{"id":976,"date":"2026-10-12T10:41:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T10:41:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justscratchit.com\/blog\/?p=976"},"modified":"2026-10-12T10:44:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T10:44:43","slug":"fundraising-scratch-cards-the-complete-buyers-guide-costs-profit-how-to-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justscratchit.com\/blog\/fundraising-scratch-cards-the-complete-buyers-guide-costs-profit-how-to-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"Fundraising Scratch Cards: The Complete Buyer’s Guide (Costs, Profit & How to Choose)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What are fundraising scratch cards?<\/strong> Fundraising scratch cards are donation cards covered in small scratch-off dots (usually 50\u201360), each hiding a dollar amount between roughly $0.50 and $3. Supporters scratch a few dots and donate the total revealed \u2014 often raising around $100 per completed card<\/strong> \u2014 and the organization keeps up to 90% profit<\/strong> because there’s no product to buy, stock, or ship. Many providers offer them with no upfront cost<\/strong> to the group.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If you’re researching fundraising scratch cards<\/strong>, you’ve almost certainly seen the big claims: “$5,000 in a weekend,” “90% profit,” “no money down.” Some of that is real. Some of it depends on fine print the provider websites skate past. This guide gives you the honest version \u2014 the real profit math, what the different card options actually cost and return, how the top providers compare, and a step-by-step for running a campaign that hits its number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the buyer’s guide<\/strong> companion to our how-scratch-card-fundraising-works explainer<\/a> \u2014 here we focus on choosing and pricing<\/em> the right card for your group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Why Fundraising Scratch Cards Beat Selling Products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most traditional fundraisers are really retail<\/em> in disguise. Your group sells cookie dough, wrapping paper, or candy bars, and keeps a thin margin \u2014 often just 30\u201350%<\/strong> \u2014 after the product company takes its cut, plus you deal with order forms, inventory, delivery, and the inevitable lost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fundraising scratch cards remove the product entirely. There’s nothing to stock, nothing to ship, and nothing to deliver weeks later. That’s why the profit margin is so much higher:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fundraiser type<\/th>Typical profit kept<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Cookie dough \/ catalog sales<\/td>30\u201350%<\/td><\/tr>
Candy \/ snack sales<\/td>40\u201350%<\/td><\/tr>
Discount card books<\/td>50\u201360%<\/td><\/tr>
Scratch card fundraising<\/strong><\/td>80\u201390%<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The other advantage is speed<\/strong>. A product fundraiser runs for weeks because you’re collecting orders, then waiting on a shipment, then distributing it. A scratch card campaign can be done in days<\/strong> \u2014 a participant can fill a whole card in a single weekend of asking friends, family, and coworkers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are fundraising scratch cards so profitable?<\/strong> Because there’s no product. Traditional fundraisers keep only 30\u201350% after the product company’s cut and cover inventory and shipping. Scratch card fundraising has none of those costs, so groups keep 80\u201390% of every dollar raised. With many providers offering the cards at no upfront cost, nearly all the money collected is pure profit for the cause.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

How Much Do Fundraising Scratch Cards Raise? (Real Profit Math)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the number that matters: a single completed scratch card typically raises about $100.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The math behind it: a standard fundraising scratch card has 50\u201360 dots<\/strong>, each hiding a small amount (commonly $0.50 to $3, averaging around $2). Donors are asked to scratch two or more dots<\/strong> and donate the total. Scratch the whole card and you’re at roughly $100 per card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now scale that across a group:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants<\/th>Cards completed<\/th>Approx. raised<\/th>Approx. kept (90%)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
10<\/td>10<\/td>$1,000<\/td>$900<\/td><\/tr>
25<\/td>25<\/td>$2,500<\/td>$2,250<\/td><\/tr>
50<\/td>50<\/td>$5,000<\/td>$4,500<\/td><\/tr>
100<\/td>100<\/td>$10,000<\/td>$9,000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Real reported results back this up.<\/strong> Groups running these campaigns have reported outcomes like $5,100 raised from 60 cards<\/strong> and roughly $10,000 net from a 100-member team<\/strong>. The numbers hold because the ask is small and specific \u2014 “scratch two dots and donate what they add up to” is far easier to say yes to than “buy a $25 tub of cookie dough.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The donor thank-you (why people say yes)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Donors don’t walk away empty-handed. Most fundraising scratch card programs include a coupon\/discount sheet<\/strong> \u2014 a page of local and national business offers, often advertised as $50+ in savings<\/strong> \u2014 handed to the donor as a thank-you. It reframes the donation as a value exchange, which lifts your yes-rate considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

What Do Fundraising Scratch Cards Cost the Group?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is where fundraising scratch cards differ sharply from the custom marketing cards we price elsewhere. Many fundraising providers structure the cost as a per-card fee deducted from proceeds<\/strong> rather than an upfront bill \u2014 and several offer no upfront cost at all<\/strong>, especially for public schools and established nonprofits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A common pricing structure looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cards ordered<\/th>Approx. cost per card<\/th>Profit kept<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
10\u201324<\/td>~$20\/card<\/td>~80%<\/td><\/tr>
25\u201399<\/td>~$15\/card<\/td>~85%<\/td><\/tr>
100+<\/td>~$10\/card<\/td>~90%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So the more participants you enroll, the lower your cost per card and the higher your margin<\/strong> \u2014 the same volume economics as any print product, applied to fundraising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The “no upfront cost” model works because the provider knows a completed card raises ~$100 against a ~$10\u2013$20 card cost. They either bill after the campaign or take their share from proceeds, so your group risks little or nothing to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do fundraising scratch cards have an upfront cost?<\/strong> Often no. Many providers \u2014 particularly for public schools and registered nonprofits \u2014 supply the cards with no money down, billing their fee after the campaign or taking it from proceeds. For other groups, cards cost roughly $10\u2013$20 each depending on quantity, and since each completed card raises about $100, that cost is a small fraction of what’s collected.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Types of Fundraising Scratch Cards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not all fundraising scratch cards work the same way. Know which model you’re buying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The classic donor-ask card (50\u201360 dots).<\/strong> The dominant format described above \u2014 participants carry one card and collect donations dot by dot. Best for schools, sports teams, clubs, and youth groups where you have many participants each tapping their own network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Personalized\/branded cards.<\/strong> The card carries your group’s name, logo, mascot, or a team photo. This isn’t vanity \u2014 branding materially lifts donations<\/strong> by adding credibility and making the ask feel legitimate rather than like a stranger’s scheme. Most reputable providers include personalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Raffle\/prize scratch cards.<\/strong> Instead of (or alongside) donations, some campaigns sell scratch cards where donors can win actual prizes. This model needs careful attention to local raffle and gaming regulations \u2014 check your state rules before running one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Custom-printed scratch cards (DIY route).<\/strong> If you want full control \u2014 your own prize structure, your own coupon partners, your own branding \u2014 you can order blank or custom scratch cards from a commercial printer and run the program yourself. This takes more work but can push margins even higher and lets you tailor everything to your cause. (This is where a custom scratch card printer like Just Scratch It<\/a><\/strong> fits \u2014 businesses and larger organizations that want a bespoke, branded scratch card program rather than an off-the-shelf fundraising kit.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Fundraising Scratch Card Providers Compared<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The “fundraising scratch cards” space has a handful of recurring names. Here’s an honest orientation (verify current terms directly \u2014 fundraising programs change pricing and inclusions often):<\/p>\n\n\n\n