Don’t Write a Missionary Fundraising Letter… Do This First

Wait, what? Isn’t a missionary fundraising letter what you’re supposed to do to fundraise for missions? 

While missionary support letters are helpful, they are only a step in your financial support journey for your mission trip. 

In this blog, you will learn about the power of meeting with your family members, local community, and church members face to face to share your vision.

You will also learn:

• The best fundraising tips beyond letters
• The most effective fundraising ideas to engage potential donors
• Key elements to include in appeal letters

Here at International Project, we’ve sent dozens of missionaries to the field. And through experience, we’ve learned that mailing out support letters isn’t enough. 

Read on to learn how to reach your fundraising goal beyond simply sending missionary fundraising letters.

A Mission Trip Fundraising Letter Is Just the Start!

Many mission team members on short term missions seek sponsorship by writing fundraising letters.

Related: Missions Trip Fundraising Ideas: Practical Ideas that Actually Work

These types of donation letters are generally easy to write, and you can usually find letter templates available through your missions sending organization.

A simple missionary fundraising letter will include:

• A warm greeting like “Dear friends”
• A brief introduction of who you are
• Your interest in this short term mission trip or Summer Internship 
  • Types of ministry you expect to be doing (i.e. evangelism through Business As Mission or ministry to Unreached People Groups) 
• How this ministry will help spread the Gospel
• Your need for financial support (including the total cost of the trip)
• How the reader can become a potential donor or prayer partner
• A warm salutation like “God bless”

Some people are more apt to give if they know their donation to your mission trip is tax deductible. Many ministries and nonprofit organizations offer this. Be sure to ask your outreach organization if tax deductible donations are available for your potential donors!

You’ll also want to be sure to follow up your missionary fundraising letter with a thank you note to express your gratitude for someone’s sponsorship and prayer support!

Remember, mission trip fundraising letters can be a good first start for short term mission trips and internships, but most missionaries going to the field long term will use a different strategy.

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do missionaries raise support?” we’ve got your answer! Read on to learn more.

How Do Missionaries Raise Support?

Most fundraising for missions doesn’t happen through letter writing or fundraising events, but through meeting 1 on 1 with potential donors. 

A best practice for missions fundraising is to ask people directly, in person, if they will support your outreach work.

You may feel hesitant to ask others for money. But personal asks are often the most effective and meaningful. 

When you meet 1 on 1 with family members, church members, or the owner of a local business, you show people they matter. You invite them to hear what God is doing and to choose to be part of it.

Here are the basic steps to support raising for missionaries:

Step #1: Compile Your Contacts

When you start fundraising, you might feel overwhelmed or discouraged, especially if you think: “I don’t know many people!” 

The fact is, that’s rarely true! You almost always have more connections than you think!

Start by sitting down and writing or typing a list of every single person who comes to mind. 

If you’re married, each spouse should make their own list and you can combine them later.

Start with Your Social Media Accounts

Scroll through your followers and those you follow. Focus on people you’ve had at least some kind of personal interaction with. 

As you go, write down names. Don’t filter your list or decide in advance who will or won’t give. Just write down everyone that you can think of!

This list may grow longer than you expect!

Think through Past Connections

Once you’ve gone through social media, think about other categories of relationships. 

Point by point, ask yourself if there’s anyone else who you haven’t connected with online. 

For an extensive checklist of contacts to seek potential donors and prayer partners, fill out the form to download our free resource: The Ultimate Guide to Fundraising for Missions.

Consider Reaching Out to Local Churches

For help identifying potential churches beyond your home church, ask your friends or family members to connect you with the pastor or mission committee from their church.

Also, don’t overlook small churches like church plants or house church fellowships. Just because they’re smaller doesn’t mean they aren’t generous. 

Many small churches to support missionaries but don’t have anyone they currently sponsor. You could be their first supported ministry worker!

Compiling your contact list is one of the most important steps in the fundraising process. It sets the foundation for: 

• Meaningful conversations
• Growing financial support and prayer support
• Building a ministry team that shares your vision

Now that you have your contact list, let’s talk about what to do during your 1 on 1 meetings!

Step #2: Reach Out to Your Contacts about a 1 on 1 Meeting

Use the contact list you built in the earlier stage of this process. Send a simple message by email, social media private message, or, if you have their phone number, you could text or even make a phone call to ask for a meeting.

What to Include in Your Initial Message

Here is a breakdown of what you should say in your first message to potential donors:

• Remind them who you are – Establish your connection clearly. (Example: “Hi Emily, it’s Jen from small group…”)
  
• Briefly explain your vision –  Keep it short. Just a sentence or two. Save the full explanation for the meeting.
  
• Let them know why you’re reaching out – Say that you are setting up short meetings to share about your ministry and give people the opportunity to become financial and prayer supporters.
  
• Be honest about your intentions – Clearly mention that you will be asking for financial support during the meeting. This builds trust and prevents any “gotcha” moments.
  
• Offer some times to meet –  Make it easy for them to say yes. Suggest 2 or 3 specific windows of time you could meet and let them pick which one works for them.
  
• Take a moment to thank them –  Express gratitude for their time and openness. Show that you’re excited to meet with them!

Sample Message about Meeting

Here’s a sample message you can adapt with your specific information to set up meetings with your contacts.

“Hi James! This is Mike from Bible study. I hope you’re doing well! 

I’m reaching out because I’m preparing to move to New York City for long term ministry, and I’m currently building a team of financial and prayer partners. 

I’d love the chance to meet with you to share more and see if you’d be interested in supporting the work. 

Would you be open to meeting sometime in the next week or two? I’m available [insert times]. 

Thanks so much for considering!”

Remember, because this is a meeting to ask for financial support, you absolutely need to use the phrase “financial support” or “becoming a financial supporter.” This simple courtesy will help avoid any confusion about the nature of the meeting and help them be prepared that money will be discussed.

Now, it’s time for your big meeting! Read on to see how you can prepare.

Step #3: Present Your Vision and Make the Ask

When you meet with your contact, start by engaging them in conversation and getting to know them better. Really listen and show them you are interested in them.

Pray and ask God to help you connect threads from their personal story to your story. Highlight similiar themes and encourage them in how God is working similarly in both your lives. Bringing up these points of connection can open doors for partnership!

Make sure you are set up to give your presentation. Generally, you will be presenting a slideshow on a laptop, but you may have a physical copy of a presentation to work with.

Go through your presentation clearly and slowly. You should highlight your trip costs and the financial needs for your outreach, and be clear that you are seeking financial support. Ask for questions if they seem confused.

The end of your presentation should include a clear call to action (CTA) that invites them to say either “Yes” or “No” to financially supporting your ministry. Then give them a tangible follow up, whether it’s a business or post card with a QR code or a follow up email with your giving link.

The Ultimate Fundraising Guide will provide you with even more specific phrases to use and the most effective ways to present your vision in this 1 on 1 meeting.  When you fill out the form, this guide is free to download now!

And don’t forget to send a thank you note to anyone you meet with! Your gratitude will go a long way to building your support team.

Here’s a recap of what we learned about missionary fundraising letters.

The Big Idea: 1 on 1 Meetings Are Better than Missionary Fundraising Letters!

Missionary fundraising letters can be helpful to explain more about your outreach, but as much as possible, meet with individuals or couples one at a time to build your potential donor support team.

People tend to feel more personally connected—and more likely to give—when they hear the vision directly from you in a setting where they can ask questions and process without distraction.

Remember, the most effective way to fundraise is by:

• Setting up 1 on 1 meetings
• Sharing the vision for your missions outreach
• Following up well with thank you notes and appreciation

When you engage in this process, you’re doing more than fundraising. You’re building a ministry team—people who will walk with you, pray for you, and make your work possible.

Make Your Fundraising Plan Now!

Start prioritizing 1 on 1 meetings with potential donors instead of only writing missionary fundraising letters. 

For the best fundraising tips and fundraising ideas, download The Ultimate Guide to Missions Fundraising. This resource digs deep into missionary support letters and more. 

And the best part is, it’s available to download for FREE!