The ultimate guide to raising support for missions...

Who to ask.

How to ask.

Support Raising 101Belmont on Mission

What to ask.

step by step

table ofcontents

Preliminary Steps

Taking Action

More than money

Pray Plan

Present

Who, how, and what to askSupport Letters

More ways to fundraise

Spiritual Practice Christian Resources

Preliminary Steps

Before we can jump into the fundraising, we need to think through a few things. It's more than just "fund" raising...It's support-raising! The process of gaining support for any cause requires a large amount of planning. The preliminary steps for missions fundraising can be broken down into three parts: pray, plan, and present.

Develop a personal strategy for

preparation and prepayment. 

Everyone's network is different, so

everyone will need to use different

methods to raise support.

plan

A mission is bigger than the cost. 

Pray about how God will use you

on the mission trip, and have faith

in His ability to get you there.

Trusting Him in fundraising is a

spiritual practice.

pray

Be able to identify who you are

and the purpose of your mission. 

It is important to articulate what

you are doing in order to bring

others on board to do it with you.

present

Taking Action

When asking for support, you need to be strategic. Be clear about what you need, and purposeful in how you ask for it. You're asking people not just to support you financially, but to join with you as you prepare, go, and return to share your experience with God and others with them.

who to ask. how to ask. what to ask.1. Ask your parentsfor their ChristmasCard List 2. Consider askingpeople to whom yousent GraduationAnnouncements  3. Ask localbusinesses andorganizations thatmay support yourmission 4. Many businesseshave a gift matchingprogram. Check withyour parent's placeof employment

Writing letters is agreat first step inraising support.  Inyour letters, it isimportant to be asspecific as possiblewhen talking aboutyour mission.  Youalso want to be aspersonal aspossible.  Followingup with a phone callor meeting forcoffee is a veryeffective way tosecure support.

Understand thatthere are ways tosupport yourmission other thanfinancial giving.  Byoutlining all theopportunities forsupport, you arebroadening thegroup of individualsbacking yourmission.  Askpossible supportersto pray to determineif they feel called tosupport yourmission, in any way.

who to ask.Family Members Family Friends

Coaches, Teachers, Mentors Doctors, Dentists, Others

Businesses Church Community

[brainstorm some people whoyou may ask to support you]

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how and what to ask.

Put together a list of information you wantto present to possible supporters...

When and where are you going onmission?Who are you going with?Who is Sponsoring the trip?Who are you partnering with atthe location?What are you going to do there?How will the support help you andyour team?What are other needs besidesfinancial?How and where can they sendsupport?

Individual website     (I.e. GoFundMe)

“Adopt-a-Box” 

Sell Your Talent  

    note:

More Ways to Fundraise

Individual Group

“Rent a Youth"Group babysittingSell t-shirtsBake sale on campusRestaurant FastingDiscipline-specificFundraising:

- Host a concert or otherkind of show - Partner with business ororganization (Chipotle inparticular) - Teams can host clinics - Musicians can givelessons - Artists can sell work - Academics can tutor

Most group fundraiserscan also be used as

individual fundraisers

More Ways to Fundraise

- Whichever box number a donor picks is how much moneyhe or she is going to donate. Ex: box 4 = $4, box 32 = $32 (40/2)*(1+40)=820

- Maybe you are a great photographer, or soccer player, ormath student; use your talents as a means of raising money!

explained...

Individual Website

Adopt-a-Box

- This could be anindividualfundraiser, or teamwide.  - Spend timemaking a clearchart [as pictured] - Send the pictureand instructions viaemail

Sell Your Talent

- Set up a GoFundMe page with information about yourmission - You can also have people donate through your Venmo orPaypal accounts

Rent a Youth- Members of the Community can hire youth to do odd jobs

Group Babysitting- You and members of your team can advertise your groupbabysitting.  Make sure you have a safe location, toys, andenough capable people to take care of the children.  Provideparents with information on when you will hold this event,who will be babysitting, and how much you will charge. - This would be a great event to do around the holidays. Advertise it as a way for parents to be able to handle holidayerrands without bringing their kids along.

Selling T-Shirts- Design a t-shirt with your team - Promote your shirts a lot; the more shirts you sell, thehigher profit margin you will make.

Host a Bake Sale on Campus- Reserve a table/ spot on campus - Get together with your friends and make a lot of goodies - Be sure to tell people about why you are selling thefood...the mission!

Restaurant Fasting- Get a group of people to pledge to not go to restaurantsfor a week, and instead donate that money to your mission.

More than Money

Spiritual Practice

Going on a mission experience is an excitingjourney, but it can be full of uncertainty - especially

when it comes to finances. Raising support for amission goes far beyond raising funds.  Part offundraising is relying on God's faithfulness to

provide for your mission.  While you may look atfundraising as a tool to gather money, it is also anopportunity to grow in your undersatnding of who

God is and what He has for you.  Stepping out infaith is both an act of bravery and trust as you rely

on God to move in your life.

C H R I S T I A N R E S O U R C E S F O R S P I R I T U A L

D E V E L O P M E N T A N D F U N D R A I S I N G

A Spirituality of Fundraising, Henri Nouwen The Giver and the Gift, Peter Greer and David Weekly

“ D O N O T B E A N X I O U S A B O U T A N Y T H I N G , B U T I N

E V E R Y S I T U A T I O N , B Y P R A Y E R A N D P E T I T I O N , W I T H

T H A N K S G I V I N G , P R E S E N T Y O U R R E Q U E S T S T O G O D . ”

P H I L I P P I A N S 4 : 6