The ultimate list of companies that give donations for raffles

⚖️ Disclaimer: Raffle laws vary by state and locality. Before requesting or awarding raffle prizes, make sure to review the raffle or gaming regulations that apply to your organization.

‍

Your next fundraising event includes a raffle, and the big day is coming up fast—but you’re still in need of prize donations. 

Not sure where to look for businesses that donate raffle prizes—or how to ask them to donate to your event? We have just what you need.

Explore our list of companies that donate prizes for raffles, plus our step-by-step process on how to write a raffle prize donation request (with free template!) to jumpstart your fundraising efforts.

Key takeaways 

• Cast a wide net 🎣 Target diverse business types when making a raffle donation request—from restaurants and retailers to travel companies and sports teams—to create an exciting prize lineup that appeals to your audience.
  
• Start local and early 👀 Reach out to businesses you already have relationships with before approaching national corporations. Begin your outreach 3-4 months before your event, since most companies require 60-90 days to process donation requests.
  
• Personalize every ask and make it mutually beneficial 🤝 Tailor each request to the specific business and make sure your recognition opportunities, like logo placement, social media features, and event announcements, are clear and enticing, too.
  
• Follow up with gratitude 🙏 Send personalized thank-you notes and public recognition to donors, building relationships that lead to long-term support beyond a single event.
  
• Do it all in one place with Givebutter 🧈 From a nonprofit CRM to built-in marketing and engagement tools and an entire suite of event management features, Givebutter lets you handle every aspect of your event in one platform.

Download your free raffle prize donation letter template

Start asking companies for donations to your raffle quickly and easily. Put the best practices below into action with our free raffle prize donation request template. It’s fully customizable and designed to help you save time, reach more donors, and secure standout raffle items.

Your go-to list of companies that donate raffle prizes

We get it—nonprofits spend a lot of time chasing down companies, only to find they’re not accepting donation requests or only support select partners. That’s why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you.

Learn which companies are known to donate raffle prizes, plus tips to get started. Spend less time searching and more time raising funds.

Local businesses 🏣

Start close to home. In any town or city, you’ll find a range of family-owned and small businesses that are more than happy to support a local charitable organization.

Acquiring donated prizes can be as simple as tapping into your existing network. And if a business is unable to donate, consider collaborating in another way.

💛 Best for: Small prizes for a community event or school raffle

Examples:

• Trader Joe’s: Known for supporting local events with in-kind donations like gourmet food baskets, wine, and other store goods.
  
• Sprouts Farmers Market: Offers community giving through gift cards and sponsorships.

We tried something different this year! Instead of pouring hours into in-kind asks for our event raffle, we asked our board members to purchase a gift certificate or item from their favorite locally owned business. — Catrina Mathewson, Senior Director of Development at ShelterCare

Family attractions 🎢

If you’re lucky enough to live near a popular theme park or family attraction, it’s definitely worth reaching out to see if they’ll donate a prize for your raffle (or silent auction!).

Prize ideas include theme park tickets, dining experiences, character meet-and-greets, souvenir shop gift cards, and attraction upgrades.

💛 Best for: Gift or experience vouchers for a family-focused raffle

Examples:

• LEGOLAND: Donates theme park tickets to support fundraising raffles.
  
• Great Wolf Lodge: Supports nonprofit organizations, schools, and other charitable causes, both locally and across the country.

Big retail chains 🏬

Major retailers typically allocate a dedicated budget for corporate social responsibility (CSR), and often favor awarding in-kind donations or financial support to causes in each store’s geographic area. Contact your local store manager or visit the company’s website to learn about the application process.

One advantage of partnering with a large retail chain is their wide range of products that could be donated—electronics, home decor, furniture, luxury goods, and gift cards.

💛 Best for: A range of prizes from popular brands for any raffle

Examples:

• Walmart: Offers local community grants and in-kind donations through stores.
  
• Target: Gives in-kind support and gift card donations via store-level community engagement.

Find your next big donor

Explore the top companies that donate to nonprofits →

Restaurants 🍲

Coffee shops and restaurants are fixtures of every community, and they’re often eager to give back. Ask if they can donate a gift card or meal voucher—or support you in another way.

As with other local businesses, relationship building is key. Strong connections can lead to larger prize donations and long-term support.

💛 Best for: Gift vouchers for community-favorite establishments

Examples:

• Panera Bread: Offers donations to charities through community programs.
• The Cheesecake Factory: Donates gift cards and dining vouchers to various community causes.

Beauty services 💅

Who doesn’t enjoy a good pampering experience? Reach out to local spas, hair studios, and nail salons.

These businesses can offer a wide range of prizes at a range of price points, making them an ideal first stop—especially for organizations new to requesting raffle prize donations.

💛 Best for: Attractive gift vouchers for any type of raffle

Examples:

• Lush: Donates beauty products, gift sets, and vouchers to nonprofits.
• Ulta Beauty: Known to support nonprofits with product baskets or gift cards.

More to explore

Get the list of the largest companies that match donations →

Travel companies ✈️

For high-value raffle prize donations, consider partnering with a travel company. Many major airlines, vacation companies, and other travel-related businesses have budgets for social good—so it’s always worth making the ask.

If requesting a week-long vacation package or a first-class plane ticket feels out of reach, try starting smaller. A vacation gift voucher or access to an airport lounge makes for an easy ask.

💛 Best for: High-value raffle prizes like vacations or gift vouchers

Examples:

• American Airlines: Has a donations program supporting nonprofit raffles and auctions.
  
• Alaska Airlines: Offers donations through its community giving program.

Find inspiration

70+ amazing raffle prize ideas for all budgets →

Zoos and wildlife attractions 🦒

Zoos, aquariums, and wildlife experiences—like farms or animal sanctuaries—make great raffle prize partners, especially if your organization supports animal care or conservation. 

These attractions are often willing to donate prizes like family passes, keeper-for-a-day experiences, or animal encounters. After all, who can resist the opportunity to pet a giraffe or cuddle a bunny?

💛 Best for: Experience vouchers for raffle events focused on conservation or families

Examples:

• San Diego Zoo: Supports nonprofit raffles and auctions with tickets and experiences.
  
• Navy Pier: Known to contribute to four Centennial Wheel tickets. 

Hardware stores ⛏️

Hardware stores can be ideal places to source raffle items—a good set of tools or a gift voucher to help home improvement projects is always in demand. 

Ask hardware stores in your local community to donate materials, tools, paint, or a gift card that the winner can spend in-store.

💛 Best for: Gift vouchers, tools, and supplies that appeal to homeowners and DIY enthusiasts

Examples:

• Lowe’s: Supports nonprofits and community causes with in-kind donations.
  
• Home Depot: Offers community impact grants and local store donations.

Corporate businesses 💼

If you’re surrounded by office buildings or have connections in the B2B space, they can make ideal collaborators for raffle prizes. Build long-term relationships with these companies, and you might just become their go-to nonprofit for meeting their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals.

While they may not always have their own products to donate (apart from branded merch), they can often be generous with donations for gift cards, gift baskets, and high-value items like electronics.

💛 Best for: Gift baskets, gift vouchers, and electronics for any raffle

Examples:

• PepsiCo: Offers branded products or gift baskets for nonprofit fundraisers.
• T-Mobile: Donates tech gadgets, gift cards, and branded items.

Sports teams 🏀

Sports teams often love to help out nonprofit organizations—especially if you share a connection through your audience. Both local and national sports teams are worth approaching to ask for raffle prize donations. 

Look for a way to connect your work or the community you serve to the sports team or organization to increase the chances of them saying yes to your proposal.

💛 Best for: Sports-themed raffles or community events

Examples:

• Chicago Cubs: Have previously supported nonprofit auctions with memorabilia and experiences.
• New York Yankees: Donates memorabilia and tickets to local causes, perfect for sports-themed raffles.

Hotel chains 🛌

Like travel brands, hotel chains and family-run inns are often happy to support local causes. Check reviews to find highly-rated places to stay and reach out with your request.

One-night or weekend hotel stays make great raffle prizes, but you can also seek out lower-value gifts, too—like a gift card for afternoon tea, dinner, or spa services.

💛 Best for: Overnight stays or vouchers to use at local hotels

Examples:

• Marriott: Offers donation opportunities through its local hotels and loyalty program partnerships.
• Ritz-Carlton: Contributes gift certificates and luxury experiences.

More to explore

20+ fun raffle game ideas for fundraising →

How to write a raffle prize donation request that’s impossible to ignore

1. Personalize your outreach 🎨

Your raffle prize donation request letter should feel personal, not like a mass email. Before approaching companies, a little preparation can go a long way. Ask yourself:

• What prizes would my audience be most interested in? 🏖️
• What’s the likely value of the prize I’m looking for? 💰
• Should I request a physical item or a gift card? 💳
• Do I have an existing relationship at this company that I can leverage? 🤝
• Can I communicate the value of donating a prize? 📈
• If they can’t donate a prize, can they help us raise funds in another way? 📣

Mention why you're reaching out to this specific local business or donor—maybe their values align with your cause, or you’ve worked together before. Personal touches go a long way.

💡 Pro tip: Use the decision-maker’s name and title (LinkedIn is your friend!). Personalization boosts response rates.

2. Keep it concise ✍️ 

A compelling raffle prize request letter gets to the point fast. Busy business owners and donors don’t need every detail up front—just the essentials.

When writing your ​​letter asking for raffle prizes, clearly state what you're asking for and how it will help raise funds for your mission. For example:

We’re seeking a gift certificate valued at $50–$100 for our annual fundraising raffle. Each raffle ticket sold helps us provide three meals to families in need.

Dive deeper

Read the step-by-step guide on how to ask for donations →

3. Offer something in return 👀 

Make it a win-win. Show how contributing not only supports a good cause but can also benefit the donor. Consider offering a sponsorship proposal that includes:

• Logo placement on event materials and digital platforms
• Verbal recognition during the event
• Tagged social media features
• Inclusion in post-event communications to all attendees
• Complimentary tickets to the event
• First right of refusal for next year's sponsorship opportunities

This turns your donation request letter into an exciting marketing opportunity for local businesses.

4. Show past success 🥳

Add a success story to your request to demonstrate that your organization can deliver a positive impact—and recognition. Include a short paragraph or visual from a past event that highlights:

• How much money was raised
• Happy winners of past raffle donations
• What donors received in return

This social proof encourages new supporters to get involved and makes your request letter even more persuasive.

Dive deeper

Learn how to get donations from companies in 5 steps →

5. Follow up and show gratitude 🙌

Gratitude isn't just polite—it builds lasting donor relationships. Say thanks with:

• A heartfelt thank-you note or call
• A framed certificate of appreciation
• A social media spotlight
• A feature in your post-event recap

As Tammy Zonker, Fundraising and Donor Relations Expert, puts it, 

We want our donors to know they matter, that they made a difference through their giving, and that they understand concretely the difference that they made. That's essentially how we convey to them, ‘I see you, you matter, you're making a difference.’

Streamline your raffle prize donation requests with Givebutter

Securing great raffle items doesn’t have to be stressful or time-consuming. 

With a strategic approach—targeting the right donors, crafting compelling requests, and leveraging smart tools—you can create an exciting raffle prize lineup that maximizes the success of your fundraiser. 

With Givebutter, you can manage your raffle outreach and event in one place.

From a complete CRM for tracking contacts to built-in marketing and engagement tools—plus an entire suite of event management features—Givebutter helps you handle all your fundraising in one platform, so you can focus less on logistics and more on impact.

Ready to change the way you organize and host raffles for the better? Sign up for Givebutter for free today and start raising more money with less stress.

FAQs about donation requests for raffles

How do I find companies that give donations for raffles near me?

Start with businesses right in your backyard—restaurants, boutiques, fitness studios, and service providers you already know or support. These local businesses are often the quickest (and most willing!) to donate.

If you don’t have direct relationships, tap into your network. Ask board members, volunteers, or staff for warm introductions to places they love. Familiarity and real connection almost always beat cold outreach.

How to get local businesses to donate raffle prizes?

To get local businesses to donate raffle prizes, make sure you:

• Get personal: Tailor your ask to the person and business you’re approaching—including why you think their company would be a good fit.
• Explain the impact: Clearly explain your mission and how the funds will be used.
• Mention the perks: Outline exactly what recognition they'll receive (logo placement, social media tags, event announcements).
• Reach out far in advance of your event: Many companies have a donation approval process that can take anywhere from 60 to 90 days of lead time.

What do companies usually donate to raffles?

Here are a few examples of what certain companies might donate to raffles:

• Restaurants and cafes: Gift cards, meal vouchers, or catering packages
• Retailers: Their own products, like sporting equipment, books, beauty products, or clothing
• Service businesses: Personal training sessions, spa treatments, photography packages, or professional consultations
• Local attractions: Admission passes, memberships, or behind-the-scenes experiences