Fundraising

Once you've decided to volunteer with Projects Abroad, you can start focusing on the details of your time abroad such as how to fund your trip. We've compiled a Fundraising Guide, and you'll also have the opportunity to create a personalized fundraising page through our MyProjectsAbroad platform. This page will allow others to donate directly toward your programme fee. You can share this page in emails and on social media. Every little bit helps!

Where can you start?

Make a plan. How much can you raise or earn per month?
Set up your own fundraising page on your personal MyProjectsAbroad web page. This is available once you've been accepted onto a project; you can then give the link to anyone interested in donating towards your project fee.
Cut down on expenditure and resist the temptation to buy things you really won't need – check out the kit-list we provide on your My ProjectsAbroad web page.
Volunteering as a school, university, or another education provider?

Turing Funding

Do you have Turing funding for your school, college, or university group trip? We’ll help you put these funds to good use, supporting you every step of the way. Learn more about the Turing Scheme.

Fundraising as a Group

Often times students, friends, and colleagues choose to plan a project together as a group and work together for fundraising. This is a great idea and allows you to pool resources and share ideas. We've even had students and teachers form volunteer abroad clubs at their school to plan years ahead and fundraise together. Find out more about planning a bespoke Group Trip.

Our Fundraising Guide

For your convenience, we have put together a detailed Fundraising Guide which gives you advice and suggestions on how to proceed with your fundraising efforts. Here are a few tips before you begin:

Decide on your plan of action. How much can you save a month? Will you approach organisations for sponsorship?
Once you have been accepted on a project, you can set up your own fundraising page on your personal 'MyProjectsAbroad' web page. You can then give the link to anyone interested in donating towards your project fee.
Create realistic targets and chart your progress.

Social Media Fundraising

Take your personalised fundraising page provided by Projects Abroad and post it to Social Media! Supplement gifts for donations on sites like Facebook and Instagram. Your friends and family can directly deposit donations to your fundraiser, and your fee will continuously shrink. Instead of a gift, request donations for occasions like:

Birthdays
Religious holidays
High School Graduation
University Graduation

Sponsorship

Many companies would consider sponsoring you if you approach them in the right way. See our Fundraising Guide for ideas on how to write effective sponsorship letters. Before you start sending letters, just make sure you fit in with the criteria of the organisation, charity or trust you are looking to approach. Before you target them consider the following:

Does the company have a local interest in your school/university/community?
Does the company have an interest in your project or destination?
Can you offer the sponsor an opportunity for promotion via advertising for a sponsored event on local radio/in a newspaper/on a poster/on a T-shirt displaying their logo?

We've partnered with Easyfundraising!

By shopping online with Easyfundraising you can raise free funds towards your project fee. Click here to find out more and register your project!

A Part-time Job

Don't underestimate the impact of a part-time job! Even a small wage can make a difference if your are saving enough of it. Working for £5 an hour for 4 hours twice a week earns £40 per week - £160 per month - £1920 a year!

We're here to help and many of us, once volunteers like you, have embarked on our own weird and wonderful methods of fundraising. Remember that motivation and organisation are the keys to success.

Sources for Funding

One way to fundraise is to visit your local communities. Neighborhood organisations love to encourage and assist people to go out in the world and make a difference. See if any of your community-based groups can assist you in your fundraising journey.

Lions Club, Rotary or Round Table in your area
Trusts associated with churches and cathedrals
School and university grants
Charities and trusts
The Directory of Grant Making Trusts is a good start (cheaper to borrow from the library than to buy!). Make sure you fit into the criteria of any particular charity or trust.
Trusts willing to fund overseas projects like the Jack Petchey Foundation (for potential volunteers from London and Essex), and the Sir Philip Reckitt Educational Trust (for those from East Ridings of Yorkshire and Norfolk). These are just two of many trusts that can help you to fund your gap year.
The Royal Geographical Society offers a variety of grants every year to students and researchers. Find out more about these!

Financial Aid

We don't have the capacity to offer scholarships and financial aid to our volunteers. This is because we don't receive any outside financial support ourselves. Instead, the programme fees you pay help support meaningful projects around the world and provide you with everything you need to volunteer abroad. We're also happy to help with suggestions and ideas on fundraising for your trip. There are lots of ways to raise the necessary funds and we recommend trying as many of them as possible!

While we can't provide financial aid directly, we've compiled a list of external scholarships and bursaries which can be applied to Projects Abroad programmes. Please note Projects Abroad has no affiliation with any of these scholarships and cannot help you apply for or secure any possible funding they may offer.