Knox Grammar's School Raffle: 64% Sales Surge
When Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga, NSW, transformed their traditional raffle into an online fundraising powerhouse, they discovered that timing and communication were everything. Their journey from conventional ticket sales to digital success offers valuable lessons for school fundraisers everywhere.
The winning formula
Since transitioning to online raffles in 2016, Knox Grammar has refined a consistent approach:
- One-month selling window (typically August to September)
- Draw held the Monday after their Spring Festival
- $5 base ticket price
- Strategic ticket packages driving average transactions of $37–$40
- Total prize pool around $4,500
A prize pool of that size sits below the permit threshold in some states and above it in others — the free permit checker will tell you which applies to you, and the NSW raffle rules guide covers Knox’s own state in detail.
Breaking misconceptions
One of the most striking insights from Knox’s success is that expensive prizes aren’t necessary for exceptional results. They’ve consistently raised over $16,000 with first prizes valued under $1,000 — proof that strategy trumps prize value. It’s a pattern we see across the schools in our complete guide to school raffles.
The 2018 breakthrough
In 2018, Knox Grammar shattered their previous records with an astounding 64% increase in sales, raising nearly $27,000. The raffle ran from May 2nd to June 2nd, leading up to their Gala Day.
This success stemmed from two key changes:
- Strategic timing shift: moving the raffle to align with the Gala Day
- Aggressive communication strategy: implementing a systematic reminder campaign
The communication blueprint
Raffle coordinator Megan credits their success to persistent, well-crafted communications.
“I am bombarding parents with reminders. I think it is all in the subject line because I have used the same info in the body of the email/push notifications.”
Their winning communication schedule for the final week:
Sunday
- Email: “FINAL DAYS: Knox Gala Day Raffle – we need and appreciate your support!”
- Result: $2,405 in sales outside school hours
Monday
- Push notification via the school app (same message)
Tuesday
- Email: “Only 5 days left to secure the winning tickets – please help the KPA reach their target in the Gala Day Raffle (we are only half way there)!”
Following days
- Daily countdown push notifications (e.g. “4 days left”)
Keys to success
- Digital-first approach: 100% online operation eliminated the administrative burden
- Focused strategy: coordinators could concentrate entirely on promotion
- Consistent communication: daily reminders in the final countdown
- Multi-channel outreach: a combination of email and app notifications
- Compelling subject lines: clear, urgent messaging driving action
Looking forward
Knox Grammar’s success demonstrates that with the right strategy, digital tools and communication plan, schools can dramatically increase their fundraising results without relying on expensive prizes or complex campaigns.
Their raffle coordinator, Megan, continues to share their email templates with other schools, helping spread these proven practices throughout the fundraising community. If you want to build a comparable reminder sequence of your own, start with our charity email marketing guide — and for a school raffle you can stand up in a fortnight, see how one primary school ran an Easter raffle online.
