Team-Based Support Raising

Why a Team-Based Model?

In the 45 years of GPs, we have found that different students’ networks have different financial capacities. Two students may each enroll in a $4,000 summer program. One raises the full amount after asking 25 people in their network; another student asks 75 people and raises $2,000.

Students who come from non-Christian homes, denominations that do not support international mission, or lower socioeconomic backgrounds often face disadvantages in dollar-based support raising. Similarly, students who pay for their programs entirely out of pocket or with a few large donors often struggle to embrace community and cross-cultural relationship building as readily as those who have already prepared to rely on others through intense support raising and prayer team initiation.

Our team-based model ensures that each student does the same amount of work, understanding that the same amount of work will yield different financial results for different students. In this way, students engage in the same spiritual discipline leading up to their GP, and the corporate networks of the team provide for all. If your team is using this model, your director will provide you with specific information on how it will work. Other ideas include team fundraisers (ask your director before organizing this); calling nights for team members to work on support raising at the same time; and reaching out to trip alumni (again, talk to your director to get this info).

In this communal MPD model, each student is responsible for two things: providing a list of 75 contacts and earning 600 points. These aims serve to 1) ensure that students cast a wide net as they consider their potential partners 2) commit each team member to doing equal work in preparation for the summer 3) help directors and staff to support you in your ministry partner development.

Students earn points by getting in contact with potential supporters. Seeing as each method of communication takes various amounts of efforts, different kinds of communication garner different amounts of points. We don’t want anyone saying “I Facebook messaged 75 people and started a groupme. I’m done!” We hope that this process will raise up a support team that both sends you in blessing and receives you in love.
 

Communication Type

Point Value

Initial Facebook message/email/text message to set up a later appointment

1

Follow up Facebook message/email/text message to set up a later appointment

1

Snail Mail or Postcard

3

Phone Message/Voicemail

2

Phone Call

5

Video Call

7

Face to Face Meeting

10

Vision Event (ex, team fundraiser, movie night, group ask)

5

Post Commitment Follow-Up

2

Thank You

5

20-Min Presentation at Church or Large Group

20

Students will typically have 2-4 months for MPD from the time of acceptance to the beginning of their Global Program.