Raffles are some of the most engaging and fun fundraisers out there. They’re simple to organize, appeal to a wide audience, and can be paired with various other events and campaigns.

The key to a successful raffle is procuring prizes that supporters are excited to win, and attractive, themed gift baskets are a top option. In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about creating top-quality raffle baskets, including:

Depending on the baskets’ value and your audience’s preferences, raffle baskets can supplement a larger grand prize or serve as the grand prize themselves. No matter which approach you take, the Event Fundraising Specialists at Winspire are here to help your organization build a slate of raffle prizes that will help you reach your fundraising goals. Let’s dive in!

Explore bucket-list vacation packages to supplement your raffle baskets. Contact Winspire.

How to Create a Standout Raffle Basket

Putting together gift baskets that will make your supporters want to buy raffle tickets requires a balance of thoughtful planning and creativity. As you curate your prizes, keep these elements of a high-quality raffle basket in mind:

A circle divided into four sections labeled with the elements of a standout raffle basket, which are listed below.

  • Cohesive theme. Coordinating items will make your baskets appear more intentionally organized and resonate more strongly with certain segments of your audience. Give your baskets catchy titles that reflect their themes to catch supporters’ attention.
  • Visual appeal. Supporters will perceive your baskets as more valuable if they appear full. If your items aren’t large enough to fill the basket, conceal the gaps with tissue paper. Arrange the items so they are all easily visible, use clear cellophane wrap to keep the basket together, and add ribbons or other fun decorations to complete the look.
  • Balanced value. Participants should feel like they’re getting a good deal by purchasing multiple raffle tickets. Therefore, your prize values should be compatible with the raffle ticket price. If you want to charge more for tickets, incorporate higher-priced items or certificates for memorable experiences into your raffle baskets.
  • Low upfront costs. Procuring raffle prizes for free or at reduced prices allows more of your fundraising total to go toward your mission. Take advantage of nonprofit discounts, solicit in-kind donations from individual supporters and corporate sponsors, and work with dedicated providers of fundraising raffle prizes to get the best deals on high-quality items.

Once you’ve created appealing raffle baskets using these tips, take photos of them for your fundraiser marketing materials. This way, supporters will get excited about winning these prizes and be more likely to buy several raffle tickets!

A quick word of caution: The laws around hosting and registering raffles vary by state. Make sure raffles are legal in your area, your organization meets any eligibility requirements, and you secure necessary permits or licenses before you start advertising your raffle and procuring prizes.

Discover even more raffle basket ideas for your fundraiser. Download the Guide.

Our Top Raffle Basket Ideas

Now that you know what goes into creating a high-quality raffle basket, here are our favorite ideas for basket themes and items to include. We’ve divided them into categories so you can easily choose the ones that appeal most to your nonprofit’s unique audience.

Food and Beverage Raffle Basket Ideas

charcuterie board of meats, cheeses, fruits, and nuts with a glass of wine.

High-quality food and drinks go well in a gift basket. Appeal to your supporters’ diverse tastes with raffle basket themes like:

  • Chocolate Spectacular. Help your supporters celebrate all things chocolate with a basket containing a variety of gourmet chocolates, hot cocoa mixes, and chocolate-covered snacks like pretzels or dried fruit.
  • Sugar Rush. Appeal to your supporters’ inner child with a basket of colorful candies like giant lollipops, gummies, rock candy, and red licorice. If your raffle takes place near Halloween, this basket is a great option since supporters can share the candy with family and friends during the holiday.
  • Wine and Cheese Night. Curate a selection of wines, cheeses, crackers, and other complements, and a wooden charcuterie board. To increase this basket’s value, you could add a wine-tasting experience at a nearby vineyard. (Just make sure the basket’s winner is 21 or older!)
  • Craft Beer Connoisseur. For every supporter who prefers a nice glass of wine, there is likely another one who enjoys a good beer. Put together a sampler of craft beers and hard ciders and include some salty snacks to go with the drinks. An optional value-add for this basket could be a tour of a local brewery.
  • The At-Home Barista. Coffee lovers will rejoice at the opportunity to win a basket full of assorted high-quality coffees, mugs, and cookies to enjoy on the side. Add a coffee maker, French press, or espresso machine to make this basket even more appealing.
  • Tea Time. For the tea enthusiasts in your supporter base, fill a basket with assorted loose-leaf and bagged teas, as well as mugs, honey, and coordinating snacks. An electric kettle would be an excellent value-add for this basket.
  • Grill Master. Make a basket for supporters who love to cook outdoors with grill utensils and cleaning supplies, a meat thermometer, trays, an apron, high-quality seasonings and condiments, and a standard-size grill cover (or even a gift certificate for a new grill, if you’d like).
  • Culinary Starter Kit. For the amateur chefs in your nonprofit’s audience, raffle off a basket with essential kitchen utensils and small appliances, as well as a certificate for cooking classes to increase the basket’s value.
  • Spice It Up. Go beyond the basics of flavor by compiling a collection of high-quality herbs, spices, balsamic vinegar, and oils. A cooking class gift certificate would be useful for this basket as well.
  • Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundaes. Encourage supporters to come together around cold, sweet treats in the summer with a basket full of ice cream cones and toppings. If you can procure an ice cream machine and recipe book so the winner can learn to make ice cream from scratch, this is an excellent value add. If not, popsicle molds and relevant recipes can also make this basket more appealing.

These items are fairly easy to procure by working with local vendors. Make sure to thank each sponsor who contributes items to your raffle and feature their logos in your fundraiser’s marketing materials to make your partnership mutually beneficial.

Home and Garden Raffle Basket Ideas

Two women working in a garden.

If your raffle participants want to win useful goods or gifts for friends and family, baskets with a home-and-garden-related theme will do the trick. Some top ideas in this category include:

  • New Baby Necessities. Chances are, someone in your supporter base either knows, is, or will soon be a new parent. So, pack a basket full of blankets, wet wipes, pacifiers, bibs, picture books, baby-safe toys, and a baby monitor. If you include clothing, remember that babies outgrow clothes quickly, so opt for 3-month or 6-month sizes rather than newborn clothes.
  • Garden-in-a-Box. For the plant lovers who enter your raffle, include gardening gloves, pots, seeds, succulents, a spade, and other tools in a gift basket. You could also throw in a gift card to a garden center to add value to the basket.
  • Gift-Giving Greatness. This work station is perfect for supporters who love giving the perfect gift. Fill this basket with rolls of wrapping paper in different patterns and textures, ribbon, gift bags, gift tags, tissue paper, colorful tape, and supplies to make homemade cards for an extra-personal touch.
  • Make Your Own Candles. Put together a candle-making kit for supporters who enjoy crafts. Include wax, a wax warmer or pouring pot, mason jars, wicks, color chips, an instruction book, matches or lighters, and a set of essential oils for fragrance.
  • Gadgets and Gizmos. Tech-savvy and younger raffle participants will love being able to enter to win top-of-the-line devices. Center the basket around one large item like a new smartphone, laptop, or tablet. Then, add smaller accessories like a smartwatch or fitness tracker, Bluetooth speaker, headphones, and an extra-long charging cord.

Since home and garden needs are often very specific, consider surveying potential raffle participants to see what types of items they’d like to win before curating baskets around those desires.

Community Spotlight Raffle Baskets

A woman shopping at a local business.

Local businesses are often willing to donate items for fundraisers to promote their brands while supporting causes in their community. Take the opportunity to spotlight them by creating a basket of donations you requested from a specific company, such as:

  • The Aspiring Artist. Partner with an art supply retailer to secure canvases, paintbrushes, paints, sketchbooks, colored pencils, pottery-making tools, and other high-quality artist’s essentials. If they offer art classes or paint-and-sip party packages, include a gift certificate to encourage the winner to visit the store.
  • Car Enthusiast. Ask an auto body shop or mechanic to donate car maintenance supplies like glass windshield wipes, microfiber towels, car wax, and air fresheners. Increase the basket’s value by putting in a certificate for a service the partner provides, like oil changes, detailing, or new tires.
  • All-Access City Pass. To highlight various attractions in or around your city, bundle tickets for two or four people each to different museums, zoos, nature centers, sporting events, or other landmarks. Include a guidebook and some city-specific merchandise like t-shirts or refrigerator magnets in the basket to enhance the visual display.
  • Photo Shoot. Have a professional photographer in your area donate their services as the focal point of a basket, then include accessories like photo albums, picture frames, and a Polaroid or disposable camera. You can make this basket more generic for any family photo session or tailor it to specific occasions like weddings or graduations.
  • Makeup Must-Haves. Local beauty supply stores will be your best partners for this basket. Include a variety of lipsticks, blushes, and eye makeup products in the basket, as well as a gift card so supporters can purchase face products (foundation, powder, etc.) that match their skin tone in-store. Ask the store manager if they’d be willing to provide one-on-one consultations or tutorials with a staff member for the winner as well.
  • Hair Stylist-in-Training. If your audience is more interested in hair styling than makeup, fill a basket with popular styling tools (both heated and heatless), trendy accessories (claw clips, silk scrunchies, etc.), and a few basic products that work for various hair types. Along with certificates for services at local hair salons, you could also include beauty supply gift cards in this basket so the winner can pick out additional hair care products specific to their hair type.
  • DIY Home Improvement. If you have a locally owned hardware store in your area, ask them to donate a tool kit, nails, screws, wood varnish, and instructions for basic building projects. You could also partner with a contractor, interior designer, or electrician to include a gift certificate for a home improvement project that goes beyond DIY abilities as a value-add.

The community spotlight baskets you create will depend on what businesses are most invested in supporting nonprofit causes in your community. Reach out to companies that have previously sponsored your events first, then work on forging new partnerships if you have the time and resources to do so.

Family-Friendly Raffle Basket Ideas

A young family—mom, dad, son, and daughter—spending time together in their living room.

If your supporter base includes parents or grandparents, consider choosing raffle basket themes that work for the whole family, such as:

  • Family Game Night. Include various card and board games for all ages, along with snacks to enjoy while playing. For a higher-value prize, add a gaming system and some video games to the basket.
  • Amusement Park Mania. If you have a theme park within driving distance of your nonprofit, secure tickets for a family of four and put them in a basket with merchandise from the park and essentials for a day there like sunscreen, snacks, a bag that aligns with the park’s regulations, and towels if there are water rides.
  • Kids’ Baking Party. In this basket, combine premade cookie dough and baking mixes with cookie cutters, frosting, sprinkles, and child-sized aprons. Consider asking a local bakery to donate an experience to this basket where kids can take a tour and decorate their own sweets.
  • Birthday Party Starter Pack. A partnership with a bakery is also helpful for this basket since they can contribute a certificate for a custom cake. Round out the prize with a pizza delivery gift card, party hats and decorations, and fun group games or craft kits.
  • Fur Baby Fun. For supporters with four-legged family members, create two raffle baskets: one geared toward dog owners and one for cat owners. Include toys, treats, pet-specific supplies like a dog leash and cat scratching post, and a gift certificate for pet-sitting or grooming services.
  • Holiday-Themed Craft Kits. Curate a basket for an upcoming holiday that allows families to make memories together. For instance, you could combine pumpkin-carving supplies and a gift certificate to a costume shop for Halloween, or bundle heart-themed art project supplies for Valentine’s Day.

Having family-friendly raffle prizes not only helps sell more tickets to adults but also makes younger generations aware of your nonprofit as they enjoy the prizes their parents won for them.

Rec and Leisure Raffle Baskets

A group of amateur tennis players celebrating a good game.

Your supporters likely spend their downtime in a variety of ways. Here are some recreation-themed baskets to appeal to raffle participants’ different interests:

  • Date Night. Give away a gift card to a high-end restaurant, two tickets to a play or concert, and a bottle of wine that the winning couple can enjoy when they get home from their evening out.
  • Movie Magic. Fill this basket with popcorn, boxed candy, a cozy blanket, and a gift card to a popular streaming service for a movie night in, plus two tickets to a local theater for a change of pace. If your organization is located in an area where popular movies have been filmed, see if you can add a tour of nearby filming locations or a movie studio to make this basket more valuable.
  • At-Home Spa Day. Help your supporters unwind with a basket featuring bath bombs, loofahs, facial masks, scented lotion, pedicure supplies, and a gift certificate for a professional massage.
  • The Great Outdoors. To make this basket visually appealing, consider using a tent as the container and filling it with outdoor equipment like a camping chair, a sleeping bag, a backpack, and s’mores supplies. Additionally, provide a gift certificate so the winner can choose their preferred size and style of hiking boots and outdoor clothing.
  • Book Lover’s Paradise. For the avid readers in your audience, fill a basket with best-selling novels, fun bookmarks, a mug with a book-related design, and tea for the winner to drink as they read. Boost the basket’s value with an e-reader or tickets to an author event at a local bookstore.
  • Sports Fan. Put together a basket of merchandise and memorabilia for a popular college or professional sports team in your area, as well as game day essentials like a stadium chair and can cooler sleeves. Season tickets or prime seating for a championship game would work perfectly as a value-add.
  • Fitness Essentials. Appeal to fitness-loving supporters with a basket containing hand weights, gym towels, a yoga mat, a reusable water bottle, Bluetooth earbuds designed for workouts, and exercise class passes or fitness center memberships as a value-add. Like with the outdoors basket, if you want to include activewear or running shoes, put in a gift certificate so supporters can select their favorite styles in the correct size.
  • Golfers’ Glory. Especially if you’re pairing your raffle with a golf tournament fundraiser, a new set of golf clubs, balls, tees, towels, and a gift card for apparel will be a popular prize. Add value to this basket with tickets to a professional golf tournament, lessons, or a tee time at the most luxurious course in your area.
  • Racket Sports Starter Kit. Tennis, badminton, and racquetball have been popular pastimes for many years, and pickleball is emerging as one of the trendiest sports of the 2020s. Choose a racket sport your supporters enjoy and fill a basket with rackets, balls, bags, visors, gift cards for other apparel, and a certificate for games at a local court.
  • Ultimate Music Experience. Consider creating a few of these baskets, each themed around a different artist or genre, so supporters can choose which prize to enter the drawing for based on their music tastes. In each basket, include a vinyl record and record player, a band t-shirt or poster, high-quality headphones, a gift card for a music streaming service, and tickets to an upcoming concert if the featured artist is coming to a city near you.

If you’re including tickets to an event as a value-add item in any of these baskets, remember to look for nonprofit discounts or work with dedicated providers to get the best prices on the most appealing seats. The better seats you can get, the more raffle tickets supporters will want to buy, and the more money you’ll raise for your cause.

Travel-Related Raffle Basket Ideas

Travel-related items tend to be the most popular at nonprofit fundraisers such as raffles. They appeal to a broad audience and provide a unique experience for the winner. Here are some of our favorite raffle basket ideas centered around travel:

  • Air Travel Essentials. Consider packaging this basket in a carry-on suitcase for visual appeal. In the suitcase, include a neck pillow, earbuds, luggage tag, passport holder, TSA-approved toiletry containers, and an airline gift certificate.
  • Road Trip Survival Kit. A trunk organizer or cooler makes the perfect container for this basket, which you can fill with car games, car phone chargers, reusable water bottles, travel snacks, a tire repair kit, and gift cards for popular gas stations.
  • Beach Day. Pack this basket with beach towels, sand toys and games, sunscreen, an umbrella, and tropical drink mixes for a fun day at the beach. A large tote bag makes an excellent container, and you can include a gift certificate for a popular brand of swimwear or sunglasses as well.
  • City Spotlight. Highlight a popular travel destination with a basket of food, merchandise, and activities related to a particular domestic or international city. A few ideas for more specific themes under this umbrella might include:
    • In a New York Minute
    • Windy City Wonders
    • Golden Gate Getaway
    • What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas
    • An American/Canadian in Paris
    • London Calling
    • Adventure in Amsterdam
    • Tokyo Treasures
    • Hong Kong Holiday
    • Sunbathing in Singapore


Oftentimes, the biggest and most appealing value-add item you can include in a travel-themed raffle basket is a vacation to a relevant destination. However, travel packages are known for being some of the most difficult items to procure for fundraising purposes. This is where consignment travel providers like Winspire come in!

Explore Raffle Prize Ideas With Winspire

Winspire curates a variety of bucket-list vacation packages (known as Experiences) specifically for use in raffles and other nonprofit fundraisers. Depending on how you want to structure your raffle, you can combine these packages with a related gift basket, or you can use a Winspire Experience as the grand prize and offer lower-value baskets as additional prizes.

Your nonprofit can get started with Winspire in four easy steps:

A list of four steps to get started with Winspire’s raffle prizes, which are discussed below.

  1. Select the Experiences you want. Add the unique vacation packages that would appeal most to your raffle participants to your Suitcase (cart). If you have questions about which Experiences to choose, Winspire’s Event Fundraising Consultants are happy to help!
  2. Promote them to your supporters. Winspire will provide images and descriptions of each package to include in the marketing materials for your raffle. This gives supporters a better idea of what they could win and encourages them to buy tickets.
  3. Offer them at your fundraiser. You can draw more than one raffle winner for each of your chosen Winspire Experiences if you’d like, and every dollar you raise above the Nonprofit Cost (list price) goes directly to your mission.
  4. Winners redeem their packages. Once you report which raffle participant(s) won each Experience and provide their contact information, the winners will receive vouchers to book their vacations through Winspire. There is no additional work required on your organization’s end!

Winspire’s vacation packages are a no-risk prize option since you only pay for what you sell during your fundraiser. Since the company’s founding in 2008, the Winspire team has helped nonprofits across North America raise more than $110 million for their missions!

Wrapping Up: Additional Resources on Raffle Baskets

While the gift basket ideas above are a strong starting point, curate your raffle prizes to your nonprofit’s supporter base. Additionally, no matter what basket themes you choose, consider what high-value items you can add to boost their overall appeal, whether it’s a unique product, a gift certificate, tickets to an event, or a vacation package from Winspire.

For more information about procuring items for nonprofit fundraisers, check out these resources:

No-risk, bucket-list travel packages for your fundraising raffle. Reach out to Winspire to get started. Contact Us.