Systems and methods for management of charitable fundraising raffles

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to systems and methods for conducting online fundraising raffles. An exemplary embodiment may include a method of creating and managing online raffles, which may include, (a) receiving a request to establish a user-initiated raffle from an initiator for benefit of a beneficiary at a central controller; (b) receiving a plurality of entries from a plurality of entrants for the raffle at the controller; (c) conducting a raffle; and (d) awarding to at least one winner and at least one beneficiary upon completion of the raffle at least a portion of proceeds of the raffle.

1 . A method of creating and managing online raffles comprising: 
 (a) receiving a request to establish a user-initiated raffle from an initiator for benefit of a beneficiary at a central controller;    (b) receiving a plurality of entries from a plurality of entrants for the user-initiated raffle at the central controller;    (c) conducting the user-initiated raffle; and    (d) awarding to at least one winner and at least one beneficiary upon completion of the user-initiated raffle at least a portion of proceeds of the user-initiated raffle.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the initiator is at least one of a raffle service provider, and/or a beneficiary.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the central controller is a raffle service provider.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising charging at least one of a fee; an initiation fee to initiate a raffle, charged by the raffle service provider; a listing fee, charged by the raffle service provider; a transactional/administrative fee per entry, wherein said transactional administrative fee comprises at least one of a flat fee and/or percentage of the entry charged by the raffle service provider; and/or a raffle completion fee paid by at least one of the initiator and/or out of the proceeds of the raffle, charged by the raffle service provider when the raffle is completed and said at least one winner is drawn, and wherein said raffle completion fee comprises at least one of a flat rate and/or an amount related to the amount of money raised by the raffle.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining the beneficiary of the raffle by at least one of performing a task, paying a payment, and/or placing a bid at a threshold amount.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising generating a list of potential beneficiaries from a plurality of the potential beneficiaries, wherein said list comprises the potential beneficiaries who each pay a price to appear on said list.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the beneficiary comprises a plurality of beneficiaries.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of: 
 receiving documentary evidence;    receiving evidence of financial need from at least one of: 
 the initiator,  
 potential beneficiary, and/or  
 the beneficiary;  
   providing the evidence to a user;    providing at least one of; 
 information,  
 documentation, and/or  
 photographs that support the claim of financial need;  
   conducting third party identity verification/authentication of users;    conducting third party identity verification/authentication of at least one of: 
 the initiator,  
 potential beneficiary, and/or  
 beneficiary;  
   availing the outcome of said third party identity verification/authentication to other users; and/or    distinguishing users in some fashion whose identities have been verified/authenticated.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising receiving search queries from visitors searching raffle listings by at least one criterion.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing preferential placement on a website for a raffle based on a criterion comprising at least one of: an initiation fee level; a commission level; an auction bid level; an activity level; and/or raffle popularity.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein terms and conditions of a particular raffle are defined by at least one of the initiator and/or beneficiary.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one of selecting by the initiator from a plurality of monetary currencies in which to conduct the raffle, and/or participating in a foreign currency raffle by converting the native currency of an entrant into the raffle currency via an exchange rate.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the beneficiary of the raffle is not predetermined.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the terms and conditions may include at least one of: a payout ratio split between the beneficiary and the at least one winner; a predetermined number of the at least one winners; a duration of raffle drawing based on at least one of reaching a threshold amount of funds raised, reaching a fixed number of tickets available for purchase, reaching a fixed calendar date/time, and/or reaching expiration of a period of time; a predefined price and/or price range per ticket, if any; a party responsible for any administration fee; any split in administration fee payment; any bonus “odds” for at least one of an early entrant and/or a raffle entry sum exceeding a particular amount; a nature of a winning prize including at least one of money and/or object; a start date and/or time of a raffle; and/or a cancellation term.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising listing and/or voting on a plurality of potential beneficiaries by the public and/or other users comprising at least one of a user, an entrant, a visitor, a beneficiary, an initiator, and/or a winner.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of listing and/or voting on a plurality of potential beneficiaries by entrants to the raffle, and wherein said voting comprises being uniformly weighted, and/or being weighted by entry amount paid by the entrant.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of selecting from and/or voting on a plurality of potential beneficiaries by the at least one raffle winner.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of choosing a list of potential beneficiaries by the public, by the raffle service provider, and/or by the raffle entrants.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising: conducting a second raffle drawing determining the beneficiary.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising determining a list of one or more potential beneficiaries in an auction process, with those seeking to be beneficiaries bidding on a chance to be listed as said one or more potential beneficiaries.  
   
   
       21 . The method in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 providing an affiliate program wherein said affiliate program comprises: providing for one to make a referral, comprising at least one of allowing one to promote and/or refer one or more new users to the raffle service provider via the one's at least one of website, blog, social network, email list, and/or other platform, in which said referral is at least one of tracked and/or credited to a referee, and/or compensating the referee via at least one of: a flat rate, a commission of fees generated by the referred users, and/or a bonus based on volume of at least one of a number of referrals, fees generated, and/or by volume of raffle entries or cumulative raffle entry amounts generated.