Fundraising
You've fallen in love with the idea of joining The Traveling School for a semester, but you don't quite have enough money for tuition. Don't lose hope! We have students from across the country who have successfully raised money in their home communities – money which has helped them with tuition, books, spending money, and more! It's hard work – but it is rewarding to see how much people want to help you make your dreams come true!
Fundraising Tips
1.) Decide how much money you'll need in total. Create a chart or graph to fill in as you receive donations. If you don't know what your goal is, how can you reach it?
2.) Instead of a gift on your birthday or other occasion, ask your friends and family to help sponsor you during part of the semester.
3.) Make a list of the people you know. Be sure to include your parents' friends, your relatives, and anyone who you think would be interested in sponsoring part of your semester.
4.) Write a personal letter explaining why you are participating in the semester and what you hope to achieve. People love to hear personal stories, if you are willing to share. Ask people to check a box to sponsor part of your trip. Also include a short description of The Traveling School, the amount of money you wish to request (something that has worked for students in the past is to itemize the expenses involved for your semester, e.g. $90 for a passport, $22 for a Student ID card), what you will do to show your appreciation (this is up to you!). Include the school's website to help people find more information, and set a deadline of when you need the money.
5.) Mail the letters! After a few days, call each of the people individually to answer any questions and thank them in person. This can be difficult, so start with the people you know. People honestly want to help you and give you money to make your dream come true! Keep a record of your sponsors so that you can send each one a personal note of thanks. Consider sending a postcard from abroad to express your appreciation. A letter of thanks makes everyone feel good about supporting you.
6.) We have a Press Release you can mail to your local newspaper. A reporter should contact you within a couple of days, otherwise you should call the paper. It's fun to give interviews! You'll be able to talk about your dreams and goals. Some students have mailed articles back to their local newspapers while they were abroad. The newspaper usually likes to publish a final article about your experience when you return.
7.) If you find you a short a couple hundred dollars, consider having a bake sale, a car wash or selling T-shirts. The extra money could be very useful when you are buying gifts to take home at the end of the semester!
8.) Finally, some students have bought objects from Africa and sold them at fairs and booths when they returned. They've had success selling hammocks, drums, beads, embroidered handbags, jewelry and more. While this money won't help you get there, it's a good way to make money when you return!
Does fundraising work?
* We have one student who successfully raised $500 in her home high school by visiting classes, talking about her upcoming semester, and collecting donations from other students.
* We have one student who raised $150 for speaking for 3 minutes at a local Business and Professional Women's meeting about her semester.
* We have a student who had an entire newspaper article written about her, and her goal to sell her pony to raise money for the semester.
* We have a student who has been collecting pledges on her Sponsor Sheet, and has raised several hundred dollars in donations for Spring Semester!
Please feel free to contact us at The Traveling School if you need any help, advice or information! Use fundraising to make your dream come true!