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.”
TicketPrinting.com gave us the ability to be professional, and offered us the tools we needed to make our event into a great one! Thank you for making our event a success!
~Charlotte Dunn, Co-Founder and President of Fighting For Damion
Just five months old, Damion Antonio Carbello has already touched countless lives. Born in May 2011, Damion was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), “a genetic disorder that is carried by 1 in 90 people and affects 1 in 2000. SMA is the number one genetic killer of toddlers and infants in the world.”
“Fighting For Damion is completely not for profit, and our sole goal is to help this little family with medical bills, and Damion’s needs, to make things just a little easier,” Charlotte Dunn, Co-founder and President of Fighting for Damion explained to me. She founded the organization with Vice President and Co-Founder Rachel Kessleski when they learned their dear friend’s son had been diagnosed with the disorder.
The organization’s most recent event was a benefit get together sponsored by Scale’s Grill and Deck Bar to raise money for Damion and also raise awareness of SMA. The group “held a Chinese auction, a 50/50 raffle, featured live entertainment and a dinner buffet. One hundred percent of the proceeds went to a secure account strictly for baby Damion.”
For the event, the organization chose the Blue and White General Admission Ticket, a simple but professional ticket with plenty of room for event information. The event ticket featured the details of the event on the front, as well as a logo and slogan on the back. The tickets were individually numbered and featured a detachable stub, which can be used to track attendees and keep account of the raffle.
“Because we are just starting out, we have set our goal very small and I am pleased to say we greatly exceeded it.” Charlotte told me.
To get the word out, Charlotte and her team relied heavily on Internet and radio advertising, “We advertised greatly on all social networks, and local radio stations. We also pre-sold the tickets that your company printed, which [were] a big hit! We also list every event and detail on our website, www.fightingfordamion.com.”
Some event planners choose to focus only on one method of advertising, which means they may reach only one audience. By using more than one channel of communication and reaching out to an online audience, as well as one that might hear about the event from a more traditional route, the team maximized its message and reached more potential attendees.
Another effective method that helped with ticket sales is offering a presale discount. “We offered our tickets to anyone who would listen for $10 presale or $15 at the door. We advertised them the same way we advertised our event,” Charlotte said. “It worked very well in my opinion. If you can get the word out there on as many sources as you can, your event will sell itself.”
Though the weather didn’t cooperate, the event was still a success. “For me, the best part of the event was seeing everyone who came out having a good time for a great cause. Most of these people have no idea who this family is that they are helping, and yet they still come out to support and donate. It is truly amazing to see people put aside their busy life and help someone in need. ”
When you’re planning a fundraising event, a strong advertising and sales strategy will bring out many people who were unaware of your cause. You may find allies who come to believe just as passionately in your message as you do.
For those planning a similar event, Charlotte has this advice, “Plan ahead! Make sure all loose ends are tied a week prior to your event; it saves a lot of time and money. And remember to have lots of helping hands to help set up and break down!! That is truly the hardest part of any event.”
Ticketprinting.com “gave us a quality ticket with our logo on the back making it look really official. People buying the tickets really seemed to like that.”
~ Michael Cooper, FBCYRA
On August 6th, the Fort Bend County Youth Rodeo Association (FBCYRA) held its Summer Series Raffle. Cash prizes were handed out to participants. First Prize was three hundred dollars. Second Prize was two hundred dollars and Third prize was one hundred dollars.
The organization chose the All Purpose Raffle Ticket design. The ticket is printed on high quality stock in black and white. It features the essential raffle information and number on the front side, and the FBCYRA logo on its reverse. The ticket has a corresponding detachable stub for participants to write down their contact information.
“We are a youth rodeo organization,” Michael shared with me. The organization’s website further describes FBCRYA’s purpose, as “a Junior Rodeo Association for kids up to 19 years of age. We provide a safe place for Fort Bend County’s Youth to have fun and experience the great sport of Rodeo.” The FBCYRA is dedicated to helping young people. As well as providing a rodeo experience for youths and young adults, the organization is committed to supporting scholarship by providing awards for those young people who compete in the Junior Rodeo.
“We have a raffle each year in conjunction with our summer rodeo series and end of the summer rodeo to help pay for the over $30,000 in prizes we give away.” Michael explained to me. The Summer Series Raffle is a fundraiser for the organization.
How does FBCYRA promote its raffle and sell its tickets? The young people who participate in the Summer Series and wish to participate in the autumn rodeo are required to sell raffle tickets. “Each contestant is required to sale $75. We target local businesses, family members and other within the community.” If FBCYRA members don’t sell the required amount of raffle tickets, they must secure an equal amount of outside sponsoring in order to be eligible for rodeo competition prizes.
Raffle sales are not only required but also competitive, which brings a spirit of fun to the process. The member who sells the most tickets wins a belt buckle at the end of the sales cycle.
Information about the raffle and the summer series was also available on the organization’s site and its Facebook page.
For Michael, the highlight of the Summer Series Raffle goes far beyond that one event. “The best part is just seeing how the kids grow through the summer and how their riding skills improve. It is neat to watch them compete however great to see the sportsmanship they show in helping one another out and cheer each other on.”
“Healing through Sports Foundation (HTSF) is a non-profit, public-benefit organization having the purpose of funding cancer research, patient services, and education programs focusing on prevention. By communicating the benefits of regular participation in physical activity and sporting events, we believe we can make a difference.”
~ James Johnson, HTSF
This July the Healing through Sports Foundation held its 9th Annual Summer Swing Charity Event at the Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. The event featured rounds of golf, a charity raffle, silent auction, cocktails, and a dinner buffet. Attendees could participate in a number of ways, from sending in a donation of a certain amount, buying raffle tickets, attending one or all of the events, to becoming one of the event sponsors.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was chosen as the charity benefactor. The mission of LLS is to “cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.” The goal of the Summer Swing Charity Event was to raise at least $15,000 for the cause of curing blood cancers.
Along with the golf tournament, the charity fundraising event featured a Helicopter Ball Drop Raffle. In this type of raffle, numbered tickets are sold to participants. Then numbered golf balls are dropped from a helicopter above a specific spot on the golf course. The winner is determined by how close to the target, usually a tee or hole, the numbered golf ball lands. Proceeds from the raffle go to the designated charity.
For this event, the organizers chose the Golf Tournament Raffle Ticket. The ticket features a bright blue sky, a well tended green and a golf ball waiting on a tee to be put into play. The ticket has room for information about the event and the raffle. An individually numbered, detachable stub allows organizers to keep track of tickets and prizes.
I asked James how the TicketPrinting.com raffle ticket benefited his particular event. He said, “It clearly communicated what our event was and what we were offering. Also, the quality of the product was outstanding!”
To sell event tickets, James and his team relied on several proven methods: “email, online, and in person.” Reaching out through an email list or listserve to individuals who have had contact with the organization can be very rewarding when it is time to sell tickets. It also pays to maintain an up-to-date online source to disseminate information about the event and sell tickets. Whether an event organizer chooses to maintain a website dedicated to the event or a Facebook Event page, information should be relevant and drive attendees to the event. Leveraging personal contacts can also be very important when planning a similar event. The power of word of mouth sales cannot be underestimated.
What advice did James have for other event organizers? “Have plan and stick to it. A clear roadmap is the key to any successful event.” Real planning and dedication make big events like this possible and successful.
Often, the right to hold a raffle is restricted only to certain charities. For instance, Minnesota allows raffles only for educational fundraising. Such raffles “may only be sold and the drawing conducted at a high school event sponsored by a school district” to adults over the age of 18, and all profits must remain in the school district. Arkansas outlawed raffles for many years, but recently amended its state constitution to allow, “non-profit tax-exempt religious, educations, veterans, fraternal, service, civic, medical, volunteer rescue service, volunteer firefights organization, or volunteer police organization…in continuing existence…for a period of not less than five years,” the right to raise money in this way.
Illinois has a similar law: “Licenses shall be issued only to bona fide religious, charitable, labor, business, fraternal, educational or veterans’ organizations that operate without profit to their members and which have been in existence continuously for a period of 5 years.” Five years is also the minimum length of existence necessary to hold a raffle in Michigan.
Georgia is another state that specifically prohibits brand-new organizations from holding raffles. In Georgia, a charitable organization must be “in existence for 24 months immediately prior to the issuance of the license,” which costs no more than $100 and is good until the end of the calendar year. Applicants must register with the sheriff in the year prior to requiring the license. Louisiana also requires that groups wishing to run charitable games be “actively domiciled in Louisiana for two consecutive years immediately preceeding [sic] application.” Louisiana fundraisers are also required to attend state-sponsored training classes and purchase supplies from licensed suppliers. Plan ahead!
What Constitutes a Charity?
Connecticut also spells out the types of groups who may apply for a permit to conduct a raffle: “Educational or charitable, civic, service or social clubs, fraternal or fraternal benefit societies, veterans’, church or religious organizations, volunteer fire departments or political parties or town committees.” The price of the permit varies, depending on the type you may require. For instance, the state identifies “Cow-Chip” raffles, “Duck-Race” raffles, and “Frog-Race” raffles.
Maryland law specifies, “a bona fide charitable organization in this State may conduct a raffle for the exclusive benefit of the charitable organization if the prize awarded is real property,” but that real property raffles may only be held twice a year. Missouri, which heavily regulates any form of gambling, allows only “groups recognized under federal law as charitable or religious” to conduct raffles. This relatively new law was approved as recently as 1998 while New Jersey almost seems to brag that their Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission oversees “approximately 12,000 charitable, educational, religious, patriotic, public-spirited organizations and senior citizen associations and clubs organizations” in conducted legalized games of chance.
In some states, most games of chance are completely condoned, but organizations and individuals running raffles need to be aware of their tax burden on local, state, and federal levels. In Alaska, qualified groups may purchase a permit that allows them to run many games of chance: “bingo, raffles and lotteries, pull-tab games, ice classics, rain classics, mushing sweepstakes, fish derbies,” but the more successful the group is in raising funds, the more expensive the permit is (between $20 to $100) and those earning more than $20,000 a year from gaming activities are taxed an additional 1% on their proceeds.
Iowa also levies taxes on raffle ticket sale income: local sales tax (typically 1%) along with state taxes “on the gross receipts (not net receipts) of all gambling activities.” The state helpfully recommends that these taxes be added to the price of the raffle ticket. Otherwise, the organization must calculate the taxes themselves and take them out of their profits.
Any organization running a raffle should keep strict records with as much information as possible. Recording not only the number of tickets sold and amount of money raised, but also keeping track of donors’ names and contact information can come in handy later on. This information may be necessary for tax purposes, and, in any event, can be useful later on, when you need to do further fundraising.
Details, Details
Colorado gaming rules spell out many details you might not have considered. For instance, “Tickets…shall be sold at a stated price, and each ticket constitutes a separate and equal chance to win.” With large prizes, there are more rules, and certain information must be printed on the body of the raffle ticket. There are special considerations if the prize is a car or a house. You can download a 41-page PDF file to learn every last detail. If you wish to hold a raffle in the state of Oregon, you should be aware that that the state offers two tiers of raffle licenses depending on the amount of the handle. Games exceeding $10,000 require a separate license. Application fees vary, but the license is good for an entire year.
Another state with many specific rules regarding running your own raffle is Idaho, which limits organizations to twelve a year (with exceptions for elementary and secondary schools) along with the maximum cash value of prizes in certain circumstances ($1000), and provides a hefty fine (up to $10,000) to “Any charitable or nonprofit organization who conducts a raffle in violation” of the rules. In Idaho, organizations earning more than $200,000 per annum from raffle ticket sales must also provide an audit to the state.
Twelve raffles a year is lenient compared to the law in Tennessee, which only allows charitable organizations to “conduct one event during an event period (July 1 – June 30).” On the other hand, Vermont outlaws all forms of professional gambling, but lays out very reasonable and lenient laws to allow, “nonprofit organizations [to] operate games of chance and to ensure that the proceeds from the games go to charity.” A complicated set of rules allows raffles and other games of chance to be held twice a week, and, in certain occasions, on three consecutive days. The maximum value of prizes also varies.
Sure, it’s easy to rip the stub off a perforated general admission ticket and drop one half into a bin, while your guests jam the other half into the pocket of their jeans, where it is destined to take an all-expenses paid trip through the washing machine. Or, you could start to look at the tickets to your upcoming event in an entirely different way.
Your event’s tickets can take on a life of their own when you breath new purpose into them. Printing tickets can open doors for your organization. Those tickets are pretty versatile!
Print your event tickets with an eye for creativity, and they will serve you well.
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With an eye-catching design and your organization’s logo printed right on the body of the ticket, your tickets can serve you well from the moment they leave the box office or the sales teams’ hands. Handsome, well-designed general admission tickets have a tendency to hang around on corkboards or refrigerators, where they help generate interest in your event and your mission.
Souvenir
Event Tickets don’t have to be ticket-sized. Think differently. If you find an image you love, one that really represents you, why not make it a little bigger? A larger format VIP Pass, Invitation, or a Poster or a Flyer, can work as a ticket, and such a ticket can live on after the event as a frameable souvenir. You can even create inexpensive frames to pass out to your guests.
RaffleTicket
High quality Event Tickets should be printed with sequential numbering on the body and the stub, and what more do you need to hold a prize draw? A Raffle Ticket that comes with the price of admission is a value-added reward for your guests, and helps to boost ticket sales. Just remind your guests to hold on to their ticket stubs. You can drop the body of the ticket into a hat, from which you’ll draw the winning number.
Game Piece
Print a few different designs, and let each Event Ticket stand as a game piece for some activity at your event. You might use them to divide guests into groups, or to lead them to other parts of the event. The image might be a clue in a game, or a picture of an item in a scavenger hunt. Uploading your own image to a ticket with a space for that purpose really allows you to customize the event. Make it whatever you want.
Security
Don’t worry about gatecrashers. Using Event Tickets, or even Event Badges, helps you keep the venue secure. You can restrict access to certain areas, or quickly double check if someone has paid for a ticket. Printing different tickets, or adding VIP Passes, lets you scale your security: certain tickets provide certain levels of mobility. No ticket, no access.
You’ve got to have tickets for most events, just to serve as proof of purchase. And if you’re already printing your own Event Tickets online, why not spend a little extra time putting those tickets to work for you?
Event wristbands can denote the VIP status of your visitors, verify their ages, or simply affirm that they’ve paid the price of admission. They're ideal for increasing event security. Creative minds can think of dozens of inventive uses for these versatile paper bracelets. Why not save money and add some extra excitement to the proceedings by turning your functional Event Wristbands into exciting Raffle Tickets?
*Designing Your Raffle Wristband: In addition to the information and logo of your event, a wristband may also include a set of secure, individual numbers that can facilitate a giveaway throughout your event. You can choose prizes that spotlight your organization or business’s services or products, thereby adding a marketing edge to your event. Since people will be coming and going at your event, you may choose to have prize draws every hour or so during the event. This, along with the event wristbands, will create a buzz about the services or products your event endorses.
*Choosing Appropriate Raffles: If your event is a local music festival, raffles can include CDs of the bands playing the event, as well as merchandise like T-shirts and posters. If your event is more focused on a business, you may raffle gift certificates and gift baskets that highlight your products.
*The Advantage of Raffle Wristbands Over Tickets: Put simply, small tickets become lost at events, but wristbands will remain on the wrists of those at your event. Wristband raffles add some efficient flair to your event that puts the focus back onto your organization or business through the products and services raffled.
*Charging More for Raffle Wristbands: To raise even more money at your event, charge more for admission for visitors to be given a raffle wristband. As long as the price is reasonable, most supporters will pay an extra couple of dollars for a chance to win something during your event. This can also help deflect costs of the event as well as the prizes being awarded.
The advantages to having event wristbands that double as raffle tickets will give your event a uniqueness as well, making your event stand out among others. This will also be a draw to your event in the coming years: some people will come to your event simply because of the added excitement of leaving with prizes. Previous winners and their friends will be strong supporters in this group!
Your business or organization gains instant exposure and your raffle Event Wristbands instantly become a great way to advertise and market your business or organization. The ease of use and your ability to design customized event wristbands give you a lot of control over the marketing aspects of your event and what it signifies for your organization at large. Going yet another level for marketing, the prizes can even possess the logo of your event and organization, continuing to provide added exposure even after your event comes to an end.
Whether your school is putting on a fundraiser carnival and you want to get all the parents, teachers and students involved, or you're touring with your new band and want to see plenty of faces at the venue, you'll need to manage a campaign that will generate interest in your event. Throughout the course of your promotion, you might manage an online marketing plan, rely on word or mouth, or print event tickets, posters, flyers, invitations, and other promotional materials that raise your visibility.
Online marketing helps you reach a wider audience, share detailsand market event tickets. Buzz generated by friends, family and fans is great for grassroots marketing, and physical collateral gives your event a real world presence. These promotional materials, especially event tickets, can be the most powerful tools in your marketing plan.
More than Just an Event Ticket
Take a moment to consider event tickets. Obviously, you'll need admission tickets to get folks through the turnstiles, but that's not their only use. Custom printed tickets can serve several important functions at your event.
Marketing Tools—When you design event tickets for your occasion, you have a choice. If you're thinking only of function, any tickets will do. However, the admission ticket may be your attendees first point of contact with your event. So much more can be included than a simple "admit one." Imagine how including formal branding and event details can raise profile of your event.
Crowd Management and Tracking Tools—Secure, numbered tickets with perforated stubs can be useful in the management of people into and out of your event and at particular venues within it. Custom tickets allow you to maintain the integrity of your event. Secure numbering and detachable stubs allows you to track the flow of guests into the gates. Selling Drink Tickets and custom passes, such as VIP passes, before the event allow you to manage concessions and activities quickly and safely. They allow you to keep cash exchanges more centralized and secure.
Raffle Management—A well designed ticket is essential for the management of a fundraising raffle.It's important for your raffle tickets to not only contain important details, but they should also have secure numbering, detachable stubs and room for the guests' details, as well. These tickets aren't just meant to get guests through the gate. They're used to manage the entire lifecycle of the raffle. Event organizers can track ticket buyers through the numbering system, and the stubs are used for the raffle draw.
Door Prizes—Much like raffle tickets, a well designed admission ticket can be used to manage door prizes. Ticket sellers can hold onto stubs when guests come through the gate and announce winners throughout the event. This encourages folks to hold onto their custom event tickets throughout the occasion.
Memory Management—A great ticket might be the only souvenir a guest takes away from the occasion. Why not make it memorable? Strong imagery and branding will help the memory of your event to remain with your guests far into the future.
Your promotional materials are the first word in a discussion between you and your guests, and your event tickets are part of the publicity. Tickets should contain any and all information you desire your participants to know: What, Where, When, and even a Why will not only help to attract your participants, but will function as a reminder to them to attend the event.
*Event Ticket Design and Ticket Templates: Research event ticket designs and use an online ticket template to make your idea a reality. If your event has a logo, include it on the template, or use your sponsor’s logo. Don’t forget any pertinent information, such as your website or phone number, in addition to What, Where, When, and Why.
*Creative Uses of Event Tickets: Depending on your event, you may or may not want to charge for the tickets. Free souvenir tickets may merely be a way to add a special dimension to your event and serve as a reminder to participants. Either way, event tickets add an element of exclusivity. Whether the ticket is purchased, raffled, or given away, you can’t get in without one.
*Proofread Again and Again: The last thing you want is to design, create, print, and distribute your tickets only to find an error after the fact. When you receive your proof, proofread diligently. Check for typos, misspellings, or wrong dates, and times. It is most helpful if more than one person is proofreading.
*Distribution of Event Tickets: Again, the way in which you distribute your tickets depends on the event itself. If it is a fundraiser, you will want to charge for the tickets. If your intent is to attract a large volume of participants, even if the tickets are free, you still need to pay attention to distribution. If your event is to raise awareness about a problem in your community and sheer numbers will help to make change happen, pound the pavement and distribute tickets all around the community. If the event requires paid tickets for entry, decide where you can most effectively sell them. If your event is to raise money for a larger cause such as hunger in America, visit places that attract people who have money to donate as well as money to buy the tickets to the event.
*To Raffle or Not to Raffle: You can print separate raffle tickets, or the event tickets can also function as raffle tickets for door prizes at the actual event. The best event tickets are individually numbered on the body and stub of the ticket, so it’s easy to keep track.
You’ve put plenty of effort into publicity and promotion. Don’t overlook the role of the humble event ticket in your efforts to attract guests to your gathering!
The Right Choice for a Nonprofit: Sharing Ideas for Success
