Developing a support base and the necessary funds to go on your mission trip might feel intimidating at first. Seeking the Lord and following His lead provides the best platform to invite friends and family to partner with God and what He is already doing in your life. It is a good idea for your trip funds to come from a combination of your own hard work and sacrifice as well as others that you invite to partner with you financially. If you feel confident that God wants you to go on a mission trip dare to believe that He will show up as your Provider!
Articles
- Rethinking Short-Term Missions Fundraising
- 30 Fundraising Ideas for Your Mission Trip
- Best Fundraising Ideas for Mission Trips
- 25 Ways to Fundraise for Your Mission Trip
- How to Create a Great Support Letter
Top Books
- The God Ask: A Fresh, Biblical Approach to Personal Support Raising by Steve Shadrach He has given you a vision for ministry, and now you get to invite others into that vision. Your job is to pray and work hard to discover those whom the Lord has already prepared to invest in you and your ministry.
- When Money Goes on Mission: Fundraising and Giving in the 21st Century by Rob Martin The do’s and don’ts of fundraising and giving. This book will show you how to build mutually beneficial partnerships for all parties involved.
- Funding Short Term Trips with Long Term Vision by Andrew Knight. This handbook is ideally suited to short term trip leaders and participants who will be raising a support team to participate in their short term mission trip.
- God and Elephants: A Worshiper’s Guide to Raising Support by Heather Ricks is a support-raising tool that shows people how to recognize God at work in their lives and teaches them how to put that story into words so that others can worship God as well.
- Funding Your Ministry: A Field Guide for Raising Personal Support 3rd Edition. International funding coach Scott Morton has expanded his popular resource with new sections on: social media, email best practices, proven principles for gospel-workers around the globe, stewardship and budget management, and a leader’s guide for encouraging fundraisers.
Websites
- Give Send Go – Give Send Go’s simple reliable fundraising platform is the largest free Christian crowd funding website. Create your mission trip campaign and share via email and social media. You can even add gifts given in other ways to your campaign total so that it your remaining balance is always accurate.
- One Mission – One Mission is a unique fundraising site combining high-impact product fundraising and crowdfunding. Think online shopping for apparel, candles, jewelry and art that your friends and family will love and you will receive 40% of sales going into your mission fund.
- GroupRaise: Have a deliciously awesome group meal where the restaurant donates back a % of sales to your cause!
- Raise Coffee: sell coffee to your friends/family. For every bag that’s sold on your campaign, you’ll make money to achieve your fundraising goal.
Audio/Podcasts
- Support Raising Solutions (48min) with Steve Shadrach, Author of The God Ask, for encouragement as you begin the endeavor of support raising.
- The Power of Prayer and Financial Support in Missions (35min) Bill Evans has helped send out over 10,000 short term mission participants and has much wisdom to share on the topics of mission trip planning, fundraising, preparation, travel tips and more.
Download Docs
- 5 Ways to Pray for Your Support Raising
- Your Vision Sheet
- Support Raising Action Plan
- Getting to Know You Sheet
Supplies
- Bonfire – Design inspiring and comfy t-shirts to sell and raise money for your trip. Bonfire handles all the logistics, printing and shipping and you collect a percentage of the sales.
- Canva – Because it’s hard to raise support without good graphics these days. An image tells a story that provides a hook for an invitation to participate. Canva makes it easy to create professional looking graphics for all your fundraising needs: newsletters, Facebook group, social media posts etc. and it’s free.
- Missionary Cards – For over 15 years, Missionary Cards.com has been assisting missionaries all over the world with prayer cards, magnets, mailing materials and displays to help them raise support.
Videos
Know of other tried and true FUNDRAISING resources that mission trip goers would benefit from? Send your ideas to: [email protected]
