To organize a charity racing event with simulators, choose how money comes in (entry donations, sponsors, or both), run a simple leaderboard competition with prizes, and cover the rental through sponsorship so donations go to the cause. Before you sell anything, check the rules: Florida's raffle law, the IRS disclosure rules for donations that come with something in return, and Florida's charity registration requirement.
Ways to raise money
- Entry donation. A set donation per timed lap or per "race pass".
- Sponsor a rig. A local business covers a rig and gets its name on it for the night. SimsForHire offers custom branding from $500, plus tax and insurance.
- Beat the boss. A well-known local figure posts a lap time; guests pledge to try to beat it.
- Auction the last slot. Auction the final head-to-head race against the night's fastest driver.
- Team challenge. Companies enter teams for a fee; combined lap times decide the winner.
The rules to check first
Donations that come with a turn
If a guest pays more than $75 and gets something back, such as a race, the IRS calls it a quid pro quo contribution, and the charity must give the donor a written disclosure statement. IRS Publication 1771 explains that the statement must tell donors that only the amount above the value of what they received is deductible, and give a good-faith estimate of that value. Separately, a donor can deduct a gift of $250 or more only with a written acknowledgment from the charity.
Raffles and prize drawings
Florida allows qualifying charitable and nonprofit organizations to run drawings by chance under section 849.0935, provided they comply with chapter 496 and that section. Tickets and ads must disclose, among other things, the rules, the organization's name and address, when and where the winner will be drawn, and that no purchase or contribution is necessary.
Charity registration
Chapter 496 of the Florida Statutes sets the state's registration rules for charities that solicit contributions. There is an exemption in section 496.406 for organizations with less than $50,000 in contributions a year whose fundraising is done by unpaid volunteers, but they still have to file the exemption paperwork before soliciting, and must register within 30 days if contributions reach $50,000.
This is a summary, not legal or tax advice. Run your plan past the charity's treasurer or accountant.
Running the day
- Display the leaderboard where non-drivers can see it, along with the cause and a donation QR code.
- Use one car and one track so times are comparable.
- Set a cut-off time for the leaderboard, then run a final.
- Announce totals during the night; progress toward a goal keeps people giving.
- Thank sponsors on the screen and in your follow-up.
Budget
Full-motion rigs are $2,750 per rig per day, with a $2,000 event minimum, all plus tax and insurance. Volume discounts start at 5% off two to three rigs. Delivery is free within 50 miles of Miami. One option is to ask a sponsor to cover the rental so the event's net goes to the cause. See pricing, or read our school fundraiser guide for break-even math.
Call (754) 228-5654, email hello@simsforhire.com, or check your date. We reply within 24 hours, and we can book with as little as 24 hours of notice.