Christian Fundraising for Missions That Actually Works!

Christian fundraising for missions isn’t just a financial task—it’s a step of faith. Christian fundraising stretches your trust, deepens your calling, and invites others into the journey.

This blog will strengthen your fundraising campaign by giving you:

• Ideas for fundraising events 
• Advice for creating presentations
• Best practices for 1 on 1 meetings

Let’s dive into the how tos of Christian fundraising!

Christian Fundraising Starts with 1 Key Step

This journey begins not with a list of names or a financial goal—but with prayer. 

Prayer is how you stay rooted. It’s how you stay connected to the One who called you in the first place. Before you send any message or schedule a meeting, spend time with God. 

Let Him remind you that He is the source of your strength and provision.

Prayer is what grounds and sustains you in this whole support raising process.

Ask God to help you gather a small group of like minded friends, family or church members who are willing to commit to praying with you throughout this journey. 

Whatever you do, keep them updated. Let them know how things are going. Share both your needs and your praises.

This close group of Christian community members will become a lifeline when things get difficult or discouraging. They can:

• Pray over you
• Encourage you
• Remind you of your calling when you need it most

Don’t underestimate the importance of this prayer group to your fundraising campaign. God can use them to keep your fundraising going strong!

Learn more about building your support system when you fill out the form to download The Ultimate Guide to Fundraising for Missions for free!

Which Christian Fundraising Ideas Are the Best?

There are so many ways to fundraise for missions. Crowdfunding via social media and fundraising platforms such as gofundme have become popular ways to raise money for a specific need. Nonprofit organizations and faith based organizations often seek online donations through fundraising campaigns or sponsorship initiatives.

Some nonprofit groups or youth groups might use Christian fundraising ideas to organize an event like a:

• Bake sale
• Trivia night
• Car wash
• Clothing or shoe drive

Other ideas include seeking sponsorship from local community members or members of your congregation. These community members could sponsor you for a 5K race through donation forms.

Writing missionary fundraising letters for short term mission trips is also a common approach to Christian fundraising.

Although all of these missions trip fundraising ideas can be helpful, the most effective way to do fundraising for missions is to meet with potential donors in person for 1 on 1 meetings.

Peer to peer fundraising can feel intimidating, but it’s really about inviting your Christian community into what God is already doing. 

You’re not just asking for money—you’re offering them a chance to participate in God’s global mission alongside you.

One of the best Christian fundraising ideas for missions is to create a compelling presentation you can share with members of your congregation and other potential supporters in person!

Read on to learn the best practices for creating a presentation that will help you reach your fundraising goals!

Creating Your Christian Fundraising Presentation

When you are doing Christian fundraising for missions, it is important to cast a compelling vision of what your outreach work will be and why it is important. Sharing your vision is all about being a good storyteller!

Just like you learned in school, you can use the key elements of storytelling to shape your presentation:

1. Who
   
2. What
   
3. Where
   
4. When
   
5. Why
   
6. How

Each part helps bring clarity and depth to your story. Let’s break each down.

1. Who: Introduce Yourself

Share your name and a bit about your background. Include your family, if applicable. 

Talk about your professional or educational experience. Share a brief testimony of your faith journey. 

Explain your calling to missions (if you sense you have one). When did you sense God leading you in this direction? How has He confirmed it?

2. What: Explain the Mission

Talk about the ministry you’ll do. For example, share about the Unreached People Groups you’re working with. Give specific examples of why this work matters and why there is a need to reach this population.

For example, International Project exists to start churches among diaspora Unreached People Groups, empowering indigenous leaders to reach their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. By engaging displaced peoples—such as immigrants, refugees, and international students—we see the Gospel spread to the nations.

3. Where: Describe the Location

Explain where you are going and why that location is strategic. Paint a picture of life in that region. What is the culture like? What is the spiritual climate?

Describe the types of ministry involved—like teaching English, working in a community center, or offering relief support. Ask missionaries on the field to describe what your daily work will involve.

4. When: Talk about Timing

Share your timeline for missionary fundraising and when you’ll be leaving. 

Related: How Long Does It Take for a Missionary to Raise Support?

5. Why: Clarify the Bigger Picture

Share what kind of work you’ll be doing and the impact you hope to have. Talk about any visit you’ve made to the field or the team you’ll be joining.

If you’re launching something new, describe what you hope to start and what specific need sparked the idea.

6. How: Invite People to Partner

Emphasize that missions is not a solo effort—God uses the whole body of Christ to accomplish the Great Commission. Get the members of your congregation involved as much as possible!

Let your contacts and community members know clearly that you are asking them to consider supporting you financially. Be specific. Share your monthly or annual goal.

After compiling all of the information above, divide it up and pick out the parts that feel the most effective. These will be the ones you include in your final presentation.

Next, you will take your presentation outline and turn it into something you can present during an in person meeting.

Let’s learn how to do that. 

Making and Practicing Your Christian Fundraising Presentation

Consider what would make you want to support a cause like your short term mission trip. 

Would you feel compelled to support a mission trip because of:

• An interesting story? 
• An opportunity to help with a tangible need? 
• An emotionally moving video about the cause?

Think about the most creative ways you can present your fundraising campaign and then work to make it happen!

Here are some basic steps to take:

1. Pick your Format 

Decide whether you want to create a digital presentation or have a physical copy that you can bring to a meeting. Either one can be effective, but it depends on your level of comfort with using technology for presentations.

2. Create a Slideshow 

Use Canva, Google Slides, or PowerPoint to create a presentation (also known as a pitch deck). Include a visual on each slide (a photo or very short video), along with a few bullet points to help guide your sharing about that particular topic. 

3. Fine Tune Your Presentation Method 

If you are presenting via a laptop, make sure you have simple, but eye catching animations to transition from one slide to another. Nothing crazy, but something to make it visually appealing.

If you want to present with a physical book, use your slideshow to create the presentation and print out color copies on high quality presentation grade paper (but not cardstock). Office supply stores usually offer presentation grade printing at a reasonable rate. Once your presentation slides are printed into fundraising pages, you can put them into a binder inside page protectors.

4. Practice until It Feels Natural

We cannot say this enough: Practice your presentation out loud—a lot. Practice with someone who isn’t familiar with missions and ask them:

• What parts do you find unclear?
  
• What would you like to learn more about?
  
• What aspects stand out to you?

If you plan to meet with potential supporters over video, practice using your online platform. Get comfortable sharing your screen, switching slides, and speaking naturally on camera.

5. Focus on Being Clear and Concise

Don’t stress about being perfect. Be clear, passionate, and authentic.

The truth is, people will only take away a few key points from your presentation. And usually, people remember the stories! Make sure you share your stories as clearly and succinctly as possible!

This is your opportunity to invite people into what God is doing—and that starts with telling the story God is writing through your life.

After you’ve created and practiced your presentation thoroughly, it’s time to set up your first in person meeting—with your church!

Read more about how to start strong during your first in person meeting.

Start with Your Church for Christian Fundraising for Missions 

One of the first and most important meetings you should schedule is with your sending church—or with a mission board if your church has one. These conversations lay the foundation for a fruitful and lasting partnership with the church community that has shaped and supported your spiritual growth.

Here’s a breakdown of the steps to take to make the most of this important meeting:

Step 1: Set Up the Meeting

Start with a simple and respectful email to your pastor, missions committee chair, or church leadership team. Let them know about your upcoming ministry outreach opportunity and that you’d like to schedule a time to share more. 

Include a few brief details—your location of service, timeline for your departure, and the faith based organization you’ll be working with. Feel free to include the link to the organization’s website or social media  so the recipient can read up on it!

Follow us on Facebook @IntlProject and Instagram @intlproject

Step 2: Share Your Vision

Once you’ve scheduled a meeting, treat it like any other “Ask” presentation. (If you don’t know about the “Ask” presentation, fill out the form to download The Ultimate Guide to Fundraising for Missions for free!)

• Be prepared by verbally practicing what you will say ahead of time 
• Bring printed materials or a digital slide deck. Include visuals if possible 
• Be ready to offer donation forms or easy instructions for online giving

Step 3: Make Your First Ask

At the end of the meeting, provide a clear and specific call to action for your pastor or missions committee. Don’t leave things vague. Tell them about your fundraising goals and how the leaders and church members can support what you’re doing.

Ask for 2 things:

1. Church Support

Some churches have a special fund specifically for missions projects built up from congregational tithes. Your church may be able to support you on a monthly or annual basis from this fund. 

Be clear and confident about your fundraising campaign and how the mission of your faith based organization aligns with the missional vision of your church.

2. Permission to Approach Individual Members of Your Congregation 

It is respectful to ask your church leaders first for 1 on 1 fundraising meetings with church members. Many churches welcome this, but some may have specific guidelines or want to help you coordinate those conversations.

Step 4: Wrapping Up (and Follow Up!)

Make it easy for your church leaders to give right away. Leave them with a tangible way to follow up with you–such as a printed donation form with a QR code or follow up via email with a link so they can start giving immediately. 

After the meeting, always send a thank you note. Write a handwritten card to make a big impact. 

Follow up again within a day or two. A brief phone call, text, or email will help keep the relationship strong and the conversation moving forward. Ask if they’ve had a chance to sign up for online giving or fill out the donation forms. Offer to answer any lingering questions about the process.

Remember, people love being part of exciting new things and they like to feel they are making a difference in the world. 

By asking your contacts to partner with you in ministry, you have already blessed them with an opportunity to take part in something positive and bigger than themselves. This is what Christian fundraising is all about!

Now that you know what to do, let’s get started on your fundraising campaign!

Christian Fundraising Ideas and More!

This blog is just the start of learning about Christian fundraising ideas for missions. 

When you fill out the form to get The Ultimate Guide to Fundraising for Missions, you can learn how to:

• Build a strategic list of potential donors
• Create a compelling presentation
• Make a confident ask for support

This guide to Christian fundraising for missions can help you get fully funded for your outreach.

Download it now and learn how to make your fundraising goals a reality!