Fundraising
How Incarnate Word Academy Raised $10,000 With One Raffle
When the Incarnate Word Academy gala committee decided to add a Golden Ticket raffle to their fundraising event, they generated a buzz that had guests asking if there could be more than one winner. This level of hype was unexpected to say the least.
The Result? Raising $10,000 for their academy…
An impressive story that concluded with their raffle tickets selling out before the gala doors even opened. But beyond the sellout itself, the campaign generated genuine excitement and engagement that elevated the entire fundraising event.
For all you fundraisers out there, we’ve decided to share their approach — so you can create your own success story.
How to Replicate Their Successful Raffle Formula
Our team worked with Katie and Mahoghani from the Incarnate Word Academy to break down their success into 7 replicable tips:
1) Keep it simple
Sell only 100 Tickets, for $100 each to raise $10,000.
2) Start early, but not TOO early
Incarnate Word Academy’s Mahoghani Johnson and Katie Griep mobilized their team early and began selling tickets 3-4 weeks before the gala — a sweet spot that gave them enough time to build momentum while maintaining urgency. This timeline proved ideal for sustaining interest without letting excitement plateau too early.
3) Make it a team effort
Success came from mobilizing multiple champions. The gala committee led the charge, supported by the school principal who leveraged personal networks to spread the word. This internal enthusiasm was contagious and helped drive external interest.
4) Treat the raffle like a headline
Rather than positioning the Golden Ticket as just another raffle, the team elevated it to a featured experience. This meant committing early, integrating it into their event planning from the start, and giving it prominence in all communications.
5) Customize the Golden Ticket’s branding
Incarnate Word Academy didn’t just slap a generic raffle onto their event. They customized Golden Ticket promotional materials to align with their gala’s theme and overall branding. (The HGA team can help customize our materials to fit your event theme).
6) Promote the raffle through multiple channels
The team cast a wide net with their marketing:
- School e-newsletter
- Dedicated email blasts to gala supporters and friends of the school
- Social media across multiple platforms
Each channel reinforced the same key messages: limited availability and exclusivity.
7) Create scarcity and desire
By emphasizing that tickets were limited and exclusive, the organization tapped into a powerful psychological driver. The approach worked so well that guests at the event asked whether multiple winners would be selected—a testament to how much demand they’d generated.
Special Advice from Katie and Mahoghani
“Be intentional from day one”
Commit to the Golden Ticket early in your planning process and build your event strategy around it, not the other way around.
“Make it visually appealing”
Without a design team, it’s difficult to find time for this. Thankfully, HGA provides all the materials you need to create custom pieces. The HGA team does the work for you, which is such a relief.
All materials, including videos can be customized to match your organization’s brand and event theme!
“Create urgency”
Limited availability isn’t just a sales tactic — it’s a way to make supporters feel they’re part of something special and exclusive.
“Rally your champions”
Internal enthusiasm is your secret weapon. Get your board, committee members, and key staff excited first, and they’ll become your best salespeople.
“Promote your raffle consistently”
Use every channel available to you, and don’t be shy about repetition. Different supporters engage on different platforms. It’s important to get everyone excited!
The Bottom Line
Incarnate Word Academy proved that with the right approach, a Golden Ticket raffle can become a fundraising centerpiece that generates excitement, drives engagement, and delivers results. With strategic planning, strong branding, and enthusiastic execution, even a first-time raffle can sell out and leave supporters asking for more.
To make things easy for you, we have 3 event-ready raffle options that appeal to any donor base. The Golden Ticket, the Premium Golden Ticket, and the Golf Golden Ticket.
Ready to create your own success story? Talk to the HGA team about using the Golden Ticket at your next event or as a stand-alone fundraising campaign. As always, there are no upfront costs.