Traveling can be expensive. Even a cross-country trip can require months, or even years of saving up. And when you travel outside your country, those expenses can add up.
When you decide to take a trip overseas with World Help, the associated cost might feel like an obstacle. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to tackle it alone.
Here are four ways you can raise money for an international trip:
1. Write Letters to Your Family, Friends, and Community
Personally reaching out to family and friends is a great way to raise support!
Connecting with loved ones is an easy and effective way to raise money for your trip. Start by creating a contact list of potential supporters. This can include family members, friends, your church family, neighbors, and even co-workers.
Then, write them a letter or send them an email asking for support. Tell them what your trip is about and why you want to go.
Make sure to explain what you will be doing during your trip, and finally, explain why you need prayer and financial support. Ask them to pray for you and, if they’re able, to contribute financially toward your goal.
As you write, remember your letter is more than just a donation request. It’s also an invitation for people to take an active role in how God is working through you!
For some fundraising letter templates to get you started, click here.
2. Use a Crowdfunding Platform
Use GoFundMe to streamline your giving process and reach more people
Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe make it easy for you to share your fundraiser with a large audience and streamline the giving process.
Creating and sharing a GoFundMe page is simple. Start by filling out a short survey about your fundraiser, including what it’s about, who it’s for, and what your goal is. After you create an account, you can customize your fundraiser’s description. Then, you can share it with your list of contacts for free.
Using GoFundMe ensures people can give safely and know their support is going directly to you. Each donation gets directly deposited into your bank account.
One downside to using GoFundMe or a similar tool is that most companies take a percentage of each donation as a transaction fee. For GoFundMe, the fee is 2.9% plus 30 cents per donation. While that may not seem like much, it can add up for large donations. If you decide to use a crowdfunding platform, make sure to incorporate any transaction fees into your goal amount.
3. Spread Awareness on Social Media
Social media is an excellent way to spread awareness of your fundraiser far and wide!
Never underestimate the power of social media. When used effectively, it can help you raise a lot of support.
Like GoFundMe, you can reach a large audience beyond family members and friends through your social media platforms. There may be people you don’t connect with regularly who are interested in helping you reach your goal. Some social media platforms even have fundraising tools you can use — like Facebook Fundraisers.
Social media is a great tool for spreading the word quickly, so it may be even more valuable if you don’t have much time to raise the funds you need. Just be careful not to oversaturate your feed by posting about your fundraiser too often, and if possible, make an effort to personally thank everyone who gives to support you.
Make sure to share what you saw and experienced on your trip on social media when you get back, too! Everyone who gave will enjoy seeing what they helped make possible.
To learn more about sharing on social media, click here.
4. Host a Fundraising Event
Connect with your local community through fundraising events to raise support
Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned bake sale or car wash for a cause? Fundraising events can be a great way to build community support while raising awareness for your trip.
If you’re planning to travel with a church team or other group, these fundraisers are especially effective because you can all raise money together.
If bake sales and car washes don’t appeal to you or your community, here are some other ideas:
– An auction with donated items
– A cook-off or dessert competition
– An all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast
– A game night
The only limit is your imagination! Hosting a fundraising event requires additional planning and advertising, but it will be worth it to build new relationships in your community and raise support for your trip!
For more ideas for fundraising events, click here.
No matter how you choose to raise support, the most important thing to do is pray. God is the one who orders your steps and directs your way. He can work miracles in the most unlikely circumstances to fulfill His plans.
Interested in seeing your impact firsthand and doing God’s work worldwide? Click the button below to learn more about upcoming travel opportunities with World Help.