Raffle donation request letter and prize donor kit
Three ready-to-edit Word letters (the ask, the follow-up and the thank-you), plus a donation form to leave with the business, a donation receipt and a tracker so nobody gets asked twice or thanked never.
Get the free donor kit
What’s in the kit
- Prize donation request letter (Word). Friendly, specific and short. Tells the business what you need, what the money is for, how you’ll thank them and your deadline.
- Follow-up letter (Word). A two-paragraph nudge for the businesses that meant to say yes and forgot.
- Donor thank-you letter (Word). Send it within a week of the drawing. It’s how you get next year’s donation.
- Prize donation form (PDF). Leave it at the counter. The business fills in what they’re giving, its value and how they’d like to be thanked.
- Donation receipt (PDF). One for every donor, with the standard “no goods or services provided” wording.
- Prize donor tracker (PDF). Who you asked, when, what they gave, and whether the receipt and thank-you went out.
How to get businesses to say yes
- Ask in person when you can. Drop the letter off with the donation form. It’s much harder to ignore a friendly face than an email.
- Be specific. “A $50 gift card or a product basket” gets a faster yes than “anything you can give.”
- Say what’s in it for them. Their name on the prize display, a social media shout-out, and customers who walk in because of the raffle.
- Give a deadline. Three to four weeks before the drawing, so you have time to promote the prizes.
- Follow up once, then let it go. One polite nudge is fine. Two is pushy.
- Thank them every time. The thank-you letter and a receipt make next year’s ask easy.
Prizes that sell the most tickets
- Experiences beat stuff. A chef’s dinner, a behind-the-scenes tour, front-row seats.
- Gift cards to places everyone goes. The grocery store and the pizza place outsell the boutique.
- Themed baskets. Ask three businesses for pieces of one “date night” or “game day” basket.
Free book
Want the whole playbook?
Raffle Mastery by T. S. Leonard covers pricing, prizes, promotion, the legal stuff and drawing day, in plain English and with a few stories you won’t believe.
Free download with newsletter signup on chance2win.org.
Raffle donation request FAQ
How do you ask a business to donate a raffle prize?
Visit in person if you can, bring a short letter that explains your cause, what you’re asking for and how you’ll thank them, and leave a donation form with a clear deadline. Follow up once about a week later.
What should a raffle donation request letter say?
Who you are, what the raffle is raising money for, what kind of prize you’re hoping for, how you’ll recognize the donor, your deadline and how to reach you. Keep it to one page.
When should we start asking for raffle prizes?
Six to eight weeks before the drawing. That leaves time for follow-ups and for promoting the prizes once they’re in.
Do donors get a tax receipt for raffle prizes?
If your organization is a 501(c)(3), give every donor a written receipt describing the gift. The donor decides the value of donated items. Ask your accountant about the exact wording, especially for gifts of $250 or more.
How do we thank businesses that donate?
Put their name on the prize display, mention them online, and send a thank-you letter with their receipt within a week of the drawing. If you sell tickets online, list donors on the ticket page too.
Related templates
Give your donors a bigger stage
A Chance2Win raffle website shows every prize with a photo and description, so you can thank the business that donated it right there. Donors get seen by everyone who buys online, not just the people in the room.