Fundraising
If funding your trip feels like the biggest challenge, you’re not alone. The good news is that many Projects Abroad participants have funded their programmes through creative fundraising, sponsorships, and community support. With the right guidance, planning, and tools, fundraising can turn your goal into a reality – you can make it happen too.
Why fundraising?
Fundraising is not only a great way to save money for your project – it’s also a unique learning experience that helps you develop important personal and professional skills.
Planning
Successful fundraising requires forward thinking and preparation. You’ll learn how to set realistic goals, create a fundraising plan, manage timelines, and decide which activities will help you reach your target. Whether you’re organising an event or running an online campaign, planning teaches you how to break big goals into achievable steps.
Communication
Fundraising encourages you to communicate clearly and confidently with different audiences. You’ll practise explaining your project, sharing your motivation, and encouraging others to get involved – both online and in person. These skills are essential for presentations, interviews, teamwork, and professional environments.
Organisation
From tracking donations to coordinating events and balancing fundraising with school, work, or studies, fundraising helps you stay organised. You’ll develop the ability to manage multiple tasks, keep records, and stay focused – skills that are valuable long after your volunteering experience ends.
Where can you start?
Download our fundraising guide
We know how overwhelming starting a fundraising campaign can be. So that you know where to start, we have compiled all essential information in our new Fundraising Guide.
We walk you through:
- What our fee covers – so you can tell people exactly where the money goes
- How to plan your campaign – from setting your goal to creating a timeline, identifying your audience and asking for help
- Fundraising ideas to get you inspired
- Testimonies from previous successful alumni
- Checklists and tips to make sure you don’t forget anything
- Legal and ethical aspects
- Resources
Set up your fundraising page
Once your application is approved, you will receive access to your own participant portal featuring all the details of your programme and resources you might need. You will also be able to create your own fundraising page that you can share with your friends, family, and larger audience.
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.
How our team can help
- Personal advice and ideas on your fundraising project.
- Access to your own online fundraising page.
- A comprehensive fundraising guide full of ideas, strategies, tips and examples.
What we don’t do
Projects Abroad does not receive any outside financial support, which is why we are unable to offer scholarships and financial aid to our participants.
While we cannot offer direct financial aid, we have compiled a list of external scholarships and bursaries.
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.
We’ve partnered with Easyfundraising!
By shopping online with Easyfundraising, you can raise free funds towards your project fee.
Other sources
One way to fundraise is to visit your local communities. Neighbourhood 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.
- The Royal Geographical Society offers a variety of grants every year to students and researchers. Find out more.
Finally, we’re here to help!
Many of our staff started as participants themselves, and will have their own experience of fundraising.
Remember that motivation and organisation are the keys to success.
GOOD LUCK!
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