Traditional Raffle

There's something to be said for tradition. There are all kinds of raffles you can hold to raise money for your group, but a traditional raffle is one of the easiest fundraisers out there. Contact local businesses to talk to them about your group and your fundraising goals. Ask them to donate merchandise or gift certificates to be used as the raffle items. You can buy a large roll of two-part tickets at any party supply store, and they're not very expensive. They're the kind of tickets that have two parts, each with the same number printed on them. You can sell tickets for $1 or $2 each. Supporters will get one half of the ticket, and you put the other half in a large bowl, bag, or box. At the time of the raffle, mix the tickets in the bowl up, then randomly draw one ticket out at a time. The person holding the ticket with the matching number wins! It's up to you whether ticket holders need to be present to win, but it does make it more fun to actually hand a prize over to someone, and it keeps you from having to store anything to be awarded later. With donated prizes, the only money you have to spend is on the tickets, so this fundraiser has the potential to raise quite a bit of money.