Looking to get more participation at a fundraising event? Consider using gift cards to incentivize people!
November 2025 | PerfectGift Experts | 5 minute read
Main image courtesy of ER Marketing.
There are all kinds of reasons to have fundraising events—whether you want to raise money for a charitable organization, or a sports/school event—and there are lots of ways for gift cards to make an impact. Gift cards have quickly turned into the go-to gift for a variety of occasions, so if you need to give people presents they’ll actually use, want to show your staff how much you appreciate them at the holidays, or you need to find some gifts for a fundraising opportunity, gift cards always seem to come through. In fact the rate of gift card sales is only going to increase, with an annual average increase of 5.68%.
That’s a lot of room for growth, and a lot of consumers, recipients, and fundraising attendees who would love to receive a gift card. So if you’re looking to get the most out of your fundraising event and boost participation using gift cards, we have a few ideas for you including:
- Why fundraising events can benefit from using gift cards
- How to use gift cards to boost fundraising event participation
- Other ways gift cards can help with fundraising
- Why PerfectGift should be your go-to for corporate gift cards
Why fundraising event attendees want gift cards
Using gift cards at your next fundraising event is the right move
Say goodbye to boring gifts that no one is interested in and hello to gift cards that will fly off the shelf! Image courtesy of IEEE YP.
If you’ve got a fundraising event coming up, you know this is a great chance to get a real boost in donations to meet your goal. Events and galas are great opportunities for attendees to make a real difference in the fundraising campaign, and you want to give them plenty of chances to continue to donate to your cause. Gift cards are a common sight at most fundraising events, and there are a few good reasons why they should also be at yours. Attendees want to see gift cards because:
- They’re incredibly versatile. If you’re thinking about getting gift cards as a gift for your next fundraising event, do it. This is a gift people actually want to take home with them, especially when you have a variety of options. Gift cards allow the recipient to decide exactly what they want to use it on, and when they want to redeem it. Most gift cards do not have expiration dates, making these one of the few gifts that can really appeal to all demographics. If recipients are planning to go to the store or restaurant with the gift card anyway, why not give them something they can really use? This can also have a major benefit on local small businesses who choose to donate gift cards for the event.
- Provide real value. Everyone at the gala or event can clearly see what the gift card is for, and whether or not it will provide them with something of value. If you don’t think you’ll use the gift card, you don’t have to bid on it. But the same is true for folks who do use the store or service offered by the gift card. Using gift cards also knocks out the chance for a gift or auction item that just doesn’t seem to land with attendees.
- Convenient for everyone. It’s very rare to find a gift that is so universally appealing as a gift card. This is especially true of open loop gift cards like Visa or MasterCard. You can use it anywhere those cards are accepted, which is in a whole lot of places! Gift cards aren’t just plastic anymore either, and there are plenty of ways to incorporate digital gift cards that can be stored electronically so they’re always available.
Gift cards are always a hit at fundraising events with attendees as well as the hosts and businesses that provide them. It’s like getting a win-win situation for all parties:
- The business that provides gift cards for the fundraising event gets their name out there on the card.
- The attendees will bid or donate more to the organization and get something tangible in return.
- And the charity or organization hosting the fundraising event gets the money donated to get the gift card!
Ways to use gift cards to boost fundraising event participation
Try out these gift-card focused methods to increase donations at your next gala event
Gift cards are always a welcome sight at a fundraising event, encouraging more donations and participation by attendees. Image courtesy of Cozymeal.
We know that people love to use gift cards, which is why they should always be a part of any fundraising event. If you’re stumped and looking for ways you can incorporate them into your gala you’ve come to the right place, because there are lots of ways that gift cards can really increase audience participation, and help your organization boost donations!
Use gift cards as a part of a silent auction
No matter what type of fundraising event you’re holding, silent auctions are a great way to increase the amount of donations your organization receives. Even if your event already requires an entry donation (e.g. for a gala dinner), you can still boost participation with the help of gift cards at your silent auction. People really do want to help charities and organizations, but once they’ve already donated once, it can be a little harder to get them to donate more.
That is unless they’ll get something tangible in return such as a coveted gift card! Whether you decide to go with a popular brand or a Visa/MasterCard (more on how to do that later!), people are definitely willing to donate a little above the listed value of the gift card. This ensures the organization is getting additional funds, and the attendee is getting something they can definitely use like a gift card.
Provide gift baskets that include gift cards
While you can provide just a simple gift card or a couple of gift cards as a way to boost event participation and donations, you could also include gift cards as a part of a larger gift basket. Actual gifts can be tough to juggle, as it’s hard to forecast what people want, or find something that appeals to lots of folks. But adding gift cards to the package really increases the value for a lot of people who can definitely get use out of the card.
Include gift cards as a part of a larger gift basket, which can be sold separately or auctioned at the silent auction. Themed gift baskets are popular, and definitely a way to get creative. Some ideas for gift baskets include:
- A wine and cheese basket that includes a gift card to Harry & David
- Put together snacks and fun board games for a snacks basket as well as a gift card to Dave & Buster’s
- Choose some self-care items like soaps, bath bombs, soft socks, and lotion as well as a gift card to SpaFinder.
Raffle off gift cards
Instead of an auction, you could also offer gift cards as prizes for a raffle! Choosing some popular gift card brands like Visa, Target, Olive Garden, Amazon, or Omaha Steaks is a great way to increase the amount of people who will purchase tickets in hopes of winning the prize. And the amount of the gift cards doesn’t have to be incredibly high for folks to want to spend a few extra dollars to try and win them. This ensures any organization can boost participation and donations in this way.
Other ways to use corporate gift cards into fundraising opportunities
There are some other ways that you can harness the power of gift cards to increase donations for your fundraising goals.
- Donate a portion of gift card sales to the fundraising goal. This is a great way to balance out the national brands gift cards with something that’s more local. A lot of small businesses like restaurants and other stores in the area want to help contribute to worthy causes that benefit their community. Your organization could reach out to such businesses and see if they’re willing to donate a portion of gift card sales to your charity. This encourages patrons to pick up gift cards at a local store that they frequent anyway, and contributes to more donations for your organization.
- Buy gift cards in bulk and sell for full price. Another way to increase donor participation is to offer gift cards at a discounted price. When your organization chooses to get gift cards in bulk from PerfectGift corporate for example, the amount you save buying in bulk can go towards your organization’s fundraising goals.
Purchase bulk gift cards for your next fundraising event from PerfectGift corporate!
When you need gift cards for a fundraising event, turn to the pros at PerfectGift
When you’ve made the decision to include gift cards in your fundraising event, your next step is to turn to the experts at PerfectGift to pull it off without a hitch. There are hundreds of brands to choose from that you can purchase in bulk in order to include as a part of a raffle, a gift basket, or a silent auction. With popular merchants that people will want to bid on and win like Target, Dunkin’, Barnes & Noble, Cheesecake Factory, DoorDash, and so many more, you’ll never have a problem picking up prizes that are sure to get people participating in the fundraiser event.
It’s super easy to get started with PerfectGift corporate as well, and all you need to do is choose the brands, pick the amount, and decide whether you want to have them in physical form or digital. Keep in mind if you want them in physical form, we can print them and ship them the same day, saving you so much time in the long run. Just make sure to have your order in by 4pm Monday through Saturday.
- Did you know?
You can also choose to have Visa or MasterCard gift cards printed for your fundraising event instead. Everyone could use one of these open loop gift cards, because you can use them anywhere that Visa and MasterCard are accepted. With this option, you can personalize the card as well, so it can include your organization’s name as well as a message to the recipient. Just choose your amount and if you want to add a custom photo or design, and we’ll have them printed and shipped the same day!
When you use PerfectGift corporate to coordinate the gift cards for your fundraising event, you’re not just picking up gift cards, you’re working with professionals who are there every step of the way to provide you with what you need. This ensures all your questions are answered, you have a designated portal to track your orders, and an account manager for support.
Gift cards can provide a significant boost in fundraising event participation!
No matter what you’re fundraising for, gift cards are always a great inclusion. They’re a fantastic way for small businesses to get their name out there and increase traffic, attendees of the event can get a tangible gift they’re sure to use, and the charity or organization gets a boost in donations. Gift cards appeal to everyone, and PerfectGift corporate makes it so easy to arrange for gift cards to be given out at your next fundraising event!
