Budgeting and Fundraising for Servant Event Hosts

Hosting a Servant Event requires a variety of resources, but it is well worth the investment. As you build your volunteer team and support, you will begin to consider the budget of your event. With some time and effort, it is possible to host a Servant Event at little or no financial cost to the hosting congregation or organization, while youth live out their God-given vocations and share the Gospel.

Budgeting requires event leaders to be good stewards without cutting what is necessary for the event. Participants need a healthy, Christ-centered experience. This means spending appropriate amounts of money on food, housing, and service project materials. But those who come to Servant Events are not usually expecting luxury accommodations or high-end equipment. A budget should be both realistic and balanced to make the event successful.

Servant Event Budgeting

Address budgeting regularly as you plan, carry out and follow up on your Servant Event. Event leaders should start with a brief outline of how much they think the event is going to cost before a congregation or organization commits. A general budget from past events, or from other LCMS Servant Events like yours might be helpful.

Once that commitment is made, take time early to develop a plan for funding and managing the budget. Typically, the Event Director will handle the money and budget management, but everyone who is leading the event needs to understand the budget.
As you meet to set the budget, be sure to begin with PRAYER! God will guide and provide for your planning and your event. This meeting should accomplish the following:

Discuss the purpose of the Servant Event that you are hosting. What are your goals and hoped for outcomes? Which of these goals is the priority? How will the Servant Event make a difference in the community? Answering these questions will clarify your priorities for spending.

Have the leader of each part of the event share a list of the materials needed. Bring estimated amounts of how much things cost. With these numbers, begin to fill out your budget. If possible, do this in a way that allows everyone to see calculations in real time.

Create a list of businesses, organizations and individuals who may be able to support your event through monetary donations, or supplies or grants. Church leadership, your LCMS district, or your chamber of commerce can help you find more supporters. When you identify someone who might be able to help offset costs, approach them first with the vision of your event. Raise friends before raising funds. Put together a letter or flyer that says:

  • What you are doing in the community
  • What you need
  • How the organization/business can help
  • How you will publicize the donation/support to other

A sample letter is attached at the end of this resource. Be sure to send thank-you letters to businesses and funding agencies, and include their names in print media coverage of your event.

To read more about hosting a servant event, download the full PDF Here.

To see an editable Word version of the forms in this section, go to this Dropbox.

To see the other host materials, visit the Servant Event Host page.

Published October 14, 2024

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