Are you excited about the possibility of volunteering with Adventures in Preservation, and now wondering about finding the funds for your trip? Don’t let this stop you from planning to travel with us. Join the hundreds of volunteers of all ages who find creative ways to fundraise.
Fundraising can be a fun and enjoyable part of the volunteer travel experience. You can engage your local community, friends, and family through a number of activities:
- Hold a garage sale, and ask your friends and family to donate items with all proceeds going toward your workshop fee. Preservation is all about reusing existing buildings; finding news homes for used goods is a great way to reinforce this key concept of sustainability.
- Mow lawns, shovel snow, and run errands for those who can’t fit these chores into their busy schedules. You’ll have the bonus of helping others, an effect that will continue through your AIP trip.
- Organize an art show, raffle, bake sale or concert with the understanding that proceeds will help you fulfill your dream of volunteering in your own country or abroad.
- Be creative! People have raised outrageous sums of money in all sorts of outrageous ways. You can too!
In the U.S., Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs and other volunteer clubs may offer modest funding to individuals planning to volunteer abroad, provided you offer an educational presentation to the club members when your return. Contact your local club chapters and see if they are willing to support your efforts.
Many people are unsure about asking friends and family for money, but this can be a positive experience. Start a letter-writing or email campaign, asking that your gifts for birthday, graduation or other special day be in the form of funds for your volunteer trip. Begin by explaining where and why you plan to volunteer and your desire to create positive change by becoming a hands-on volunteer. Remember that you are not asking for something frivolous; you are asking for support to do volunteer work for a community outside your own, gain inside knowledge of another culture and make a difference in the world.
If you would like an idea on how to write a letter, here is an example (link to letter example). We encourage you to use our logo for your fundraising events.
Be sure to let your family and friends know that they can make contributions directly to your program fee by credit card from the AiP Sponsor A Volunteer page (link).
- AiP has no political or religious affiliations.
- AiP is a non-profit 501(c)(3) in the U.S.
- AiP was founded in 2001 and is a leader in the field of international volunteering aimed at saving architectural heritage to support economic and environmental sustainability.
- Our staff is always available to answer your sponsors’ questions.
- Contributions toward your program fee are 100% tax-deductible for U.S. residents.
- Sponsors contributing online will receive a receipt that can be used for tax purposes.
