Fund-Raising Ideas for Mission Trips

Building financial support through a letter to family and friends

On the average, 0 can be raised through well-written letters sent to about 75 people who know you: family members and friends. Some groups prepare a fund-raising letter in a downloadable form so participants can easily personalize it. Spread the word widely; don't limit the letters to Christian friends and family. Send thank-you letters for every financial gift. Sometimes, "thank you" notes will even bring follow-up gifts.

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How local churches can help come up with the needed money

Give official blessing or sanction Provide letters of endorsement on church stationery [ more info ] Let people share with the congregation in services Allow pleas for donations during services Host informational meetings about the trip Publicize the trip Information in the congregation's monthly newsletter Inserts in the weekly church bulletin Call attention to those that get involved in local ministry when they return or decide to go long-term as a result of going short-term. Provide direct financial support Provide partial funding from the church budget. Help in getting out a support raising letter. Organizing prayer support. Organize fund-raising events within the church. Auction off 6 hours of the trip participant's time. Hold dinner/auction of baked goods. Auction of baked goods with pie-in-the-face.

Ideas for Fund Raiser Events

Mexican Dinner- Turn a hall into a Mexican restaurant and have the group dress in traditional Mexican as they serve a basic combination plate dinner to those who have purchased tickets. Suggested menu: tacos, rice and re-fried beans. Have volunteer cooks help with the preparation of the meal. Another suggestion would be to have the families of the group cook so they can have a chance to work together.

Bible Reading Marathon-Have members get pledges per hour to read the Bible continuously. Make it a party! Have group members take turns to reading in one room while in another have videos or team-building games that will to encourage them as they invest in their project.

Servant Auction - Auction off group members to become "servants" working for a set amount per hour paid to the organization.

Individual Sponsorship- Group members can obtain individual sponsors by personal request.

Shareholders- Supporters and friends can buy a "share" in the trip. Provide 'stock' certificates of their importance to the trip and be sure to share the experience with them after the group returns home.

Bake Sales- Be creative and add a new angle by having a "sugarless bake sale", or a "chocolate-lovers' bake sale".

Talent Show- Encourage all the members/families in your group to participate in a talent show. Charge admission and enjoy the fun!

Aluminum Can Collection- Set aside a central location or a private garage to collect aluminum cans for redemption at the local recycling center.

Hold Giant Garage/Yard Sale- Collect items from others such as clothing, furniture, car parts, electrical appliances, etc. for a profitable yard sale. Be sure to promote the cause while doing so for additional exposure.

Sunday School Class Challenge- Challenge Sunday School classes to compete with each other to raise money for the trip. Encourage them to keep track of what they collect and report on it each week. Celebrate with a class party after the trip with photos and testimonials.

Car Wash- For a car wash fund-raiser add a twist like a "car wash and wax" while people pay to hit leaders of the group with water balloons or whipped cream. The most successful car washes are FREE with the group participants getting a per-car-washed pledge from supporters. You can also sell car wash coupons ahead of time as well.

B-B-Q Cookout- Hold an old fashion BBQ after church or at some special time and location. You can even have items donated for the BBQ from individuals or local businesses.

Other ideas

Car Wash: Sell car wash coupons

Organize dinners or dinner theaters and sell tickets

Hold giant garage/rummage sale

Sell barbecue

Organize and teach an Internet beginners' course

Sell tubs of frozen cookie dough

Find a restaurant that will donate part of the cost of a meal or provide meal

Helpful Links

GoMissionsToMexico.com - Ministry Offering Safe Affordable Mission Trips to Mexico

Fund-Raising Ideas for Mission Trips

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A Fundraising Road Trip - Planning & Achieving Your Goals

Do you ever daydream about going on a great vacation? It's fun to think of all of the great sights and things to do once you get to the destination. But usually there's lots of planning involved, such as planning around schedules, getting tickets and placing reservations. It can be quite an ordeal. But once you're on your dream vacation, boy is it worth it.

Oddly enough, creating fundraising goals is itself a little like going on a trip.

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Here's how...

The Destination: Long Term & Yearly Goals

What's the first thing you do when you decide to go on a trip? Yes, that's right - choose the destination. Is it Disneyworld or New York City? Will you camp at the local state park or Yellowstone? Starting a fundraising program without a predefined goal is like getting in your car at the beginning of a vacation and saying, "I don't know where we're going, but I hope we get there!" (Doesn't make much sense, does it?)

Your yearly goal is the final destination that your group should be striving for all year long. Whether your organization follows the calendar year, school year, fiscal year, or whatever the case may be, you still need to set this long term destination goal.

Budgetary requirements generally guide the financial goals that are needed for your organization. What are the total expenses for the year, and how much of those expenses need to be covered by fundraising efforts? Write down this "big target" number that needs to be reached by the end of the year.

The Roadmap: Project Goals

Now that you've decided on a fundraising destination, the next step is to break down that number into smaller, more manageable goals.

Imagine your organization's individual fundraisers such as events, raffles, or candy sales as the highways you will take to get to your final destination. Therefore, each individual campaign or event has its own fundraising goals. The combined goal amount should equal or be greater than the yearly goal.

Having too many fundraisers that appeal to the same audience can become burdensome and reduces the effectiveness of your efforts. By forecasting the amount of funds needed, you'll be able to plan the right amount of individual fundraisers.

The Pit-Stops: Fine Tuning Your Fundraising Goals

During the course of the year, periodically review your fundraising goals. Have your fundraisers met their individual targets? If not, the "pit-stops" are times when you can do some fine tuning to your list of goals and objectives.

Consider ways that you can earn more on the remaining fundraisers

1. Increase attendance at your event by adding something unusual, like a door prize drawing, a contest or a "celebrity" appearance

2. Place calls or send letters to get more prizes donated for your raffle or auction

3. Add an additional source of revenue to already planned

4. Add an easy fundraiser that doesn't require much time from volunteers, such as an online magazine fundraiser

Reaching Your Destination

Your group has worked hard to raise funds for your cause. Be sure to celebrate along the way, thanking donors and volunteers. Each year evaluate what programs worked best, how you can improve upon them, and ways that you can become more efficient in planning the fundraising programs.

A Fundraising Road Trip - Planning & Achieving Your Goals

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Short Term Mission Trip Fundraising - How to Get Started

When an individual feels led by God to participate in a short term mission trip, they are stepping out on faith and trusting that God will provide all their needs for the experience. Likely the most worried about aspect, fundraising can seem overwhelming. However, God promises that He will provide as we obey. God also expects us to take an active, not passive, roll in seeing His will accomplished. Here are some great ways to actively pursue your fundraising goal.

The first and most crucial piece to your fundraising will be your personal support letter. Develop a CFRAN list of at least 200 people or families. A CFRAN list is a list that consists of Christians, Friends, Relatives, Associates and Neighbors. Write a support letter to send to these people based on our 'Short Term Mission Trip Support Letter Writing Guidelines' resource also available at Mission Solutions website (see link attached with this article). Make sure your letter is proofread by others and revised at least two times. Include a return envelope for gifts with the appropriate address on it.

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Your church should also have a strong presence among your supporters. Here is a technique that has worked well before when raising funds from a church that has a group or multiple members from the same trip attending that church. Ask the congregation for monthly pledges (if the trip is six months out, ask church people to give any amount they choose each month for six months). The key is that you emphasis that this is the way that the team needs them to support. Tell them that if they can only support in one way, that this must be it.

They are welcome to participate in or help with other fundraisers if they like, but that this is the way that the team needs support from the church. It is important that team members also then try to avoid raising personal support from the church people to avoid hitting people up twice. There may be a few exceptions to this, for example if a team member has extended family members in the church.

If you are the only individual from your church going on your trip then your strategy will change. Speak to the church's mission board or leadership board before starting any fundraising. Ask for the opportunity to speak before the congregation during a service with a love offering to follow. It allows the Holy Spirit to move people to give, more so than asking the board for a gift. It is also helpful if an announcement can be made about the love offering the week or two before so people can be prepared. Also make sure that you can speak at the service with the highest attendance (Sunday morning vs. Wednesday night) and all at services times if there is more than one.

The last thing is fundraising events. The array of possible options for fundraising events is very broad and while some may work great in one location it may not work at all in another. It is always wise to spend time researching options, the history and success of past fundraisers, and consider the culture of your church or area. It is important to note that often fundraising events tend to focus on money. However, people that give donations typically care more about the mission at hand, the participant(s) desire or heart for the mission and/or the participant(s) themselves. Try to focus your fundraising event on the impact your trip will have for the Gospel, how it will change you or your team spiritually or how it will meet the needs of the less fortunate. People put money where their heart is. Appeal to people's hearts, not their checkbooks.

Fundraising events typically work best for a team rather than an individual due to the simple fact of necessary manpower. Bake sales, rummage sales, ice cream socials, spaghetti dinners and car washes are hard to run with one person even if he/she recruits a few helpers. Divide profits from fundraising events between all team members that participate in the event. This encourages team members to participate in the fundraiser and also provides more manpower. It will also help to eliminate the passive role that some team members may take toward the fundraising efforts. It gives them the sense of personal responsibility for it because it is up to them, rather than someone else, to raise the funds they need.

Short Term Mission Trip Fundraising - How to Get Started

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Mission Trip Fundraising Ideas

In these days of God-less time, becoming a missionary by itself, is a noble deed in the eyes of most men, though they will be loath to become one. God could not possibly be, however, impressed. It is we who need Him and not vice-versa. God does not certainly need a prop in the guise of men and women. However, after you have become one, you can impress God with your missionary work.

A mission trip is a natural corollary of an aspiring or ordained missionary. God certainly looks favorably upon those who take pity on the underprivileged and engage in activities aimed at alleviating the sufferings of those people. Any mission trip needs hard cash that is to be spent in myriad ways. So, how does one go about finding the where withal for the one's mission trip?

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Make a list of faithful people whom you know and are fairly sure about their disposition towards religious activity or better still, mission trips. Write a sincere letter giving all possible details like the mission's purported aim, the actual activities that are envisaged and the possible good results that you hope to achieve. Send the letters across. You might send emails and warn them of it in text messages. Like a good Christian, when you receive a financial assistance, you must make it a point to thank the donor profusely. This usually has a cascading effect and friend as well as acquaintances of this donor may follow suit. That is quite desirable, isn't it?

Church is an obvious donor, and you must make sure that the parish priest and others in the church hierarchy. You might be able to convince your church authorities to pitch in with recommendation letters, which will go some way in getting even the disinterested people to come up with a donation. You must consider hosting congregational meetings where you should make the people aware of your mission trip. Fundraising among the members of the church can be fun but very fructifying. Some fun-filled games for children as well as adults could be organized. A small carnival of food stalls could also be in the order. The comparatively exorbitant rates of game tickets and food coupons will not be grudged by anyone. You could hope to make a tidy sum from these.

Contrary to what many people think, penny drives are fully acceptable and are not to be looked askance at. Remember, each penny is one step closer to a dollar!

Mission Trip Fundraising Ideas

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Fundraising Ideas For Churches For the 21st Century Church

Christians are always looking for new fundraising ideas for churches. In a tough economy, it can be very difficult to come up with the money for new sound equipment, ministry outreaches, mission trips, food pantries, and various other ministries. People are giving less, and some church members are out of work. As a result, people are looking for ways to save money on everything from food, gas, entertainment, and all of the other basic necessities of life.

There are many great fundraising ideas for churches that can raise thousands of dollars for your next ministry outreach, youth group function, or overseas mission trip. Here are a few great ideas for your next church fundraiser:
Free Carwash You read that correctly! You can host a free carwash in the church parking lot, or you can team up with a local business at a busy intersection and use their parking lot. When you host a free car wash, people will come up in droves to get their car washed! Even though you might get a few freeloaders who won't donate, most people will still give a donation if they know you are working for a good cause. This also provides a few great witnessing opportunities for your team. Many curious onlookers will wonder why anybody would do a free carwash, and this presents opportunities to share the salvation message with unbelievers.
Krispy Kreme Fundraising One of the most popular fundraising ideas for churches is Krispy Kreme fundraising. Everyone is familiar with Krispy Kreme donuts, so there is virtually no selling involved! These are often sold at churches on Sunday mornings, and they make a great Sunday School snack too! Many people can't turn away Krispy Kreme donuts, so this can be a very effective fundraiser for your church youth group.
Yard Sales & Auctions Everyone has junk in the attic. Think about the clothes you haven't worn since you were 25. Maybe you have old CDS that are collecting dust. Many people have old televisions and old furniture sitting in the basement. If your church youth group is going on an overseas mission trip, then having a church-wide yard sale could be a great idea.
Selling Coupon Books Coupon book fundraising is one of the easiest fundraisers that a youth group can utilize to raise money. Coupon offers sell so well because the books practically pay for themselves. There are usually great offers in the coupon books, and you can save a lot of money on items that you would already purchase even if you didn't have the coupons. Many of the major retailers are included in many of these coupon directories including Wal-Mart, Gamestop, KFC, Target, Apple, and even Southwest Airlines.

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There are many fundraising ideas for churches that will help your church youth group get the money they need to travel on the mission trip. Do not be afraid to ask your family and friends for donations for your next ministry outreach. Despite all of the negative headlines about the economy, there are still many great easy fundraising ideas for churches that work very well in any economic climate.

Fundraising Ideas For Churches For the 21st Century Church

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Fundraising For a Mission Trip

Fundraising for a mission trip is a great way to get active and keep involved in your church. Mission trips are mutually beneficial. Both the group receiving the help and the group providing the help come out feeling good about the whole experience.

In the months prior to your mission trip begin to advertise your event with posters and flyers. You can distribute the fundraising posters in your local neighborhood, at grocery stores and around your own church. This will help to raise awareness of your mission.

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The next step is to write letters about your mission trip. Your letters should be very specific about your mission and that you are asking for fundraising donation to help support the mission. Also be sure to ask each letter recipient to pass the letter along to a friend or relative. It is easy to raise thousands of dollars from a simple letter campaign.

An open meeting or forum where you give a speech with the details of your mission event is also a great way to get parishioners involved in your fundraising. This will allow people to learn what your mission is about and give them an opportunity to ask questions about the mission. This allows people to feel a real part of the event which in turn will help fundraising donations soar.

Advertising in local newspapers, magazines, on radio stations and on TV is another great way to get the word out about your mission. When you advertise you should be very clear about the mission and place a call to action in the ad. Your call to action should encourage people to give time or money to your fundraiser for your mission.

Remember to thank everyone involved in your mission fundraising. It is key to thank in two ways. First thank volunteers and donors before the mission. Let them know how grateful you are that they were able to help. Second is to thank donors and volunteers after the mission is complete. Give them an update on the mission so that they know their hard work and fundraising money truly went to a good cause.

Fundraising For a Mission Trip

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