Finacial Giving

[Lantz Howard]

We have divided our mission trip fund raising into 1/3.

1/3 paid by participant
1/3 paid by local church body
1/3 paid by writing letters to friends and family

We have had many individuals not sign-up due to cost, but this is the most feasible way we could plan our mission trip back before the economy got sour. In the coming weeks we will be communicating to the church about the mission trip. Then on a Sunday morning have a separate offering to assist in one of the 1/3.

Do you have any ideas or suggestions that have worked well for you to help pay for a mission trip?

[Lynn S. Nored]

Lantz,
Congradulations on continuing short term mission work. My wife and I have been a part of LST since 1988 and I helped write the first training manual--including how to do fund-raising.

You are wise in requiring those going to raise a portion of their funds. And, having no more than 1/3 provided by the congreation is also wise. Raising funds from others is both a faith issue as well as a committment issue.

However, it might be prudent if some who are perfectly cabable of providing all of the funds themselves do. Some of these individuals are highly competent and really can be an asset withour the requirement to raise funds from others.

[Lynn S. Nored]

Also, in fundraising one most important ingredient is providing proper training in how to fund raise. Do you have training sessions for this? Do you exmine their fund raising letters? Do that follow-up. Each individual should send out a minimum of 100 letters--and not necessarily to members of the church. Be sure they are taught not to "prejudge" who will and who will not give. There should always be some relationship to those letters are sent and not just to the church directory or church leaders.

[Miguel Labrador]

Lantz,

We host and develop various ministry outreach opportunities for teams from the U.S. Although we have not provided specific training for fundraising, we have never had a person fail to raise their funds for coming. I think the 3rds idea is a good idea. The problem I see is that many times the church's vision for missions is not the same as the individual's. However, we have seen great results from missions drives in local churches.

I have been on the field for three years now and have worked with many teams and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Online giving is also a huge and vastly untapped way for individuals to raise support for short-term missions trips.

[James Nored]

Hi Miguel. I'm currently exploring online giving options. What have you seen that is successful?