$10M raised for charities through digital platform Rafflebox

Calgary digital portal hits $10M milestone A Calgary digital portal has raised $10M for charities and non-profits in the pandemic. Kevin Fleming reports.

Calgary — A Calgary-based digital platform is helping non-profits and charities hit their fundraising milestones, despite having to navigate a pandemic.

Along the way, the company, founded by Matthew Broussard and Simon Cusack, hit one of their own: $10 million, which is how much they've raised for organizations that use Rafflebox.

It’s a milestone Broussard and Cusack are proud of. They say the company’s first digital raffle took place at the beginning of 2019 but 80 per cent of the money raised has actually been in the last six months during the pandemic.

“We’ve really been able to help charities do the digital shift from their typical gala events that they would count on for fundraising dollars,” said Broussard. “And have been able to put them onto our platform and help them raise money.”

No galas

The pandemic has made it impossible for non-profits and charities to host their traditional in-person fundraising galas, silent auctions and raffles. Typically they would be faced with an up-front fee to establish an online fundraiser and that’s a barrier for many.

The Rafflebox model is different.

“There’s no cost to get up and get started,” said Cusack. “We like to think of us as an extension of your fundraising team as well as let's-share-the-risk. If the group does well, than we do well at the same time.”

Origin story

The idea of Rafflebox stared in 2017 and launched two years later. Staff help charities that sign up to realize realistic fundraising goals.

“Some times people see like the Edmonton Oilers for example, which was an amazing 50/50 but some times you just have to be realistic about your own goals,” said Cusack.

He says typically they take a look at a charity's donor list and what their social media presence looks like - and from there develop a strategy for an attainable goal for them.

“If you were to run an online cash raffle or 50/50,” said Cusack. “Typically 50 per cent goes to the winner, 40 per cent to your non profit or organization and abot 10 per cent are in expenses and fees.”

Calgary-based

Rafflebox is based out of Calgary and operate in the provinces of Alberta, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, the North West Territories and the Yukon.

“We have tons of minor hockey teams, one team in Leduc just did $20,000 in four hours the other day, that’s amazing,” said Cusack. “We have animal shelters, other sports teams, we have the University of Calgary, lots of non-profits and charities - we work a lot with the United Way in Alberta now.”

Leduc Santa’s Helpers Society signed up with Rafflebox to raise $20,000. It helps families who through no fault of their own, find themselves unable to provide this holiday season with food hampers, gifts and some clothing items.

“Our biggest worry this year is with COVID-19 and not being able to follow our traditional fundraising methods which is the live auction, raffles and things like that,” said Cynthia Wiebe. “Is that we’re going to be cash poor and it’s going to put a crimp into us being able to pay for the food that goes into those hampers.”

Typically the charity helps upwards of 200 families or 800 people. This year they’re expecting a 75 per cent increase due to the pandemic.

Rafflebox is looking to expand into other provinces in Canada soon and knows the $10 million dollars it’s helped raise is for many good causes.

“We’re super proud and excited about that,” said Broussard. “It’s been a journey but just the growth we’ve been having over the past few months has been really exciting and we’re looking forward to 2021 and beyond.”

Learn more about Rafflebox here: