New Update: Boost Social Proof with Reviews & Automation
Introducing RafflePress's new leave-a-review giveaway actions. Boost customer engagement and build trust effortlessly by incentivizing reviews in WordPress.
New Update: Boost Social Proof with Reviews & Automation
Stacey Corrin
Stacey Corrin
John Turner
John Turner
A charity giveaway is an online contest where people enter for a chance to win a prize while helping a nonprofit raise funds, grow awareness, and build supporter connections.
Running one online gives charities the chance to reach supporters worldwide, not just in their local area. It’s a simple, cost-effective way to raise money, share your mission, and attract long-term donors.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to run a charity giveaway online. You’ll see how to plan your campaign, follow the rules, set up your giveaway, promote it to the right audience, and measure the results.
Steps to run a charity giveaway:
Charities can run giveaways online, but you’ll need to follow specific rules. The biggest factor is understanding the difference between sweepstakes, raffles, and lotteries.
The “no purchase necessary” rule is especially important online. Even if you accept donations, you must offer a free way to enter. This ensures fairness and keeps your giveaway legally compliant.
Running your giveaway online gives you advantages that in-person fundraising cannot match. You are not limited to your local community because anyone with an internet connection can join and support your cause.
It is also more affordable and easier to manage. You do not need to rent a venue, print tickets, or coordinate staff. Most of the process is automated, which saves time and money.
Another major benefit is data. Online giveaways give you clear insights into how many people entered, where they came from, and how well your campaign performed. That information helps you measure impact and improve your next fundraiser.
And with 63% of donors now preferring to give online, digital campaigns like charity giveaways meet people where they already are.
Setting up a charity giveaway online is easier when you follow a clear plan. Breaking the process into simple steps helps you stay compliant, attract more participants, and make sure your fundraiser has the biggest impact possible.
Start by deciding what you want to achieve with your charity giveaway. Clear goals help you choose the right setup, prizes, and promotion methods.
Use the SMART framework so your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, you might aim to raise £5,000 in four weeks, add 1,000 new email subscribers, or increase awareness of a new campaign.
This kind of focus is what helped Basil Thai Cuisine grow their email list by 52% using RafflePress.
Their clear goal was subscriber growth, and by tailoring their giveaway to that objective, they were able to reach the right audience and see measurable results.
Next, think about who you want to reach. Your ideal participants may be past donors, social media followers, or people passionate about your cause.
Understanding your audience will guide everything from the prize you offer to the platforms you promote on.
Before launching your giveaway, check the laws that apply where your charity is based. Requirements differ by country and even by state, so doing this early prevents problems later.
In the United States, you must include a free entry option for compliance. In the UK and EU, donation entries are only allowed if there is also a no-cost way to participate.
Covering these basics ensures your campaign starts on solid ground and avoids unnecessary legal risks.
The platform you use to run your charity giveaway makes a big difference in how easy it is to set up, track, and promote your campaign. You can use general fundraising platforms, but they often lack the engagement tools that make giveaways successful.
Dedicated giveaway builders like RafflePress are designed for this purpose.
With RafflePress, the best WordPress giveaway plugin, you can create professional giveaways in minutes using a drag-and-drop builder, track entries automatically, and choose winners fairly with a built-in random draw tool.
If you decide to go with RafflePress, you can follow our guide on how to create an online contest to get set up.
Look for features such as social sharing options, mobile-friendly design, and referral rewards to help your giveaway spread quickly online. The easier it is for people to enter and share, the bigger the impact your charity campaign will have.
For a more detailed list of options, check out our roundup of social media contest tools.
The prize you choose is what motivates people to take part in your charity giveaway. A strong prize should connect with your mission while still appealing to a wide audience.
Cause-aligned prizes work especially well. For example, if your nonprofit focuses on the environment, you could offer sustainable products or eco-friendly experiences. This reinforces your message while rewarding participants.
Digital prizes like gift cards or online experiences are also great options. They are easy to deliver worldwide and help you avoid shipping costs.
Finally, consider asking sponsors to donate prizes. This reduces costs for your organization and creates extra promotion when sponsors share the giveaway with their networks.
For inspiration, you can see these proven charity giveaway ideas.
The way people enter your giveaway shapes how effective it will be. Some nonprofits use donation-based entries, while others rely on free digital actions. A mix of both can raise funds and expand awareness at the same time.
Popular entry methods include following your charity on social media, sharing the giveaway with friends, or submitting user-generated content like photos or stories. These actions increase engagement and spread your mission to new audiences.
RafflePress makes this simple with built-in entry actions you can activate with a click. You can even reward referrals, which helps your campaign grow quickly.
Every giveaway also needs clear rules. At a minimum, explain who can enter, how you’ll collect entries, how and when winners are picked, and how prizes are delivered.
RafflePress includes a rules generator that creates a professional set of terms you can publish right on your giveaway page.
For a full walkthrough, see our guide on how to write giveaway rules like a pro.
Promotion is what gets people to notice and enter your charity giveaway. A well-planned campaign ensures your message reaches both loyal supporters and new audiences who may become long-term donors.
Start with social media. Post regularly across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, and consider boosting posts with low-cost ads to reach a wider audience. Pair your posts with eye-catching visuals and a clear call to action.
Email is another powerful tool. Send an announcement to your list, followed by reminders as the deadline approaches. Reminders help keep your campaign front of mind.
UK charities are proving how big digital promotion can pay off. The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge 2024 pulled in £44.7 million across 119,000 donations for 1,250 charities in just one week, showing the visibility that comes from compelling storytelling, strong calls to action, and wide promotion.
#Mondaymotivation: the #ChristmasChallenge is ON! Start your week by making double the difference.
— Big Give (@BigGive) December 9, 2024
Today, while match funds last, every donation to 1,250+ incredible charities can be doubled. Find out more: https://t.co/3HYBk9SX11
Photo by Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation pic.twitter.com/Q665J4BC57
Look for partners who can help spread the word. Sponsors, influencers, or other nonprofits can share the giveaway with their audiences, bringing you extra visibility at no cost.
Most importantly, tell a story. Connect your prize to your mission by explaining how each entry supports your cause. People are more likely to participate when they feel their action makes a difference.
As a guide, start promoting your giveaway at least two weeks before launch, keep the momentum going during the giveaway, and make a final push in the last 48 hours to maximize entries.
When your giveaway ends, the most important step is choosing a winner fairly. This builds trust with your supporters and shows that the process is transparent.
With RafflePress, you can draw a winner at random directly inside the plugin. The tool ensures every valid entry has an equal chance of being selected, removing any doubts about fairness.
Once chosen, you can display the winner on the giveaway widget itself so participants see the result right away. This makes the process more engaging and avoids confusion about who won.
After announcing the winner, follow up with a winner announcement message to everyone who entered. Share how their participation supported your cause, and invite them to stay connected for future campaigns.
After your giveaway ends, take time to review the results. Tracking performance helps you understand what worked well and where you can improve next time.
Key giveaway metrics to measure include entries, donations, social reach, and new subscribers. These numbers show the overall impact of your campaign.
RafflePress gives you quick insights into which entry actions were most popular, while tools like Google Analytics show how participants found your campaign.
Use this data to shape your next giveaway. Test different giveaway prize ideas, entry options, or promotion channels, and follow up with participants to turn them into long-term supporters.
Running a charity giveaway online is a powerful way to raise funds, grow awareness, and connect with new supporters. With the right goals, legal setup, and a tool like RafflePress, you can launch a giveaway that is simple to manage and inspiring for participants.
You may also find the following giveaway guides helpful:
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