to raffle ticket laws. In New Hampshire, for instance, it’s imperative to choose your raffle ticket printing company carefully, as the law requires that each ticket has sequential numbering printed on the body of the ticket and “the name of the charitable organization thereon, the date and place of the drawing, and the prize or prizes to be awarded and the amount of the donation.” New Hampshire is also noteworthy is allowing minors 16 years old and up to buy raffle tickets. New Mexico offers special exceptions for movie theaters, which may offer “prizes of cash or merchandise for advertising purposes…for the purpose of stimulating business” with little oversight.
More Surprises
In New York, raffle tickets can be sold for six months prior to the drawing, but no earlier. New York also specifically prohibits minors from selling tickets, as well as purchasing them. On the opposite end of the spectrum, in Washington State, however, minors are allowed to sell raffle ticket in service of a group whose “primary purpose is the development of youth.” That state also largely prohibits the awarding of any type of liquor as a prize, as well as canceling the raffle in the event that you don’t sell enough tickets. In Texas, many types of organization are allowed to hold their own raffles, but they cannot operate cash raffles, and they cannot run more than one raffle at any given time.
Of course, state lotteries are a type of cash raffle, but did you know that some states conduct their own raffles for other purposes? In South Dakota, licenses to hunt elk are distributed through a raffle. Only winners may purchase the license.
Running a raffle for cash or prizes, for personal or charitable gain can be fun and rewarding. Just make sure to do your research, fill out the right forms, and pay any fees and taxes required. Are you ready? Why not start printing your own raffle tickets online, right now?
by Lance on July 26, 2011
State by State: Raffle Law in America
Sweet and Simple
In our last installment, we discussed some of the harsher regulations regaring raffle law, but not every state takes such a minute interest in the particulars of your group’s fundraiser. In Maine, for instance, the laws are looser. For raffles with prizes in $10,000, many charitable organizations do not require licenses or oversight. In addition to those goodwill organization identified by most states, Maine includes “Any agricultural society eligible for the state stipend,” and “Any state agency that conducts or operates a raffle for a donated item to benefit fish and wildlife conservation projects” in their list of those exempt from requiring a license.
Many states require little oversight for smaller fundraising efforts. Nebraska limits profits of unregulated raffles to $5,000. Montana approves of “limited legal gambling” and includes raffles in its list of “legal live games.” While gambling is restricted to adults over the age of 18, in Montana, minors may participate in “raffles conducted by churches, schools, charitable and nonprofit organizations.”
No Big Deal
While there is oversight of raffle in South Carolina, law enforcement agencies are instructed to “not charge a charitable, religious, or eleemosynary organization conducting a raffle for the benefit of the organization where all the proceeds inure to the benefit of the organization,” but rather to issue those who run afoul of the law with written warnings. For small raffles being run in the state of Virginia, the law is fairly relaxed. In general an organization “that reasonably expects, based on prior charitable gaming annual results or any other quantifiable method, to realize gross receipts of $40,000 or less” in their raffle need not worry overmuch about the law. In addition, volunteer fire departments and other volunteer first responders are exempt from registration and auditing fees.
One state that enthusiastically supports the right of charitable organization to use raffles for fundraising purposes is Wisconsin. The state’s administrative website proudly states, “Raffles are Wisconsin s favorite and most profitable form of grassroots fund-raising.” According to this site, “Well over 7,500 groups are licensed to conduct raffles and net profits from this activity have remained steady at nearly 60%.” In Wisconsin, a raffle license costs only $25 per year, which authorizes the holder to run up to 200 raffles every year.
Next: Wrap It Up
