EDUCATION RAFFLE FAQ

How does the Education Raffle work?

Anyone 18 years old or older, filing a PFD online application for themselves, will be provided an option to choose to donate money from his or her PFD to public education. Donations are made in $100 increments. For every $100, you buy 1 entry into the Education Raffle. For $200, you get 2 entries; for $500, you get 5 entries; up to the point where the final $100 increment is available. Example: A dividend of $1,722 will allow you to purchase 17 entries. The remaining $22 will be paid to you. Each entry goes into a drawing to be drawn by the Revenue Commissioner, or designee.

What are the raffle draw procedures?

View the Education Raffle Draw Procedures and the Education Raffle Filed Regulations.

When will the 2023 Education Raffle drawing take place?

The drawing for the 2023 Education Raffle took place on January 25th, 2024 at 11:00am at the Office of the Lieutenant Governor - 120 4th Street, 3rd Floor, Juneau, Alaska, 99801.

If you wish to watch online, the raffle draw will be available to watch live and afterwards on the Governor’s Facebook Page and Youtube page.

How do I know my donation will go to education?

Legislation that enacted the Education Raffle states that education will not receive less funds as a result of this additional income. It will simply add to the funding that they already will be receiving through legislative appropriations. Your funds will benefit a general education fund not broken out by district.

Can I buy extra Education Raffle entries with money not from my PFD?

No. Only money from your PFD may be used to buy Education Raffle entries.

Can I withdraw my donation if I change my mind after I submit my application?

No. Once your initial application has been submitted, you will not be able to withdraw your donation.

How much state money does it take to run the raffle program?

$35,000 to get it started. After start-up, the system is designed to be self-sustaining.

How much of my money goes to public education?

50% of all donations go directly to public education that year.

25% of all donations go into a new education endowment fund.

How much money goes into the raffle fund?

25% of all donations are placed in the raffle fund.

How are the prizes paid out?

Four prizes are paid out annually. First prize is 8% of the raffle fund. Second prize is 4%; third prize is 2%; fourth prize is 1%. The remaining 85% of the fund will grow the fund for future year prize money.

What are the prizes?

The 2023 Education Raffle had 9,994 entrants with a total of $999,400 to be disbursed. This means that $499,700 will go to public education this year, $249,850 will go into the Education Endowment Fund for future education support, and $249,850 will go to the Education Raffle Fund.

The 2023 PFD Education Raffle winners are as follows:

1st place: $69,727.92 – Deborah Main
2nd place: $34,863.96 – Vassily Zavoico
3rd place: $17,431.98 – Melanie Wahl
4th place: $8,715.99 – Gary Lehnhart

How will I claim these on my taxes?

The PFD Division recommends that you consult your tax professional for any questions related to the payment of taxes.