DrawFunder
CHARITY PRIZE DRAWS, DONE RIGHT
A step-by-step guide for supporters
How to enter a charity prize draw — and know exactly where your money goes
You've been sent a link to a prize draw — or you've spotted one on DrawFunder — and you want to know how it actually works before you enter. Here's the full journey: how you donate, where the money goes, how free entry works, and how a winner is picked.
0%
Taken by DrawFunder from your donation
£0
DrawFunder fees on your entry
Free
Entry route on every single draw
Public
Audit trail and published winners
The supporter journey — end to end
From “I got sent a prize draw link from a charity fundraiser” to “a winner has been picked”
- STEP 1
Find a draw you'd like to support
Browse live prize draws on DrawFunder, or open a link a friend has shared with you. Every draw page shows the fundraiser, the charity being supported, the prize, the closing date, and a live count of entries so far.
What this means for you
You'll always see who you're supporting and where the money goes before you enter — no surprises.
- STEP 2
Choose your entry, then donate on the charity's fundraising page
On the draw page you pick how much you want to donate (each tier tells you how many entries it earns) and give your name and email. DrawFunder records that as a pending entry, then opens the fundraiser's own JustGiving, Enthuse or GiveWheel page so you can pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay directly on that platform. The charity receives the money straight away — DrawFunder never sees your card details and never holds the funds. Tick the Gift Aid box if you're eligible and the charity gets an extra 25% at no cost to you.
What this means for you
You're donating on a platform you already know and trust. Keep the receipt email from the fundraising platform — it's the proof of your donation if there's ever a query about your entry.
- STEP 3
The fundraiser checks your donation and confirms your entry
You don't have to verify anything yourself. When you come back to DrawFunder you'll see your entry marked as pending, along with your entry reference. The fundraiser then checks your donation against their own fundraising page and confirms your entry manually — DrawFunder does not verify donations with the fundraising provider, so this can take a little time. Once confirmed, your entry counts in the draw. If they can't find a matching donation, they'll flag it for review rather than delete it, and can contact you using your donation receipt.
What this means for you
Your only job is to donate. The fundraiser confirms the entry. Until then, your donation is simply a normal charity donation. Your entry reference is not your final draw ticket number — final ticket numbers are assigned to confirmed entries when the draw closes.
- STEP 4
Prefer to enter for free? You can.
Every prize draw on DrawFunder offers a genuine free-entry route, in line with UK prize-draw requirements. You'll find a Free Entry link on every draw page — fill in the form and you're entered with equal chance of winning, no donation needed. Free entry is strictly limited to one entry per person per draw, verified by name, email and postal address.
What this means for you
Free entries have exactly the same chance of winning as donated entries — that's how a lawful free prize draw works. To keep it fair for everyone, only one free entry per person is allowed per draw and duplicates are removed automatically.
- STEP 5
Follow the draw in real time
Watch the live entry count and confirmed entry value climb, follow the draw's timestamped audit trail, and get a countdown to the closing date. Every draw page also links to the terms, the free-entry policy, and the eligibility rules.
What this means for you
Full transparency on the numbers and the process — while entrants' personal details stay private. You can always see your own entry. If something ever looks off, you can flag it directly from the draw page.
- STEP 6
A winner is picked and announced publicly
When the draw closes, DrawFunder selects a winner using a verifiable random method and publishes the result on the draw page. The winner is contacted by the fundraiser to arrange the prize.
What this means for you
The winning ticket number and the draw's audit trail are published on the draw page — proof that the draw was fair.
- STEP 7
You've helped a real cause
Even if you don't win, your donation still supports the charity — with Gift Aid where eligible, and 0% taken by DrawFunder. Your DrawFunder profile keeps a private record of the draws you've entered.
What this means for you
You've made a donation that counted twice: you supported a cause you care about, and you got a real shot at a great prize.
Why supporters trust DrawFunder
What's in it for you
Designed for compliant UK prize draws
DrawFunder is built around the promotional prize-draw framework in the Gambling Act 2005 — every draw includes a genuine free-entry route with equal odds. The individual promoter remains responsible for operating their draw.
DrawFunder takes 0% of your donation
You donate directly on the fundraiser's JustGiving / Enthuse / GiveWheel page, with Gift Aid where eligible. DrawFunder deducts nothing — the fundraising provider's own fees may apply.
Transparent totals and published winners
Every draw has live entry totals, a timestamped audit trail and a published winner. Your own entry is always visible to you, and entrants' personal details stay private.
Real fundraisers, real causes
The people running draws on DrawFunder are marathon runners, community organisers and challenge fundraisers — supporting registered charities through verified fundraising pages.
Free entry, always available
You never have to donate to enter. A no-purchase-necessary free-entry route is on every single draw page, by law and by design — limited to one free entry per person per draw to keep it fair.
Your data is safe
DrawFunder only stores what's needed to confirm your entry and contact you if you win. Registered with the UK ICO for data protection.
How to spot a legit charity draw
- Named charity and fundraiser. The draw page tells you exactly who you're supporting.
- Linked fundraising page. Donations go via JustGiving, Enthuse or GiveWheel — never to DrawFunder.
- Free-entry route. Every draw shows a Free Entry link — that's the law.
- Public audit trail. You can see entry totals, the event log and (after close) the winner on the same page.
Common questions
Where does my money actually go?
Straight to the charity via the fundraiser's JustGiving / Enthuse / GiveWheel page. DrawFunder never handles the money and takes 0% — the fundraising provider's own fees may apply.
Do I have to donate to enter?
No. Every draw has a genuine free-entry route with the same chance of winning as a donated entry. Free entry is limited to one per person per draw — duplicate free entries are removed.
How do I know it's fair?
Every entry — free or donated — is counted in the draw's public totals and audit trail, and the winner is chosen with a verifiable random method.
What if I win?
The fundraiser will contact you at the email you entered with, to arrange delivery of the prize.