Raffles are one way to raise money from people who wouldn't otherwise give anything.

How do you know that? Many people donate money that others never know about. They also buy raffle tickets.

I buy raffle tickets sometines from organizations I already support. I don’t do it for the prize, but to support the endeavor. I will buy a ticket for other causes to support them, if a $20 ticket helps them, it’s no big investment for me. I would probably be unlikely to just randomly donate $20 to them without a raffle.

My mom has won $250 from an annual church raffle twice. We joke that they rigged it for her to win because she gives 50% back to the church.

Raffles are one way to raise money from people who wouldn't otherwise give anything. I accept that some may need such an incentive to give in an emergency when they shouldn't

……

Give $50 to the cause - deductible

That gives many people the incentive to give so they can deduct up to certain amount on taxes. You may as well say some people may not give to the cause if they don’t get tax deduction incentive.

I see a lot of different ways that friends, family, and the community get together to help individual families either experiencing a disaster or needing help with some health related cost. There are GFMs, which don't seem to be popular locally. Locally the most popular is the making and selling food by the plate such as bbq, or selling tamales. And then there are the raffles. Sometimes that too is food related, baskets of home made stuff donated by neighbors. Some are heartbreaking, like an unexpected death and the family needs help with funeral costs. It is heartwarming to see people working together to help those in need.

" Raffles are one way to raise money from people who wouldn't otherwise give anything.

How do you know that? "

Well, maybe not directly on point, but I spent 10 years on the Board of Directors of a fairly good-sized public charity in my area. All operations were local. I was on the Finance Committee for the entire time (one of the reasons why I was invited to the Board, my finance background) and Chair of it for half the time.

We raised money with major programs and direct solicitation of money sources we knew could be successful. Not with raffles. We needed to raise dollars, not pennies, which is true of most charities though many don't recognize that. Raising dollars takes a different approach than pennies.

Of course.

This thread is about selling raffle tickets, though.

Raffle Floof.

“Do you buy raffle tickets? Have you ever won anything? Anything good or just junk?”

" Give $50 to the cause - deductible

That gives many people the incentive to give so they can deduct up to certain amount on taxes. You may as well say some people may not give to the cause if they don’t get tax deduction incentive."

I agree with you, to a certain extent but not entirely.

For most people, if they itemize deductions instead of taking the standard deduction (which is true of fewer and fewer these days), the tax benefit of a deduction may reduce their cost of a $100 contribution by $25, net to $75. Someone spending $100 on a raffle ticket is looking for a return of many multiples of the cost of the ticket. They want to win $1000, or $2000, or whatever. A cash contribution is to support the org. A raffle ticket purchase is to gamble on getting a big return. That's why raffle ticket purchases are not tax deductible, there's no charitable intent and the possibility of personal financial gain. No different from putting $100 on a number of a roulette wheel.

Everything!!! is an argument.

" Of course.

This thread is about selling raffle tickets, though."

It was you who asked me what I knew about raising money and I guess you were disappointed that I had a good answer. Let's talk about raffles.

I'll repeat what I said, and what I'm referring to is non-profits that are not religious in nature.

When you think small, you act small. When you act small, the result is small. Most charities shoot too low. If one wants or needs to raise dollars, then programs and activities need to be focused on doing that. Not raising pennies.

Bake sales, raffles, and the like raise little and do little. I remember one year when one of my kid's public school did something novel (for it). Expected funding that year was haircut, and they needed some tens of thousands of dollars for something, what it was doesn't matter. The PTA decided to have a fund-raising drive. Money, not canned goods, not cookies, not volunteer hours. They asked every family to contribute cash, as each could afford to. No amount was too small or too large. They said they hoped to average $50 per family but any amount was welcome. They explained the program in a mailer and explained what the money was needed for.

They were shocked at the result. At what they thought would be the halfway point of the program, money collected exceeded their target. The morale of the story - you don't know if you don't ask.

" Everything!!! is an argument. "

You have no opinions to share on this topic? Discussions are the sharing of opinions; not all opinions are of a like kind. I think you don't understand what discussions are.

I asked how you knew what others donate, not what you knew about raising money. I think most people, at least the people I know up here on the edge of the tundra🥶know that raffles and and making a significant donation to a cause are different animals.

Maybe I’m wrong. 🤔

A portion of knowing how to raise money is knowing what factors or elements of a program will motivate people to donate.

Amy, you would have loved my parent’s pink washing machine.💕

That's why raffle ticket purchases are not tax deductible, there's no charitable intent and the possibility of personal financial gain. No different from putting $100 on a number of a roulette wheel.

I already knew about the reason for non tax deduction of raffles. To elaborate further the incentive is the same whether they participate in raffles or make charitable donations - may have some monetary gain and/or a chance to give unconditionally. Giving opportunities encompass many forms and the scopes of operations can be small to large depending on circumstances and the capabilities of the organizations. And all giving opportunities should be celebrated non judgmentally. There is charitable intent in raffles.

" I already knew about the reason for non tax deduction of raffles. " but

" There is charitable intent in raffles. "

These are contradictory. There's no deduction because the value of the potential personal benefit equals or exceeds the remainder benefit to the charity, so no deduction because there is no net charitable gift and no intent.

Let's say you decide to build a road and grant the public use as an easement across your property to get to the beach. The donation of an easement to the public can be deductible, but only to the extent that the value exceeds any personal benefit derived. If the road costs $100,000 and there's a $150,000 increase in the value of your property because that shared easement provides better and paved access to your property, there's no deduction. This isn't an obscure concept in the US.

No contradictory. As I mentioned above, when people participate in raffles with the intent to give unconditionally, they do not care about deduction, the thing that boxes you in. Think outside the box elmer.

My actual experiences and my views are as stated and differ from yours. That's fine. Whether you have any real world basis for your views as I do or not, it doesn't matter. I suspect not.

Same here. Although I would say your logic has so many holes. Hope that helped in some way.

Haha. I hope you're joking. My eyes remain open every day, you can try that when you're ready.

Eyes open, but mind is closed.🙃

When DS was part of a Chicago theater group about twenty years ago we donated a prize to its fund raiser. (A free week at our Maui condo.)

A mistake. We have had to file a special federal return every year since then. Yerg!

it occurred to me that my daughter recently asked me to buy her raffle books raising money for breast cancer. I just went to look at the stack of pink cards on my desk. Until this moment I had no idea how many i bought, how much they cost, or what the prizes are. Tell me again how I was motivated by the potential for a prize.

Truth is though, I've often thought about whether I believe in pure altruism. I think I don't. Some acts are clearly more altruistic than others, but do we ever do a good deed for absolutely no self benefit? Even with an anonymous donation, we choose causes that we feel are worthwhile, that we feel good about giving to. Feeling good, that’s worth something. Perhaps not to the IRS, but to the giver.

I did get a few things out of buying those raffle tickets. I'm happy to give to a cause that's personal to me. I'm hapoy to support my daughter’s effort. I'm happy to have bought up her expected minimum, so that she doesn't have to go around asking others for money. Yes that's a "me" thing because my upbringing left me very uneasy asking people for money. (Kids are more than welcome to ask me for donations!)

Now if someone else made a recent donation directly to a cause and feels like they were more charitable than me because they gsve directly rather than buying a raffle, well then that feeling of superiority is one thing they ”bought.” I’d imagine that’s invaluable for some.

The cynicism and bad attitude on display in your words, an obvious effort of provocation though a weak one, make me want to not respond to your comment. In case there's any sincerity or true feelings expressed, I'll be a better person and respond.

There are many spectrums of attitudes of different kinds. One happens to be the spectrum where people could be described as being selfish/stingy/uncaring of others at one extreme versus those who are generous or willing to give of themselves to help others at the other extreme.

Do people ever do altruistic deeds strictly with no self-benefit in mind, expected, or produced inwardly by the act itself? I think so. Very many do and do so all the time. Suggesting that there "has to be some benefit in return expected for such deeds", even something intangible, as an ever-present thought, is cynical. That describes some people I'm sure. I'm not like that. Did you say that because it describes you? Too bad if so.

I think people who are self-motivated to help others don't wait to be pinged by a solicitation or a drive to do so. They give of themselves and seek out ways to do so because they think that's what they should do. I discount efforts with religious organizations, I can't personally help but be cynical about those insofar as many expecting some self-benefit in return in the future.

If you're happy to give of yourself to help certain causes or efforts, seek them out yourself and offer what you have to offer. It needn't be money. Volunteer your time. If you have free time because you're in-between jobs, maybe your occupational skills could be of value to an organization that helps those less fortunate. What's in it for you - here's one to consider - you're setting a good example for your kids. "Do As I Do" is a much better way of giving advice than "Do As I Say but don't do".

“I'll be a better person and respond.”

See, you couldn’t even get through your first paragraph without declaring your superiority. You can never simply share opinions, yours need to be better.

The question I posed about altruism is a philosophical one. Not everything has to be about right or wrong, better or worse. If you feel you’re inherently driven to do good things for others, then doesn’t doing good things help bring inner peace? Is that not a reward in and of itself?

Why is it always black or white. Some of us volunteer for causes we believe in, giving our time and our money. Or we might believe in causes that we aren't able to volunteer for and we just give $. Some of us give money regularly and then buy raffle tickets to support our causes. Some people never give $ or time but only buy raffle tickets. No one gets to judge which is better for others. No one gets to decide he is superior because his way is best for him. I see selfless acts all the time, i see people inflating their contributions to humanity all the time. And all too often, i see people who only are satisfied by putting others down in order to feel better about themselves. It's rampant on social media.

Watching all the selfless acts and donations to the devastation in NC and Tennessee and Florida shows that many are motivated to DO something to alleviate suffering. They don't argue that they are superior over those doing other things.

" If you feel you’re inherently driven to do good things for others, then doesn’t doing good things help bring inner peace? "

No, not necessarily. You're stuck on this.

Are there not things you do simply because it's expected of you (by you yourself or by someone else), or by your family or by your community or in your work or for who cares what the reason is, just because you're "supposed to"? I think people who are mature and try to be more responsible than not, do such things. That likely includes you.

For many, helping others in ways they can, as they can, is just such a thing.

Where's the black and white. What I suggested was that I don't view buying raffle tickets as "charitable giving". It's not something given with no expectation of return, which is what I consider charitable giving to be. Anyone is welcome to think otherwise.

The net take of the California State lottery is used to support public schools. Do you think people who buy lottery tickets have any basis to claim that they're motivated to do it because it supports public education? (which has been shown to not be the case. The state reduces education grants from the general fund to account for lottery monies. Such reductions are spent elsewhere in the budget)

" No one gets to decide he is superior because his way is best for him."

Agree

"I see selfless acts all the time"

I don't know about all the time, I see them sometimes and wish I saw them more. I see selfish acts perhaps more often. Have you driven on the freeway lately? That's a good start to start the day with reduced respect for one's selfish fellow citizens.

" i see people inflating their contributions to humanity all the time."

For sure. Often in their own mind, sometimes trying to convince others of that.

Are there not things you do simply because it's expected of you (by you yourself or by someone else), or by your family or by your community or in your work or for who cares what the reason is, just because you're "supposed to"? I think people who are mature and try to be more responsible than not, do such things

Those are personal responsibilities which differ from the innate desire to help others.

Reread my words you quoted to see you misunderstood.

An expectation one has of oneself is not a personal responsibility. Something that one decides they want to do for someone is the same, not a responsibility. They're personal choices.

Did you ever take your kids to a museum or other learning opportunity simply because you thought it would be a positive experience for them? That's not done to fulfill a responsibility, it's a choice to do something for others. Did you ever pass up something you'd planned and wanted to do for yourself, because you decided instead to do something for someone else? Same thing.

There are very few people I think who would REFUSE to give of themselves without a return. They are out there of course. Me? I have a healthy mix I think. I give via payroll deduction to whatever charity my company picks. There is no incentive or reward for that. I gave money to my nephews band fundraiser for nothing in return. I bought stuff I did not want or need for my coworkers kids school fundraiser, and I bought raffle tickets for another set of niblings. That last 2 examples I bought more than I would for random kids because they have a competition for who can raise the most, and I want the kids that I personally have a connection with to to MERCILESSLY crush the competition. And if a get a call or text telling me that those particular kids are currently in 2nd or 3rd or whatever place and only need X amount to win? I'm buying more so that they will win. Some may call that tacky. SO WHAT?!?!? The money was raised. Some people do not care what the cause for selling the raffle tickets are for. They just may want a chance to win something. SO WHAT?!?!?!? The money was raised. I have volunteered to be in a dunking tank for the company's charity campaign. It cost $10 for 3 chances to send me swimming. Guess what? People paid it. A LOT of people. Some more than once. They could have just dropped the money off and been done. But they didn't. They only PAID money for the chance to dunk me. (RUINED one of my tutus BTW) SO WHAT?!?!? Money was raised. Some people only give so they can say they did and brag about how righteous they are. WHO CARES?!?!? In the end, when raising money for whatever is the goal, I fail to see the importance of the motivation of the people contributing. Or for that matter, any sort of donation. Money, stuff or time. Some people donate stuff they want out of their house JUST because they want it out of their house. I donated a bunch of old blankets to the local animal shelter. Because I did not want them anymore and they were taking up room. Would my donation have been more worthy if I had went and bought brand new blankets to give? My former coworker had the task of cleaning out his sisters house after she passed away. He called a few charities, and they came and got what they wanted. He told me the he ONLY did that because they came and picked it up for free, and he would have had to pay the junk company A LOT more to take all of it. He saved a bunch of money that way. SO WHAT?!?!?!? A few different charities and therefore, many people benefitted from it. I had to complete an enormous and ridiculous (IMO) hours of volunteer work in high school. It was required to graduate. I did not want to participate in or enjoy a lot of the experiences, but in the end, these organizations got help that they needed for free. There would have been no difference if I REALLY REALLY wanted to do it or if I was essentially forced. The tasks were done without attitude and to the best of my ability. Stuffing envelopes, wrapping poinsettias in cellophane, spreading mulch, making food baskets or sorting and carrying bags of Christmas presents out to the cars of people that benefitted from the charity concerned does not take or make a kind heart and a giving spirit. And the motivation behind the action makes no difference in these cases.

As far as raffle tickets, buying them specifically for a cause IS most certainly charitable giving, as most people understand the odds of them winning anything are not very high, and most people do not specifically set out to find random raffles to enter. They are, most of the time, asked to participate in support of a certain cause, and choose to do so, with little expectation. Hope is not expectation. And in many cases, the "stuff" being raffled off is donated as well.

Oh ffs. This was supposed to be a fun discussion about winning stuff. What happened? And how did I get roped in?

I should go check my trick or treat thread to see if it has dissolved into a moral argument about obesity, dentistry, the evil of Halloween, capitalism, witchcraft, HOAS, these darn kids today, and whatever else......

Do you have a choice not to take care of your family? Most would say they have the responsibility to take care of themselves and their loved ones. To fulfill those responsibilities, there are choices to make. So there are responsibility for yourself and responsibility for others, but they’re not the same as the innate desire to help. You’re confused.

My apologies to Amylou. I got carried away lately.

I've bought a lot of raffle tickets. Silent actions to raise money for extra ciricular activities. Ticket per lap for relay races - we'd try to go, watch, and there may be nothing cuter than preschool and kindergarten age running relays. They miss their 'cones' marking turns, run the wrong direction, hold hands to help each other....

I haven't won. The private school several of the children in this extended family have gone to have a raffle each year. We buy a few from each family child enrolled - thank heavens its never been more than two in same year, the tickets being somewhat expensive. The prizes are quite nice - and donated. A weekend at a private cabin in a lakeside resort, dinner at a nearby winery where the food is quite good, gift cert at our one store that carries nice furniture and decorating accessories (owner belongs to the same church as the school 😊) A couple of times one SIL has donated a week in their condo in Hawaii but not including the flight to get there. It's a nice condo and she keeps a car there so overall a nice prize. They don't rent it. She will loan it.

I buy two $1 state lottery tickets each week. I've won $100 a few times but never the larger cash prize.

Many years ago I won a cake in a grade school raffle. I remember nothing about the cake other than that I had won. I couldn't even tell you if it was good or not.

I have volunteered to be in a dunking tank for the company's charity campaign. It cost $10 for 3 chances to send me swimming.

I can just imagine! You are such a lively, fun person!

My gosh, the constant bickering that goes on here is exhausting.

Amy, I don't often have the occasion to participate in raffles, and have never won anything when I have. One thing jumped out at me in your post....can your employer really mandate that you use a personal day off to attend REQUIRED training?? Yikes.

Yes, I participate in raffles that I feel are for a good cause. WRT parents selling their kids' raffle tickets, I'd much rather have the kid ask me. I think it's good for the kids to learn to participate and not have something handed to them. And I enjoy interacting with the kid and making them feel happy and proud.

If I win, great! If not, that's fine, too. I pretty much never win.

(Amylou, disregard this comment if you wish, but it's meant to be helpful, not insulting. "Wall-o-words" posts, such as your two here, are difficult to read. Paragraphs are your friends).

I am always happy to see Amylou's name on a thread. I wish she would submit a few of her wonderful KT contributions to a local newspaper to be hired as a columnist. She should be making money on her talent, and she deserves a larger audience than just us.

Great points, Patricia! My grandson attended a grade school and middle school that both used raffles and auctions to raise money at events. There was always a wonderful sense of community at those events - both from the people donating items to raffle and people excited at the prospect of some of the prizes. Both schools had some families of means who were generous to donate opportunities to use their vacation homes, or fly in their planes, or enjoy a $400 bottle of wine from their shop.

“I guess I missed feeling good about myself.”

You explained why you buy this stuff. You don’t feel better having contributed to these life lessons and kids’ sense of community, better than if you refused? Is that not reward in and of itself?

I've rarely participated in raffles-but when given the opportunity, I did.

We tried something different in my son's elementary school (he's 21 now) but...we sent out a one-time fundraiser LETTER every year of only a monetary donation at the beginning of the year, and promising of no fundraising of selling items the rest of the school year. It worked! Got enormous amount of $100 donations from grandparents, aunts etc. Of course, lesser amounts also. It was such a relief, as parents for the rest of the year to not have to beg anyone time after time for school fundraisers. I know that may not work in every school, but it worked in the last four years my son was there. Wonder if they still do that?

We also had a Fall Festival and silent auction etc for fundraisers throughout the year. But nothing where you had to sell anything. Those days were fun, but busy!

I have bought fundraising items including raffles from my niece and nephews schools-but I never expect to win anything, and could care less about winning.

Ollie Jane, that's exactly what I've experienced too. If a school or whatever wants or needs money, asking for money is most direct and more productive than asking for hundreds of boxes of brownies.

Sense of community? Meh. I think this comment above is coming from two people who may not themselves have raised children of their own. Our experience with our children (more than two) and many schools through the years was that a shocking number of parents couldn't care less about their kids' schools, the teachers and admin, their fellow parents, etc.

Those that do have involvement often do so as a social activity without having much real interest or concern about the accomplishments of the school, without much or any value-added ideas to contribute, and with few thoughts generally about how to help the schools do better.

Edit to add:

My point was, "sense of community" sounds warm and fuzzy and may apply in some cases. But in my experience, that was uncommon in our experience but there were one or two exceptions.

One school that was not an exception was a charter school. For a reason that doesn't matter, one of our kids spent two years at a charter school. At the beginning of the year, the school requested parents attend an evening meeting. It was announced in advance but about 50% were no-shows. They reviewed plans of operation and funding. The principal said that while the school, as a public charter school, got some public funding, it was really in the nature of a private school and the public funding wasn't enough to cover expected expenses.

It was astounding to me to hear parents talking at the break about how the charter school was publicly funded, their kids were entitled to attend for free, and they wouldn't comply with the cash request. I asked one why they thought that was the right thing to do in the face of the principal stating that public funding wouldn't be enough. The response - "That's her problem". A good example of the absence of a "sense of community".

This was the example I mentioned before where the school asked each family for cash - they hoped for a $50 per student average and they ultimately got it after just a few months. You can't expect to raise tends of thousands of dollars selling cupcakes or raffle tickets.

Well, the raffle was yesterday and I WON! I won $1000! Whoop whoop!

I was wrong before though, I thought that cash was the only prizes available. Turns out there were lots of pretty valuable prizes up for raffle. The sister whose kids I bought the tickets from won 6 bottles of wine. I guess the TOP prizes were cash. $1000, $1500 and $2500 were the only thing listed on the tickets, so I thought that was it. Anyway, my losing streak is over! YAY!

Congratulations Amylou! My daughter won a coffee themed gift basket from the local food pantry at our Burgoo Festival last week. She bought $20 worth of tickets and gave me half to distribute among some 20 or so baskets. I didn't win.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay, Amylou! Congratulations! You deserve a reward for all you do for everyone else!

Congratulations! I hope you treat yourself to something wonderful!

Amy, I entered a raffle drawing yesterday, too, and I guess you won the ”Luck Raffle”, as I didn’t win. (wait, did we enter the same raffle? Wouldn’t that be funny!)

Congratulations, Amylou, on your raffle win! You do deserve a win given all you do for your co-workers and family in so many ways. Hope you will spend at least some of it on something fun for yourself.