“How would YOU help your loved ones with $100,000?” reads the text on a brightly colored Instagram post by Omaze, a for-profit company that raises money for charity by running draws for dream prizes. “[I’d] pay for the surgeries my mom and grandma need,” replied one user. “[I could] help my kids complete their education,” said another. Someone else simply stated: “Help me. … I will start my own business.”
Omaze, a multimillion-dollar company founded in California in 2012, has rapidly risen in profile in recent years. Despite attracting substantial controversy, it has successfully raised more than $150 million for hundreds of charities ― and a reported $42 million in venture capital toward its own expansion.
The organization has offered once-in-a-lifetime prizes — such as a trip aboard a luxury Greek yacht, a Lamborghini that was blessed by Pope Francis, and even a trip to space — and worked with celebrities including Michelle Obama and Daniel Craig on its self-declared mission to “transform” fundraising for the better.