How Affinity Lottery is Transforming Fundraising for Small Charities

The charitable landscape in the UK is evolving, and for small and medium-sized charities, staying ahead means adapting and diversifying fundraising strategies. One trend gaining remarkable traction is the weekly lottery—a fantastic opportunity to attract new supporters, boost unrestricted income, and offer donors a little excitement along the way. But, is it really possible for a small charity to launch and run a successful lottery? Absolutely—especially with Affinity Lottery from Woods Valldata by your side.

Drawing on real-world experiences from leading fundraisers in our recent webinar, this blog explores how Affinity Lottery is transforming fundraising for small charities, making fundraising easier—and brighter—for charities of any size across the UK.

Why Consider a Lottery?

Lottery fundraising isn’t just for the big names. Over the last four years, prize-led fundraising has steadily increased among UK charities, as Helen Halahan, Head of Marketing at Woods Valldata, revealed in the Affinity Lottery, Regular Giving Made Easy webinar which is available for UK charity fundraisers to watch now on demand:

“Over the last four years, we've seen a steady increase in the number of [the Woods Valldata Individual Giving Fundraising Survey] responders that say yes, prize-led giving is included in their fundraising mix. Back in 2021 it was only 52% ... now it's 77% and we're really interested to see what's going to be said in 2026...” 

Lotteries offer something unique—supporters can back their favourite causes whilst also having the chance to win up to £25,000. It’s a proven recruitment tool, and data shows weekly lotteries bring in new audiences who go on to make other gifts and get more involved.

Woods Valldata’s work with over 100 charities proves this model works for organisations of all sizes.

Removing Barriers - Why Affinity Lottery is the Game Changer

Traditionally, worries about compliance, technical know-how, and startup costs have kept smaller charities on the sidelines. Affinity Lottery knocks down these barriers by making everything straightforward, making transforming fundraising for small charities even easier.

Compliance? Sorted.

Gemma Ward, Lottery Partnerships Director, reassured attendees:

“Compliance is at the heart of what we do. We ensure that we exclude anybody who is registered as a program gambler and also anyone who may be classified as a vulnerable person...” 

Don’t know your Gambling Commission returns from your attrition reports? No problem. The Woods Valldata team makes sure you have all the information you need on the Affinity platform to make returns and report back to your internal teams.

A Flexible, Branded Experience

Each charity gets a fully branded microsite, making every supporter’s journey seamless. As Gemma explained:

“We put together a microsite for you… so it has your brand colours, your logos and your imagery, and it has customisable text throughout so that your supporters are in no doubt where they're giving to.” 

No Minimums, No Problem

Whether you have 1 or 100 supporters, you can launch. The platform grows as you do, with all the data at your fingertips.

Speedy Setup

Some charities go from signing up to Affinity to live in as little as a week! The templated system ensures Woods Valldata can get you going with a branded site, personalised supporter admin letters and supporter and user platforms.

The Fundraiser Experience

Ajay Sahota and James Clarke represented their charities during the Affinity Lottery: RG Made Easy webinar (now available on demand). Here’s a little of what they shared:

Ajay Sahota, Young Lives vs Cancer

Young Lives vs Cancer launched their lottery with Affinity, starting digital-first, and was pleased with the low-risk, straightforward setup. He highlighted the importance of bringing internal stakeholders along on the journey:

“First and foremost, [get] internal buy-in, making sure that all the stakeholders are on board. And if it's your first time with gaming as well, I'd say probably taking them on the journey with you” 

James Clarke, Retina UK

Retina UK have seen rapid growth in their lottery but are surprised by how little admin is needed in the operational side of things. James explained that the lottery is “just ticking along in the background”:

“It’s raised around £16,000 in unrestricted income so far, and it's growing at a really good pace for us... In terms of the actual admin side of it ... it's been about an hour or two a week, so it's really manageable.” 

He advised that when it comes to recruiting players, “...getting all the printed flyers and postcards and banners and getting all your marketing collateral ready in advance is really useful.”

Acquisition, Stewardship & Results

How did Ajay and James find their audiences?

• Digital-first recruitment worked well for Young Lives vs Cancer, with paid ads bringing in players quickly.
• Retina UK mixed it up, combining email, social, print, events and face-to-face at conferences to grow engagement.

James explained how the lottery model provides opportunities for ongoing engagement:

“We send quarterly stewardship emails just to keep players engaged and remind them of their impact... we've added it to our donate web page and all of our fundraising sub-pages on our website as well.” 

Both charities have seen players welcomed in to the charity via lottery cross over and become donors to other appeals, attend events, and respond to further communications.

Frequently Asked Questions - amd Answers from the Experts

• Do I need loads of time or admin skills?
  No. Most teams spend less than two hours per week on lottery admin
  
  
• What about compliance and reporting?
  The Affinity platform provides all the needed reports, even helping you with your first Gambling Commission return
  
  
• Can very small charities get started?
  Yes. Start with one supporter and build from there
  
  
• Can we use winning stories?
  Absolutely; you can contact and celebrate your winners with their permission, just as Retina UK did when they had their £1,000 winner

Next Steps - How to Start your Own Journey

Are you ready to see regular giving take off for your charity—with a product that excites your supporters and brings new faces into your cause?

• Watch the full webinar and listen to real fundraisers sharing their stories.
• Book a demo with our team to explore the platform and see how it can work for you.
• Download resources and forecasts to model success for your own cause.

Taking that first step is easier than you think.

Transforming Fundraising for Small Charities

In an era where every pound counts, weekly lotteries are transforming fundraising for small charities across the UK. With Affinity Lottery, the process is easier, less risky, and more rewarding than ever.

If you’re looking for a practical, proven way to build resilience and relationships, now is the perfect time to take action.

Start your journey—watch, connect, launch, and grow.
Let us help you make your fundraising regular, reliable, and remarkable.