The Easiest Way to Find New Donors - Nonprofit Tips

(How one fundraiser added 100 new prospects in 72 hours)

If you’re a fundraiser, you know this truth: Finding new donors is the hardest part of the job.

You can steward existing donors all day long. You can send thank-you notes, schedule coffee meetings, build relationships with people already in your database. But actually getting NEW people to raise their hands and give for the first time? That’s where most organizations struggle.

What if I told you there’s a strategy that can bring you 100 new donor prospects in 72 hours, get people excited about giving at the $100 level, and create zero extra work for your team?

Sounds too good to be true, right?

That’s exactly what Brittany thought. And then she tried it.

“I Was Hesitant… Now I’m a True Believer”

Brittany Pilcher is the Senior Director of Philanthropy at Quest, a nonprofit serving people with developmental disabilities in Central Florida. Their signature event, Wine Quest, raises nearly half a million dollars annually with 750 attendees across two nights.

They were doing all the traditional revenue enhancers: silent auction, live auction, wine pull, wine toss. Good stuff. Proven strategies.

But Brittany wanted something new. Something that would engage people at the $100 level—that sweet spot where you can get mass participation without asking for major gifts.

She’d heard about the Golden Ticket strategy but was hesitant.

Her concerns?

Would people actually buy tickets?
Was it worth the effort?
Could they really sell 100 tickets?

Sound familiar? These are the exact questions every fundraiser asks when considering something new.

Here’s what happened when she said yes.

72 Hours to Sold Out

Brittany put 100 Golden Tickets on sale through her auction platform (they use OneCause) just three days before the event.

The concept was simple: Buy a $100 ticket for a chance to win your choice of an incredible travel experience—Cabo all-inclusive, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Tuscany with wine delivery, or three nights in Sedona.

Here’s the genius part: You didn’t have to attend the event to win.

They promoted it on social media and email blasts. Board members and committee members shared it with their networks. People who couldn’t even attend the event in Orlando were buying tickets from across the country because someone they knew was involved with Quest.

Result: All 100 tickets sold in 72 hours.

“By the time we got to the first night, we were already sold out,” Brittany said. “I’m like, we need more tickets!”

The Math That Every Executive Director Needs to See

Let’s break down what this actually means:

Revenue:

100 tickets × $100 = $10,000 in sales
Cost of prize package: $2,500
Net profit: $7,500

But here’s what Brittany understood that most people miss—the real ROI isn’t just the $7,500.

The REAL value:

“We have 100 individuals. Some of them are already known to us in our database. But we have a big chunk of individuals that now they’ve kind of taken that step and we can steward and cultivate them, invite them out for a tour… It gives us a little bit of information on what they’re interested in and then we can follow up on the next steps to see if they want to get further involved with Quest.”

You just found 100 new donors. Or at the very least, 100 new prospects who raised their hands and said, ‘I’m interested in supporting your mission.’

That’s the entire game right there.

Why This Works (When Other Strategies Don’t)

1. It’s Accessible

Not everyone can drop $5,000 on a live auction item. But $100? That’s doable for almost anyone at your event. As Brittany put it: “Even individuals who don’t have a connection to the nonprofit, they’re like, ‘Wait a minute. I could win a trip to Cabo?’ They’re like, ‘Oh, heck yeah. Sign me up for that.'”

2. It Creates Urgency

Only 100 tickets. Limited supply. Scarcity drives action. People bought multiple tickets to increase their odds of winning. The psychology of “1 in 100 chance” feels attainable—way better odds than the lottery.

3. It’s Plug-an-Play

Brittany was blown away by how easy this was. “The limited amount of resources it took from the team. It was very easy… It was so plug and play. You just kind of sit back and kind of keep looking at the ticker on how many tickets have sold.”

No complicated logistics. No extra staff time. Just upload it to your auction platform and watch it sell.

4. It Engages Your Whole Network

Because you don’t have to be present to win, board members and committee members can share it with people across the country. You’re not limited to people in your city or people who can attend your event. You’re tapping into extended networks.

The Strategy Brittany Wishes She’d Known Earlier

When I asked Brittany what she’d do differently next year, here’s what she said:

Start selling earlier: Instead of 3 days before the event, open it up 2 weeks in advance. Let it build momentum.
Create multiple price points: Offer a $100 Golden Ticket AND a $250 premium option with better odds or exclusive prizes.
Get it sponsored: Have a corporate sponsor underwrite the cost of the trip. Now your entire $10,000 in ticket sales goes straight to net revenue.
Time the announcement strategically: They announced the winner right before the live auction so people wouldn’t hold back on bidding or giving, waiting to see if they won. Smart move.

This is About More Than One Event

Here’s what I want you to really hear: The Golden Ticket isn’t just a revenue enhancer. It’s a donor acquisition tool.

You’re getting people to give for the first time. You’re collecting contact information. You’re identifying people who are interested in travel experiences (hello, future trip raffle or paddle drop prospects). You’re creating moments of excitement and engagement.

And most importantly? You’re solving the hardest problem in fundraising: finding new donors.

Brittany summed it up perfectly: “I think it’s one of, if not THE easiest way—as far as a revenue enhancer—to raise more money at your event. The limited amount of resources it took from the team… I really appreciated it.”

Here’s What You Need to Know

If you’re planning an event and struggling to find new ways to engage donors, especially at that $100 entry point, the Golden Ticket strategy works.

It worked for Quest:

100 tickets sold in 72 hours
$7,500 in net revenue
100 new donor prospects to steward
Zero stress for the development team

It can work for you, too.

The key is having the right prize packages (trips that appeal to a wide demographic), the right messaging (limited supply, easy to understand), and the right timing (give people enough runway to buy, but create urgency).

And honestly? The execution is the easy part when you have the right partners.

Ready to add the Golden Ticket to your next event? Check out HGA Fundraising’s turnkey Golden Ticket packages. We’ll help you find the perfect prize, give you all the assets and messaging you need, and support you through the entire process—just like we did for Brittany.

Want to hear more success stories like this? That’s what Hey Nonprofits! is all about. We bring you real strategies from real fundraisers that save you time, raise you more money, and create new opportunities with donors every step of the way. Subscribe to our podcast, join our webinars, and connect with a community of fundraisers who are doing this work every single day.

Your next 100 new donors are out there! Let’s go find them together!

P.S. — Brittany mentioned something I don’t want you to miss: “It’s not just about the $7,500 we netted. The return on investment for me is we’ve had guests have a great guest experience at our event. It was a fun part of it. But now we have 100 individuals… we can steward and cultivate them.” That’s the mindset shift. You’re not just raising money at an event. You’re building a pipeline of future major donors. The Golden Ticket gets them in the door. What you do next is what turns them into lifelong supporters.