Asking for Money–Why You SHOULD
Regardless of your financial circumstances, we encourage you to fundraise to cover a portion of the cost of your trip. It’s not “required,” but there are plenty of good reasons to do it.
Why?
1) Because overseas travel is expensive. Let's face facts.
2) Because it’s worthy. You’re volunteering overseas. This is a good cause. It deserves support.
3) Because it’s not just about you. Sending financial support is a way that your friends, family, church or community can be involed in this project. With an investment they have a stake in the outcome.
4) Because it lays the groundwork. Your list of supporters is a network that can later be called upon to assist a worthy project you’ve identified in the region (an orphanage, a summer camp, a peacemaking program, etc.) By creating a list of people who care enough to invest in positive outcomes, you’ve taken the first step to potentially achieiving a much larger good.
Ways to Fundraise
• Write a letter. Send a letter to your family and friends. Detail exactly what you want to do and ask them each for a specific amount of money. Spell out exactly what you hope to accomplish.
• Ask for frequent flyer miles. Know anyone who travels a lot? Odds are, they have frequent flyer miles saved up. See if they’d be willing to use this towards the purchase of your ticket.
• Lighten your load/ Live simply. Look around you–anything you can live without? A garage sale or a few hours on Ebay might give you more space in your bedroom or garage.
• Lighten THEIR load. If friends and family can’t offer money, see if their willing to give you stuff you can sell.
• Benefit concert. Set up a concert for Palestine, a concert for peace or a concert for Israeli-Palestinian understanding. Charge a cover. Talk (briefly) before or after the band about your trip.
• Organize a fast. Have a group join you in a fast from food and/or shopping. The money that would have been spent is donated to your trip.
• Theme parties: karoake night, ice cream social, board game marathon, etc.
• Bakesale.
• Massage-a-thon.
• Ask to speak at your church or place of worship.
• Dinner party or Hunger banquet. Have everyone chip in 10 or 15 bucks. Prepare a simple meal.
• Movie night. Show a video on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• Out for coffee. Take someone whom you think might be willing to support you out for coffee. Discuss the program. Sometimes the best approach is the simplest–and the most direct.
• Marathon / Bike-a-thon. Ask people to make a per mile donation.
• Offer incentives. Make a DVD with photos and video during your trip. Let everyone who donates know you’ll mail them a copy. Ask a club or group on campus for support. Promise to host a workshop or related event when you return.
• Create a calendar or Christmas cards. Create a relevant calender or christmas cards on your computer. Figure out how much it takes to print at Kinko’s. Take advanced orders for a profit.
• Research scholarships, fellowships and student loan deferrals, if applicable.
Other Tips
• Don’t take “no” personally.
• Craft a plan. Chart out what fundraising you’ll do when and how much you hope to make from each.
• Create a budget that includes: your program cost, your flight, spending money on the ground and any other fees.
• Diversify. Don’t just try one strategy. Try ten.
• Ask donors for a specific amount. People are hesitant to give when they don’t know how much is appropriate–they’re afraid that they’ll give too much or too little.
• Thank Donors. Send a thank you card call them to thank them directly or use whatever method you feel is appropriate to show them how much their contribution means.
• Do one thing to forward your fundraising goals every day.