Incentives

Providing a student study participant with a thank-you gift of under $75 does not require any special finance paperwork. Incentives of gift cards or cash (non-tangible personal property) and gifts valued at over $75, such as an iPad in a raffle, are considered taxable income. If you have questions about these forms of incentives please reach out to our office at libraryux@harvard.edu.

Ideas for raffle prizes that are under $75

•  Amazon Echo Dot or Google Home Mini
•  Bluetooth speaker
•  Bluetooth headphones or earbuds
•  Portable USB device chargers
•  Roku
•  Fitbit
•  Chromecast
•   Burdick’s chocolates
•  Fujifilm Instax
•  Mini Camera
•   Harvard apparel from The COOP

Incentives that have been effective in past in-person studies

• Harvard swag like umbrellas, water bottles, travel coffee mugs, and notebooks. Smaller items like keychains or lip balm are great for quick, in-person studies.
• Candy, fruit, donuts, or Kind bars/Luna bars are eye-catching and great for tabling.
• Personal USB battery packs or charging cables for recharging phones and tablets.