Raise Money for Mission Trips

Mission trips cost real money: flights, housing, supplies, insurance. But the impact lasts a lifetime. PayIt2 helps your team raise support from church members, family, friends, and anyone who believes in the work you're doing.

Start a Mission Trip Campaign

Stripe-secured • No monthly fees • Funds in 2-3 days

What Mission Trips Actually Cost

Mission trip costs depend primarily on destination and duration. A domestic mission trip within the United States, such as disaster relief work or an inner-city service project, typically costs $500 to $2,000 per person for transportation, lodging, meals, and project supplies. International mission trips are significantly more expensive. Airfare to Central America or the Caribbean runs $400 to $800, while flights to Africa or Asia cost $1,000 to $2,000. Add in-country transportation, lodging, meals, travel insurance, and project materials.

A one-week international mission trip for a team of 10 to 20 people commonly costs $1,500 to $4,000 per person all-in. Two-week trips run $2,500 to $6,000 per person. Group expenses include construction materials for building projects ($1,000 to $5,000), medical supplies for health clinics ($500 to $3,000), educational materials ($200 to $1,000), and community gifts. The trip leader also needs to budget for pre-trip training sessions, background checks, passports and visas, vaccinations, and emergency funds. Most churches expect each team member to raise 50 to 100 percent of their individual cost through personal support letters and fundraising.

Airfare & Transport

$400 - $2,000

Domestic $200-$500; international $400-$2,000 per person

Lodging & Meals

$300 - $1,500

One to two weeks of housing, three meals per day, in-country transit

Supplies & Insurance

$200 - $2,000

Project materials, travel insurance, vaccinations, visas, emergency fund

Total per person

$500 - $6,000+

Domestic $500-$2K; international one-week $1.5K-$4K; two-week $2.5K-$6K

Individual support raising is the backbone of mission trip funding. Each team member shares their PayIt2 campaign with family, friends, coworkers, and church contacts. Personal stories about why the trip matters and how donors can be part of the mission drive contributions far more effectively than generic appeals. Start your mission trip campaign and give donors a direct way to send the team.

How It Works

Create a Campaign

Sign up and describe the mission. Include the destination, dates, the work you'll do, your personal cost, and how donors can pray and contribute.

Share Your Mission

Send your campaign link to family, friends, church small groups, and coworkers. A personal message explaining why this mission matters to you converts better than a mass email.

Collect and Serve

Contributions process securely through Stripe. Funds deposit in 2-3 business days so you can pay trip deposits, book flights, and purchase project supplies.

Why PayIt2 for Mission Trips

Personal Support Raising

Each team member gets their own campaign link to share with their personal network. Donors give to the individual they know and trust.

Ministry-Focused

No platform percentage beyond processing. More of every dollar goes to the mission field instead of a fundraising company.

Fast Payouts

Funds in your bank in 2-3 business days. Pay trip deposits, book flights, and purchase supplies on your church's timeline.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about mission trip fundraising

Should each team member have their own campaign or one for the whole team?

Both approaches work, but individual campaigns raise more money because each person shares with their own unique network of family, friends, and church contacts. A team campaign is appropriate for shared expenses like construction materials and group transportation. Many mission trip teams use a hybrid approach: individual campaigns for per-person costs and a team campaign for shared project expenses. This maximizes the total number of people reached.

Are mission trip donations tax-deductible?

Donations to a qualified 501(c)(3) church or mission organization are generally tax-deductible, but donations to an individual for their trip costs are not. If your church collects donations on behalf of the mission team, those contributions may be deductible through the church. Consult your church treasurer or a tax professional for specifics. Include the church's tax ID number in the campaign if donations flow through the church.

How early should we start raising support?

Start four to six months before the trip. Mission trip support raising takes longer than a typical fundraiser because it relies on personal relationships and multiple touchpoints. Send an initial announcement, follow up with a detailed campaign link, share updates about trip preparation, and make a final appeal four weeks before departure. The first and last two weeks of the campaign typically generate the most contributions.

What if we don't raise enough for the full trip cost?

Have this conversation with the trip leader early. Most churches have a policy for shortfalls, which might include drawing from a mission fund, reducing the team size, or asking fully funded members to contribute toward teammates who fell short. Set a fundraising deadline well before the trip payment deadline so there's time to problem-solve. Some churches require team members to raise a minimum percentage, like 75 percent, to confirm their spot on the team.

Fund Your Mission, Change Lives

Set up your mission trip campaign in minutes. No monthly fees, no time limits, no hidden costs. Funds in your bank in 2-3 business days.

Start a Mission Trip Campaign