Fundraising

Where can you start?

• Make a plan. How much can you raise or earn per month?
• Set up your own fundraising page on your personal MyProjectsAbroad web page. This is available once you’ve been accepted onto a project; you can then give the link to anyone interested in donating towards your project fee.
• Cut down on expenditure and resist the temptation to buy things you really won’t need – check out the kit-list we provide on your My ProjectsAbroad web page.
• Volunteering as a school, university, or another education provider?

Fundraising as a Group

Often times students, friends, and colleagues choose to plan a project together as a group and work together for fundraising. This is a great idea and allows you to pool resources and share ideas. We’ve even had students and teachers form volunteer abroad clubs at their school to plan years ahead and fundraise together. Find out more about planning a bespoke Group Trip.

Our Fundraising Guide

For your convenience, we have put together a detailed Fundraising Guide which gives you advice and suggestions on how to proceed with your fundraising efforts. Here are a few tips before you begin:

• Decide on your plan of action. How much can you save a month? Will you approach organisations for sponsorship?
• Once you have been accepted on a project, you can set up your own fundraising page on your personal ‘MyProjectsAbroad’ web page. You can then give the link to anyone interested in donating towards your project fee.
• Create realistic targets and chart your progress.

Social Media Fundraising

Take your personalised fundraising page provided by Projects Abroad and post it to Social Media! Supplement gifts for donations on sites like Facebook and Instagram. Your friends and family can directly deposit donations to your fundraiser, and your fee will continuously shrink. Instead of a gift, request donations for occasions like:

• Birthdays
• Religious holidays
• High School Graduation
• University Graduation

Sponsorship and fundraising

Many companies would consider sponsoring you if you approach them in the right way. See our Fundraising Guide for ideas on how to write effective sponsorship letters. Before you start sending letters, just make sure you fit in with the criteria of the organisation, charity or trust you are looking to approach. Before you target them consider the following:

• Does the company have a local interest in your school/university/community?
• Does the company have an interest in your project or destination?
• Can you offer the sponsor an opportunity for promotion via advertising for a sponsored event on local radio/in a newspaper/on a poster/on a T-shirt displaying their logo?

Sponsored Events

These often need planning in advance, but can be really rewarding. Think about who you know and the skills you have. Are you a runner? Know anyone in a band? An owner of a bar or restaurant? Our Fundraising Guide is packed with inventive ideas. You should publicise your event as much as possible. Make posters, e-mail your friends, and post your event on social media to get as much support as possible. You can contact your local radio or newspaper to attract sponsors.

A part-time job

Do not underestimate the impact of a part-time job! Even a small wage can make a difference if your are saving enough of it.

We are here to help and many of us, once volunteers like you, have embarked on our own weird and wonderful methods of fundraising. Remember that motivation and organisation are the keys to success.

Financial Aid

We don’t have the capacity to offer scholarships and financial aid to our volunteers. This is because we don’t receive any outside financial support ourselves. Instead, the programme fees you pay help support meaningful projects around the world and provide you with everything you need to volunteer abroad. We’re also happy to help with suggestions and ideas on fundraising for your trip. There are lots of ways to raise the necessary funds and we recommend trying as many of them as possible!