Mission Trip Fundraising

Mission trips provide great cultural experiences and make a difference in people’s lives.  But if your church group is gearing up for a mission trip, you know that the associated expenses add up quickly.

Mission trip fundraising helps cover costs for church clergy and members to travel and complete mission projects. With mission trip fundraising, donations will generally go towards travel costs, project supplies, and funding for missionaries’ needs, including food, medicine, and housing costs while on a mission. So, let’s explore some of the most effective mission trip fundraising ideas to make your dream trip a reality!

Write Mission Trip Fundraising Letters or Emails

Writing a simple, sincere appeal can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to raise money for a mission trip, especially if it comes from church youth group members. A church youth group member can raise hundreds or thousands of dollars by sending a well-written support letter to everyone they know. Make sure not to limit the appeal to just friends and family. Send letters or emails to neighbors, co-workers, local businesses, and community members. There is no harm in informing people about a good cause; the worst they can say is that they have no money to contribute. You will find that many people decide to give something, even if it’s a small amount. Those small amounts add up quickly, but sending letters and asking donors to return check donations can be timely and costly.

Launch a Mission Trip Fundraising Website

Luckily, there is a better way to collect funds with the traditional fundraising letter. Youth groups and others who wish to fundraise for mission trips can find success by using our free crowdfunding platform. This is how a church crowdfunding campaign works:

• A church administrator signs up for a free fundraising website.
• Those interested in raising money for the mission trip register on the fundraising site, and a personal page is generated. 
• Each mission trip participant manages their fundraising page, which includes their mission statement, a fundraising goal thermometer, and social media links.
• Invite friends and family to support the church or mission trip via secure online donations.
• Product and raffle ticket sales can also be added to the campaign to increase funding opportunities.
• Administrators can easily view fundraiser reports and see how much everyone has raised.

Spread the Word!

The best way to start raising money for your mission trip is by telling people about it. Whether you decide to send a letter or talk about it with family, friends, and neighbors, you can do more by going online. Post an announcement on your Facebook or other social media page, giving friends a link to your fundraising page and an opportunity to contribute. Contact local restaurants and businesses and ask if you can post flyers on their bulletin boards. The church should also support the mission team by talking to the congregation about the mission trip and helping participants raise funds. Church leaders may consider passing an additional donation basket during services to raise funds for your mission trip or by providing donation envelopes for people to pick up after Sunday service or during community gatherings. Don’t forget to utilize church bulletins, newsletters, and the church’s website.

Organize a Community Event

If you’re raising money as a group, consider hosting a fundraising event to fund your mission trip. DoJiggy provides many great resources and creative fundraising event ideas, as well as tips and guidelines to help you plan them. These events can be applied to any community organization looking for fun ways to raise money for their cause.

Fundraising events will raise money for your mission trip and bring your community members and congregation closer together. When selecting a fundraising event, consider the importance of highlighting your mission and mission-driven fundraising.

Sell Church Merchandise

Another popular fundraising idea for church groups is to sell branded merchandise online or at church services and events. Create beautiful, unique designs on a platform such as Printful, for church t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, hats, or blankets. A table can be set up to sell these items every Sunday, or you can setup a free eCommerce store with DoJiggy and sell them online. Add a blog to the website to boost sales and report about your mission trip fundraising goals and progress.

Request Frequent Flyer Mile Donations

Airfare is one of the biggest expenses in mission work. If you are interested in offering this in-kind donation option, ask your congregation to donate miles to your mission group. Most airlines allow members to donate frequent flyer miles to other individuals or nonprofit groups. Many people frequently travel for work and look for ways to utilize their miles to do good. 

Save Your Own Money and Raise More by Providing Services

In addition to raising money from the community, family and friends, contribute some of your funds to your mission trip. Sacrificial giving is often the most rewarding way to raise money. Sacrificial giving means sacrificing some of the unnecessary luxuries we spend money on every day in our lives. Cut out trips to local coffee shops, eating out, purchasing new clothes, and instead put this money aside towards your mission trip. This can also prepare you a bit for service, as you won’t be able to hop over to Starbucks for coffee when you’re on a mission. You may also want to consider offering your services to friends and neighbors for donations to help save more money. This could include simple tasks such as watering plants while neighbors are out of town, helping with yard work, or offering pet-sitting or dog-walking services.

Why Are Missions Important?

Mission trips play a crucial role in the lives of countless people in the developing world each year. Many churches in the United States have mission teams of church members and church youth who travel to serve the less fortunate while spreading the word of the Lord. These short-term mission trips often have a specific mission or focus project, including rebuilding towns afflicted by natural disasters, setting up permanent or temporary health clinics, and helping communities struggling with disease or starvation.

Mission work is a staple of evangelical and other church communities, and many are called to do this type of work on a more long-term basis. Churches may also choose to sponsor a missionary or mission family that lives in the area where vital mission work is being done. The Church then supplements its income with the money raised from donations to help it fund the work of serving the community in need on behalf of the church.

More Mission Trip Fundraising Ideas

Regardless of what fundraising initiative you organize for your mission trip, the rewards are worth it. Not only will you make a difference in the world, but you will build character, gain experience in serving, and better appreciate what you have by serving those less fortunate. We have plenty of additional church youth group fundraising ideas to help raise money for your mission trip.

Planning and Preparing for a Mission Trip

As with any fundraising initiative, plan appropriately for a mission trip by setting goals and objectives. Establish timelines so you can meet these goals in time for your trip. Utilize a fundraising website to securely collect donations, track fundraising progress, and communicate the trip’s mission. Our church fundraising overview outlines some of these basic fundraising guidelines to help you succeed.

Of course, raising money is not the only thing you must do to prepare for your mission trip. You will be expected to quickly integrate into your new environment and serve. Start preparing yourself now, physically and emotionally. Whether it’s sacrificing personal desires to help others, studying a foreign language, or reading the Bible to find encouraging devotions you may want to share with a community in need, do what you can to prepare yourself for your journey and make the most of your time away from home. Successful mission trips are life-changing experiences for everyone involved.

Writing Thank Yous and Mission Follow-Up

Don’t forget to keep contributors informed about the activities and successes of your mission. You may want to set up a blog that allows you to update people on your adventures and accomplishments, upload photos showing progress, and make comments and words of encouragement. This is a great way to say thank you to contributors. There’s nothing better than seeing first-hand that the donations are making a difference. Lastly, don’t forget to send Thank You notes to those who have given you financial support for your trip.