Prize Ideas That Don't Suck
10 September 2026
There's a special place in fundraising hell for the person who donates a half-used candle and a $10 voucher to a shop that closed last month. Don't be that person. Here are prizes people will actually buy tickets for.
For pub and club raffles
- -Meat trays from a named local butcher (always works)
- -Bar tab ($50–$100 — they'll spend more on top)
- -Slab of beer or a bottle of premium spirits
- -A meal for two at the venue (costs you nothing, feels premium)
- -Fuel voucher ($50 — universally loved, universally boring, universally effective)
For school fundraisers
- -One week of no homework (clear it with the principal — this prints money)
- -Principal for a day (kid gets the big chair, makes announcements)
- -Extra recess for the winning class
- -A family photo session with a local photographer
- -Hamper of school supplies (parents love not buying them)
For charity galas
- -Chef's table dinner for 6–8 people
- -Signed memorabilia from someone people actually care about
- -Weekend getaway that's actually on a weekend
- -A month of house cleaning (everyone wants this, nobody thinks of it)
- -"CEO for an hour" — winner tells the boss what to do
For corporate events
- -Extra day of annual leave (check with HR, obviously)
- -The good parking spot for a month
- -Lunch with the CEO (or lunch without the CEO, depending on the CEO)
- -Noise-cancelling headphones (every open-plan office worker's dream)
- -A subscription box — coffee, wine, snacks. Something they'll actually use.
Prizes that always bomb
- -Anything "handmade" by someone who just started a hobby
- -Restaurant vouchers to places nobody's heard of
- -Self-help books
- -Anything that requires assembly
- -Gift cards to shops in other suburbs
- -"A consultation with..." — this is not a prize, it's a sales pitch
The secret formula
The best raffle prize answers this question: "Would I buy this for myself but keep putting it off?" If yes, it's a winner. A good bottle of whisky. A massage voucher. A nice knife set. Things people want but don't prioritise.
How many prizes?
For a small raffle (under 50 tickets): 1 great prize For a medium raffle (50–200 tickets): 3 prizes, descending value For a big raffle (200+): 5 prizes, with a clear headliner
More prizes = more winners = more excitement = more tickets next time.