Are Short-Term Missions Trips Worth It?

When you ask people to describe their view of short-term missions some will answer that they a waste of time and resources, are just an excuse for culturally insensitive ill-informed “tourists” to see the world.

For many others, though the responses are only positive. They view them as life-changing experiences, and opportunities to serve God in cross-cultural settings while gaining a broader worldview.

That said, even with the differing views, there is no doubt that under the right conditions it is definitely worth the effort and expense.

What Do Long-Term Missionaries Think?

Not long go a well-respected missionary organization serving Latin America conducted an informal survey of their career missionaries to see how much influence and impact short-term missions have been in their lives. The results showed clearly the positive impact short-term missions had on a large majority of those responding. In fact, many said they were involved in missions today because of a positive short-term experience.

Also of note in the survey was that those who claimed no influence or impact from short-term missions were almost all over 50 years old, while those responding positively were generally younger with a large majority of them under the age of 50.

Numbers like these demonstrate that exposure to short-term missions experiences often has a profound effect on young people inclined to consider missionary service.

The Positives and Negatives Of Short-term Missions

It’s important to note that there are many factors to consider when looking at the value of short-term mission work, including the length of service, the type of ministry involved, and the training required.

Some programs are truly glorified vacations or summer camps for younger people with little or no experience and training, while others send trained medical or construction professionals to meet very specific needs.

However, even the “vacation” style outings can plant the seeds of service in a young person venturing out for the first time.

Short-Term: The Negatives

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No upfront cost fundraisers High profit discount cards Delicious candy & Lollipops
Sour Mania Lollipops

Sour Mania Lollipops Fundraiser is very popular for elementary school fundraising. Both kids and adults love sour candy. These are the original sour lollipops so they pack in that pucker up punch!  It is definitely a top choice for bringing a different fundraising flavor.

What You Should Know

Sour Mania Lollipops offer the same profit regardless of the number of cases that you purchase. Sell the lollipops for two times the cost. Meaning, you double your investment no matter how many cases you purchase. Here is a quick profit chart for you to review:

Profit and Cost

  • In-hand products
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Cases Bought Cost Per Case Profit %
1 min $320.00 50%
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Basketball scratch card

If you are looking for a basketball fundraiser that your team and it’s supporters will enjoy, basketball scratch cards is it! With eye-catching graphics and game-like premise, scratch card fundraising will score big points with everyone!

What You Should Know

Here is an example of the coupon page you give to the people as a “Thank You” for participating. You can create a custom coupon handout with your town’s unique businesses.

The lowest profit percentage you will make from using scratch cards for fundraisers is 85%. However,  the more cards you purchase the higher your profit potential for each card, due to volume price breaks. The profits and profit percentages shown are based on successfully having all 50 dots scratched off on your scratch card.

Profit and Cost

 

  • In-hand products
  • Free shipping
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Cards Bought Cost Per Card Each Card Raises Your Profit $ Your Profit %
100 $5.00 $100.00 $9,500 95%
25 $7.00 $100.00 $2,325 93%
10 $10.00 $100.00 $900 90%
1 min. $15.00 $100.00 $85 85%
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All Sports Scratch Card

If you want an easy fundraising idea for all sports, scratch card fundraisers are just what you are looking for. If you can not find your specific sport in our collection of scratch off graphics,  All Sports Scratch Cards are your best option. You can make up to 95% profit.

What You Should Know

Here is an example of the coupon page you can give to the people as a “Thank You” for participating. You can also create a custom coupon hand out with your town’s unique businesses.

The lowest profit percentage you will make from using scratch cards for fundraisers is 85%. However, the more cards you purchase the higher your profit potential for each card, due to volume price breaks. The profits and profit percentages shown are based on successfully having all 50 dots scratched off on your scratch card.

Profit and Cost

  • In-hand products
  • Free shipping
  • Start in under a minute
Cards Bought Cost Per Card Each Card Raises Your Profit $ Your Profit %
100 $5.00 $100.00 $9,500 95%
25 $7.00 $100.00 $2,325 93%
10 $10.00 $100.00 $900 90%
1 min. $15.00 $100.00 $85 85%
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$10 Simple Snacks Fundraiser

Our new Simple Snacks Fundraiser offers 14 of today’s most popular munchies.  This amazing yet simple selection of premium quality snacks includes nuts, trail mix, popcorn, gummy bears, and sour gummy worms.  Combining the highest-selling snack items with a low price point creates a fundraiser that is sure to help you reach your fundraising goals. Our  Simple Snacks fundraiser has no upfront cost.  Let us know how many participants you have, and we’ll send 1 order-taker for each of them at no charge.

What You Should Know

Our Simple Snacks fundraiser offers 50% profit on every item. You sell each snack bag for $20 so that is $10 profit on every item! This is an easy fundraising idea for all types of groups, whether you have 5 sellers or 500.

If you sell less than 150 bags of snacks, there is a $65 shipping fee. Orders of 150 or more bags of snacks will qualify you for FREE shipping.

Profit and Cost

  • No upfront cost
  • Free brochures for your participants
  • Free shipping
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Items Bought % Profit Free Shipping
150 plus 50% YES
1 to 149 50% No
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Pretzel Rods Fundraiser

This chocolate covered pretzel rods fundraiser is definitely worth its weight in flavor! Crisp pretzel rods are dipped in milk chocolate then rolled in delicious select toppings including crushed candy-coated chocolates, toffee, and rainbow sprinkles. The mixture of salty pretzel, sweet chocolate, and tasty toppings is sure to satisfy all cravings!

What You Should Know

You sell each Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rod for $1.00. You can make up to 50% profit depending on how many cases you purchase. Remember shipping is FREE. See the profit chart for more details.

Profit and Cost

  • In-hand products
  • Free shipping
  • Start in under a minute
Cases Bought % Profit Cost Per Case
49 or more 60% $119.00
25 -49 55% $132.00
10 – 24 53% $136.80
1 – 9 50% $144.00
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School Fundraiser

School Fundraising Made Easy

If you feel that selecting the best school fundraising idea is a daunting task, don’t worry! Since it seems the gap between school budgets and funding required for extracurricular programs is getting larger every year, the need for profitable school fundraisers is growing.

Sports Fundaising Ideas

Sports Fundraising Ideas That Win

Sports fundraising goes hand-in-hand with playing sports. Whether you are a basketball, football, soccer, or cheerleading organization, we have fundraisers that will score big money for your team.

Church Fundraisers

Church Fundraisers Move the Spirit

Top Church Fundraisers by Group

Non-profit fundraisers

Non-Profit Fundraising for Charity

Top Non-Profit Fundraising Ideas by Group

More Interesting Reading:

Missions Trip Fundraising Preparations

Missions trip fundraising is a complicated undertaking, even for small groups, and even if you’re just planning the simplest of trips. The fact is, there are still travel expenses to arrange, and daily living costs to think about. Plus, the list of missionaries doesn’t always stay constant – some people may have to drop out Read More »

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Churches are more than just a place to pray – they’re springboards for spreading the word. Mission trips are one way that churches and other Christian organizations can help others and be examples for His glory, but the desire to go on a mission trip is not always enough to make it happen. Some churches Read More »

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Mission Trip planning

Mission trip fundraisers can be some of the most important fundraisings that your church does. Mission trips are essential to helping the world and spreading the message of God, and with a group of enthusiastic missionaries on your side, you’ve already got a good head start into having a successful fundraiser. But there’s more to Read More »

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When you are planning a mission trip fundraiser, there is no greater theme for what you are doing than “Journey of Faith.” This applies to the mission trip, of course, but also to the fundraising that comes before it, as you are putting your trust in God that all will go well for the trip preparations and that the mission trip will have all its financial needs covered.

Read more »

When you ask people to describe their view of short-term missions some will answer that they a waste of time and resources, are just an excuse for culturally insensitive ill-informed “tourists” to see the world. For many others, though the responses are only positive. They view them as life-changing experiences, and opportunities to serve God Read More »

Read more »

Christian Fundraising Idea

Churches and faith-based schools often come to us asking for good Christian fundraising ideas. Whether they are looking for mission trip fundraisers, school fundraisers or fundraising ideas for other needs, we always suggest they consider a candle fundraiser. This candle fundraiser offers a wonderful selection of options.

Read more »

Your Christian organization may be starting the best fundraising program the world has ever seen. You may be raising money for the most worthy cause on earth. But if nobody participates, the fundraiser is a failure. You are left asking yourself where you went wrong; reevaluating your motives and questioning your judgment. The answer? you probably did not advertise.

Read more »

Great high school fundraising ideas

High school marks a transition in a lot of things for students. They are discovering who they are and more specific interests. Autonomy and personal responsibility increase tremendously. As a result, the types of fundraisers students enjoy also change. Great high school fundraising ideas engage participants, motivating them to sell.

Read more »

adoption

Parents of young children learn about fundraising very quickly as their kids enter elementary school. It does not take long before your student comes home with fundraising information. What you do with that information is more important than you think. Unfortunately, many parents simply take the fundraising packet and toss it in the trash. Other Read More »

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goals

The one thing many people fail to do in their fundraising effort is to inform their supporters about their efforts. We have learned that the more people know about you and what you do the more willing they will be to support your organization. Assuming, then, that you have done a good job at developing Read More »

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