Support Raising!

You've been accepted! You've got your form and deposit in. Now what? We're glad you asked! You'll want to start on support raising ASAP! Below is information on how to do that.

TOTAl SUmmer Mission Expense

(includes all expenses from the start of briefing, through our time in-country, to the end of debriefing, minus souvenirs and optional fun activities):

$6,000  +  Your Domestic Airfare:____________  = Your Total Support Goal: ____________

SUPPORT RAISING WEBSITE

A website has been created to guide you through the entire process. Visit the site as soon as possible, log in with the same email and password you used to apply for summer mission, and get started! You'll want to bookmark this to return to it: http://mpdtool.cru.org 

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE: Support raising is an amazing opportunity to see God work and move. It draws us closer to God as we work hard and trust Him in how He will provide for the summer. There is a great article debunking myths of support raising with some practical information. Click here to read it. 

IMPORTANT: NO GoFundMe accounts or other crowd-funding sites. We will e-mail you a designated Cru account number for your funds so your donors can donate online. Please do not use this link for a general "hey, do you want to support me" status on Facebook or Instagram.

WRITING YOUR LETTER:  Here is a sample support letter for Osaka Summer Mission! Feel free to use this as a template, make a copy and personalize it as you feel led! If you need facts about Japan for your support letter, click here.

SUPPORT RAISING 101

We desire to help you be successful in the support raising process! Here are some helpful hints and tips from those who have gone before. 

• PRAY for God to give you the right heart to raise support and for His guidance and faithfulness throughout the process. God is always willing to accomplish His purpose, but often He waits for us to ask Him. As you brainstorm names, write the letter and as you make your phone calls, pray! Ask the Lord to bring names to mind, for God to provide your support, and for bravery to make those phone calls! 

• NAMESTORM without bias, the people in your social circles. Take at least an hour, and think through people you can send a letter to. Brainstorm 3 lists of people with 40 people on each list. The first list are people you are 99% certain will join you financially. The second list are people you aren't as sure they will join, but there's a good possibility. The third list are people you don't think will join your support team. Trust us, you'll be surprised who supports you. Remember not to disqualify anyone. You never know who the Lord wants to use to fund you. After you've racked your brain, start to gather addresses and phone numbers for your contacts. 

If you don't have the contact information or address of the person, find a way to ask them for their address and the best phone number to reach them. Avoid sending a Facebook message with your letter. 

• WRITE AND MAIL your letters as soon as possible. Include in your letter a self-addressed, BRIGHT colored envelope for supporters to mail you back a check. White envelopes and white paper often get tossed aside. Colorful envelopes increase the likelihood that the person you sent the letter to will not lose the envelope. Plus, it's fun to get bright colored envelopes in the mail. Put a stamp on the self-addressed bright envelope! It takes out one more step for your supporter to send the check in the mail. Get that ball rolling! In your letter, write specific instructions on how to address the check and include your online donation link. In your letter you can also write that you will call them in two weeks to see if they had any questions about your letter.

• CALL your potential sponsors within a week of sending the support letter if you haven't heard anything. Remember, most people want to give, but they get information overload and your letter or email may get lost in the shuffle if you don't remind them with a phone call. When it's time to call your supporter, send a text message earlier in the day with the time frame you plan to call. 

        "Hey _______! This is Madecyn. I sent you a letter about my mission trip to Osaka. Would you be free for me to call you sometime between 5-7pm tonight?" 

• ACTUALLY CALL THEM. We know. This is the scariest part, but believe us. This is one of the most effective ways people respond about whether they will join you in this journey financially and prayerfully!

• THANK YOUR PARTNERS with a hand-written note the SAME DAY you receive the gift online or check. Remember, it is important to thank before you bank!

• SEND the checks you have (made out to Cru) with your donation form (below), to Justin every week. This will help both you and the team leaders have an accurate understanding of where you are at in the support raising process.

What to do with donations

Online Donations

This is the easiest and most convenient way to receive donations! Have your supporters go to give.cru.org/*your designation number* and donate via credit card or electronic bank transfer. It's as easy as that! 

If your supporters prefer to not give online

Deal with cash first

If someone gives you cash, do not deposit into your bank account and do not give to your own giving website. Convert the cash into a money order or a cashier's check (money orders are typically cheaper) and send that along with your checks. Make the money order/cashier's check out to Cru. Please include the name and address of the person who gave the cash so they can receive a receipt for their gift. Unlike a check or money order, if cash is lost in the mail, it cannot be recovered. DO NOT MAIL CASH. 

Inspect your checks

There are several common errors that will delay or prevent processing your donation. Here's a checklist of what to look for when you receive checks. 

• The check is written to Cru

  • If the check isn't written out to Cru or the check has your name in the memo line, contact the person and request they rewrite the check. If Madecyn receives a check like that, she will kindly ask you to contact the person and send another check. 

• The check is signed

• The date is not older than 4-5 months

• The written out amount and the numeric amount match

• Your name should not be anywhere on the check, but if your designation number is on the memo line, that is fine.

Make photocopies of all your checks

Once you have received the checks, make 2 copies of each check. Keep one copy for yourself and send one to Justin with the check. Don't use your phone to take photos of the checks. You can fit up to four standard checks on a single photocopied page. If you don't have access to a copier/scanner, you can make your own record by recording the name, address, check number and amount for each check and keep that for your records. Make sure this information is accurate. When Justin receives the checks he can make a photocopy for his records. 

Fill out your donation processing form 

Fill out this form and place it along with all of your checks, money orders and/or cashier's checks and copies in a standard No. 10 or larger envelop (just make sure you don't fold the checks).

Mail the checks, copies and processing form 

Please include your full name in the return address on the envelope and mail it to Justin. Once you've done this send Justin a text to let him know you've sent some checks his way so he knows to be checking his mail regularly. Justin will text you when he's received your checks. 

Justin Harker

10322 Creswell Ct.

Charlotte, NC 28215

How to ADDRESS THE check

Make sure your support and deposit checks are addressed to: Cru. 

Any correction made to a check will make it unable to be submitted, even if the donor initialed the check. This includes:

• Starting to write your name, crossing/scribbling it out and writing Cru.

  • • Even just a letter or two.

• Correcting the written out amount line or numerical amount. 

  • • The bank will use whatever the written out amount is if they differ

● Correcting the date of the check

If you receive a check from one of your supporters that is not written out correctly, please contact them and ask them to rewrite it! This can give you an opportunity to personally thank them, ask them to resend it, and build relationship with them. You can even offer to resend them an envelope with a stamp on it. If you send a check to Justin that is not accurately written out, he will kindly ask you to contact your supporter and rewrite it. 

REIMbursement

If you raise above and beyond the designated support, you can request to be reimbursed for the following expenses:

• $300 non-refundable deposit (reimbursement will occur after the summer mission trip)

• Support raising supplies: stationery, stamps, envelopes, thank you cards, etc... (keep all your receipts)

• Domestic flight to L.A.