CKUA is raising millions with online 50/50 raffles
Canada’s first public broadcaster endures on the air. Looking to diversify and expand their fundraising, donor-supported CKUA radio raised $243,000 with their first online raffle on the Rafflebox platform. In year two of raffling they tripled that. Going into their fourth year of raffling, CKUA has now raised over $2.4 million with Rafflebox. The raffle is a much-anticipated annual event with its own branding, and voluminous promotion via website, social media, weekly newsletters, and over the airwaves.
Success Story
CKUA – “Alberta’s voice for music, arts, and culture” – is a community radio station that brings quality radio programming, events, and more to Albertans. As Canada’s first public broadcaster (they’ve been on-air since 1927!), CKUA is supported by faithful donors and traditionally, two annual on-air fundraisers.
Challenge & Solution
Ready to try something new with their fundraising efforts, the organization ran their first online raffle in 2022. “We were looking to diversify and expand our fundraising,” says Marketing, Sales, and Sponsorship Manager, Tina Wolfe, “and we were looking for support, structure, and an established process from a reputable provider.”
Implementation
By setting up a 50/50 Jackpot with Rafflebox, CKUA sold tickets through social media, email newsletters, on-air promotions, and more. Link-sharing among networks and making daily jackpot announcements also grew excitement and interest in the fundraiser.
Results
“These funds help ensure that CKUA’s programming is accessible to all” Wolfe says. “Our winner was so happy. For us to have our first raffle be so successful, it generated a lot of fun and excitement in our community. We’ve already fielded questions about when our next one will be. Stay tuned in the new year!”
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Keys to Success
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Annual online raffle with brand equity
Adding online raffles to existing fundraising initiatives gave CKUA a chance to expand their reach and capture new donors.
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Easy link-sharing
CKUA shared their raffle link on social media and in emails, with messaging encouraging followers and subscribers to share the link and help raise more funds.
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Building excitement on-air
As the jackpot grew (and grew, and grew…), CKUA shared daily updates onair and on social media, creating community buzz and interest.
We were looking to diversify and expand our fundraising and we were looking for support, structure, and an established process from a reputable provider.