50+ School Auction Gift Basket Ideas For Fundraising and Raffles
It all started with trying to figure out HOW to make a silent auction gift basket to raffle off to now this – collecting fundraiser basket themes and lots of pictures of auction gift baskets to make.
If you’re looking for ideas, these baskets below are quite creative, unique, simple enough to make AND apparently have been very profitable for school fundraising events.
Updated on August 18, 2024
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I’ve found a TON of raffle gift raffle basket ideas, pictures, unique raffle door prize ideas and LOTS of profitable auction basket themes for your fundraiser, benefit or tricky tray basket raffle penny auction that I think are so creative and just plain awesome.
Raising money for your charity, PTO / PTA back to school event, sports / football team, school, church, band, class reunion or any other organization?
A raffle or a silent auction is a great fundraiser idea!
Below are some creative and inexpensive raffle basket ideas, tips and silent auction gift basket ideas (which always make a lot of money).
Are you looking for great fundraising gift basket ideas for your school PTO or PTA, classroom club, student council, sports team or Fall Festival?
Raffle baskets and silent auction gift baskets can make BIG money for your organization – you just need some really appealing ideas to entice your guests to bid on them.
Let’s take a look at some REALLY unique fundraiser basket ideas to consider for your benefit or silent auction.
Profitable Basket Theme Ideas
You’re about to see a LOT of creative, unique and PROFITABLE raffle baskets in the pictures below, but if you want a quick “cheat sheet” of auction basket themes to save to Pinterest for future reference (or so you don’t forget haha)…
Feel free to pin these profitable themes below:
❤️ Ideas
Here are many unique and profitable raffle basket ideas for adults that will turn your fundraiser into a big win for everyone!
23 Gift Basket Theme For Fundraisers:
1. Ultimate Fundraiser Raffle BasketGet More Info2. B&B Auction Breakfast Raffle BasketGet More Info3. Adult Picnic in the Park Raffle BasketGet More Info4. Family Movie Night Raffle BasketGet More Info5. Game Night Fundraiser BasketGet More Info6. Netflix and Chill Raffle BasketGet More Info
- 7. “Strike It Rich” Lottery Basket (pictures below)
- 8. School Pride Auction Box
- 9. Cooler Full of Cool (DIY idea below)
- 10. Adult Getaway Package
- 11. Jack and Jill Date Night Basket-pictures below
- 12. Mega Cooler Money-Maker
- 13. Lucky Duck Theme
- 14. King of the Grill Package
- 15. Raking in the Cash Lottery Basket
- 16. Cold Cash Salad Bowl
- 17. Me Time Spa Package
- 18. Wine Lovers Theme
- 19. Gadgets and Gizmos
- 20. Fall Fun Auction Basket
- 21. Mega Game Night Tower
- 22. Cupcake Queen
- 23. Sports Fan Raffle Basket
✅ Pictures
You read the list of auction basket theme ideas above, so let’s see what these raffle baskets for adults look like when put together and ready for your fundraiser.
As you’ll see, many of these ideas are simple DIY raffle baskets with inexpensive items in them BUT the way they are put together makes them look really valuable – which means they will be more profitable for your fundraising efforts.
Take a look at this “Tricky Tray Auction” raffle basket table set up below – as you can see, the raffle baskets all look great and valuable, but the items IN each gift basket are not overly expensive.
57 DIY Raffle Basket Pictures:
Below are pictures of the best raffle basket ideas that make a lot of money for your fundraiser, charity, benefit, school, etc.
From sports raffle basket ideas to beach themed gift baskets, these are your best DIY auction baskets.
Don’t forget raffle TICKETS!
Best value raffle tickets…✅ I Found It HereBut we always use these.✅ I Found It Here
More Unique Ideas For Auction Gift Baskets:
– Easter Raffle Basket Ideas – not just for Easter either! These are some really clever raffle basket ideas for ALL seasons.
– Cast Iron Skillet Raffle Baskets – Sounds odd to have a raffle basket IN a cast iron skillet, but these are really popular.
❓ FAQ
What raffle basket themes are most profitable?
The most profitable and popular raffle basket ideas are scratch off ticket raffle baskets, gift card raffle baskets, sports theme gift baskets, wine lovers theme, fancy dinner gift certificates, golf themed baskets, dinner and a show prizes, free spa and massage, beach themed auction baskets, ladies night out theme and other baskets full of good raffle gifts and prizes that appeal to adults and couples.
How do I get donations to put in raffle baskets?
To get the best raffle prizes for your auction baskets donated, start with a list of as many local businesses you can think of that would be the best companies to approach for donations. Once your list is completed, divide it up and delegate to your fellow fundraiser helpers and start going door to door or calling them respectfully asking for a donated prize. You will find most local businesses are happy to donate an item of value to your fundraiser to help your cause AND to gain exposure in your community.
Do raffle basket items HAVE to be IN baskets?
No, raffle basket items do NOT need to be IN baskets (SEE PICTURES). Use creative other items such as coolers, hampers, bowls, handbags, buckets, small grills, tailgating chairs, crates, fancy boxes, flower pots, beach tote bags, etc.
As an example, this VERY profitable Fall Festival raffle basket below had all the items in a YETI cooler and it did VERY well for that school fundraiser:
Fall is a BIG time of year for fundraisers – especially for our kid’s sports teams and school clubs… and of course, the Fall Festival at each school every year.
Here are some raffle baskets we’ve auctioned off that have done really well at school events:
If you’re looking specifically for Fall-themed raffle baskets, here are some unique ideas that do really well.
There’s a car wash raffle basket bucket, a fire pit themed auction basket, a camping themed auction items, golf themed gift bag and football themed auction baskets.
Christmas and winter-holidays are another very popular fundraising time of year – plus there are lots of company parties that need raffle basket prize ideas for their employees and guests.
Below are some good ideas for Christmas-themed raffle baskets and gift basket prizes – but as you probably know, ANY raffle basket idea on this page can be turned into a Christmas raffle basket simply by wrapping it with holiday colors and bows, putting it IN a Christmas themed basket etc – so keep that in mind.
And again, raffle baskets don’t have to be IN baskets… just look at the lottery ticket Christmas wreath in the pictures below – people LOVE that kind of auction prize!
📋 Fundraiser Tips
TIP: This gift basket idea made a LOT of money at a recent silent auction – and it was SO easy to put together… such a cute raffle basket idea!
You can have more than just traditional gift baskets at your fundraiser – there are many other items you can raffle off to raise money.
Fundraiser Candy KitsGet More InfoFundraiser TipsGet More InfoGift Basket CandyGet More Info
Getting prizes to offer for your raffle? Here’s what you’ll need and some creative raffle prize ideas.
Score BIG, Expensive items:
Cars
Trips
Electronics
Jewelry
Remember, picking the perfect items to put IN your raffle baskets is key to getting your crowd excited about paying to win it.
And you can do this on a budget, too – the BEST inexpensive raffle basket ideas start with donations mixed with Dollar Tree filler items (as seen in the pictures here).
I recently went to a Jack and Jill raffle – here are some of the raffle baskets guests brought:
The bride and groom called their Jack and Jill Shower a “Buck and Doe Raffle” and we had the MOST fun.
Just keep in mind – KNOW your audience. You want your raffle basket to be WANTED so it makes money for the bride and groom.
This was the most profitable raffle basket for that Jack and Jill shower party:
The person that made that raffle basket absolutely KNEW her audience – that Jello Shot auction basket above was the one everyone was fighting over haha!
But when you’re coming up with ideas for a true fundraiser basket auction, you need to get really good items IN the basket AND keep your costs down.
Ideally, you want to get your prizes and raffle basket items donated, so put your effort into getting the best possible item(s) you can. Yes, it will take extra work, but it will be worth it in the long run so your charity, school or church will net more of the profits.
Try to get one of these items by talking to family and friends of people in your group. Chances are, somebody you already know, has a business that can donate. A good rule of thumb is that the more expensive your prize is, the more you can charge for the raffle ticket and the longer amount of time you might need to sell tickets.
Gather A Collection Of Smaller, Less Expensive Items:
restaurant gift cards
movie gift cards
gift certificates for haircuts or other services
hotel packages
The advantage of taking this route is that many local business’s like to support local schools and clubs this way. It’s a great way for them to advertise and do good at the same time. Be sure to thank them publicly in your promotional materials.
Once you see what your group was able to collect, create a grand prize package deal, and if you have enough, you can even do a second and third prize package. Raffle tickets may be less expensive, but try to sell volume.
Experiences Are Priceless:
You might also consider an experience. An experience is priceless, something money can’t buy.
For instance, I would pay a lot of money on raffle tickets if I could sit in the grand stands with my son’s high school band. And, I don’t mean next to the band, (I do that already), I mean, smack dab in the middle of the drum section. I want to be in the action.
Bonus Fundraising Raffle Ideas:
Being a Drum Major for a performance
Riding in the homecoming parade
Punting the football or throwing the opening pitch
Being the school mascot
Consider approaching your local fire department and getting permission to raffle off a ride on a fire truck (Sometimes, the fire fighters will give you a tour of the firehouse and maybe even let you eat with them, as long as there are no emergencies)
If the mayor of your town is popular, why not see if he or she would be willing to host the winners for lunch at town hall
Have your group do a day of chores, yard work, or packing up someone’s house for moving
The Finishing Touches On Your Fundraising Raffle:
Make sure your tickets look professional and are numbered
Get lots of people to help sell
Ask a parent or close family friend first. It feels good to get a, “yes”, right away
Price your tickets to reflect the “value” of your grand prize
Sell more than one ticket to each person (maybe you can make a deal for three)
Check your state laws on raffles (someone in your group probably has a family member who is an attorney, or ask your teacher for help)
Handle your money carefully – remember, even though they are purchasing a ticket, they are supporting your cause. People will want to know how much you raised
Announce your winner so that your group has credibility for next year
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Silent Auction vs Raffle
Many wonder which is better for fundraising – a silent auction or a raffle.
A lot of charities tend to try both of these strategies at one time or the other. It is probably a question that a lot of people have asked in the past, because it is hard to know without proper research which is a better option for your charity. Well there are some rules to doing this correctly and picking the best option for your charity. We intend on deciphering the best options here.
Before you choose to pick one or the other it is a good idea to consider your time frame, who your donors are, what the items are that would be available for silent auctions or a raffle and your budget for each of option.
If you are considering having a silent auction you are going to have to get ready to dedicate a good portion of time for the next 6 months or so, just planning and getting everything ready to go. Silent auctions take time to plan, find good locations and get good items to be donated. But usually the turn out and the amount of money that can be made because of an event can be significantly higher than a raffle could ever pull in.
On the other hand a raffle is something that can be setup rather quickly and without a lot of money. The only money needed would be the item that could be won and the cost of the raffle tickets. A lot times when holding the raffle the item that is being raffled off could be donated to the charity. This is even better as the price of the tickets usually aren’t that much.
When trying to decide on which option is better for your charity, it is a good idea to consider that a lot more people will enter into a raffle, not as many will bid an item up in hopes of getting it at the end of an event. The reason is because a lot times, people entering into a raffle really aren’t that concerned with winning the item. Yes it would be nice to get the item, but their intentions are usually just to contribute to the charity.
The same can be said for the silent auction side of things, but usually there is more of a want there, than just a contribution. Basically meaning that if someone doesn’t really want what is being auctioned they aren’t going to bid. However with the raffle, they are just basically giving the money away in support of the charity.
And remember, your raffle basket or silent auction gift basket does NOT have to be a literal basket.
My niece’s ball team raised a lot of money with these “Raking In The Cash” rakes with lottery tickets in their silent auction!
Here’s what it looked like:
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