Fundraising for Your DTS

Fundraising is one of the first real steps of faith you’ll take on the road to DTS. And honestly? It can feel like the scariest one. Asking people for money is uncomfortable. It brings up all kinds of fears: What if they say no? What if I come across as desperate? What if I just can’t do it? Is it even okay to ask people for their money?

We’ve walked with a lot of students through this process, and we’ve seen God provide in ways that genuinely surprised people. We want to walk with you through it too. That’s not just something we say. We mean it practically, which is why we offer ongoing check-ins throughout your fundraising process. More on that below.

For now, start here.

Why We Fundraise

Dependence on God is one of YWAM’s core values. Value 16 says it plainly: YWAM is called to practice a life of dependence upon God for financial provision, and that provision comes primarily through His people. So yes, raising $8,500 is a requirement for DTS, but the way we go about it matters. We believe God has already prepared people in your life to invest in you and this next step. As Steve Shadrach writes in The God Ask, your job is to pray and work hard to discover those whom the Lord has already prepared to invest in you and your ministry. Even Nehemiah had to ask King Artaxerxes to fund the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls before a single stone was laid. He prayed, he asked boldly, and God provided. We’ve seen that same faithfulness show up for students again and again, and we’re trusting it for you, too. That said, everyone’s situation is different, and we know not everyone starts from the same place. That’s exactly why we want to walk through this with you personally.

1. Pray

Before you write a single name down or draft a single sentence, spend time with God. Ask Him what He thinks about your DTS. Ask Him to give you His perspective on the people in your life. Ask Him to build your faith for what’s ahead.

Pray at the start. Pray when you’re stuck. Pray before every conversation. And pray for the people on your list, not just that they’ll give, but that God would bless them genuinely.

If you don’t know where to start, try this prayer:

Jesus, Son of God, you are before all things, and you hold all things together.

We are held by you. I am held by you.

Father, I remember your faithfulness and provision of the past.

I lift my eyes from my circumstances and look on the God who holds all things.

Holy Spirit, grant me the grace to trust what you have spoken to me.

Grant me the wisdom to pursue your ways.

Grant me the patience to wait for your timing.

God, do the work I cannot.

Amen.

2. Make a List

Relationship-based support is at the heart of how YWAM operates, and it starts with a list. Before you worry about how to ask or what to say, just write down names.

Don’t filter as you go. Don’t talk yourself out of including someone because you assume they’ll say no, or because it feels awkward, or because you don’t know them that well. Write everyone down. Family. Friends. People from your church. Former coaches, teachers, employers, neighbors. People who have invested in you spiritually. People you haven’t talked to in a while but who you know care about you.

The Traveling Team, a ministry that trains missionaries in support raising, recommends aiming for a list of at least 100 names. That probably sounds like a lot. But when you start thinking through every season of your life and every community you’ve been part of, you’ll be surprised how many people genuinely care about what you’re doing.

A few categories to help you think:

• • • Immediate and extended family
    • Friends from church, past and present
    • Small group or Bible study connections
    • Coaches, teachers, mentors
    • Coworkers or former coworkers
    • Neighbors
    • People who have supported missionaries before
    • Anyone who has ever encouraged your faith

Don’t forget your home church as a whole. Churches often love supporting their students and some even have a specific fund or scholarship set up for exactly this kind of thing. It’s worth a conversation with your pastor or missions team, even if you’re not sure anything exists. You might be surprised.

We have a Google Sheet template to help you organize your list, track your outreach, and stay on top of follow-ups: The Ask Process Spreadsheet

3. Invite

Once you have your list, it’s time to reach out. This is the step most people dread, and we want to help you reframe it: You are not begging. You are not burdening people. You are extending an invitation to be part of what God is doing. That’s a real gift. Many people in your life want to support missions but don’t know how or who to give to. You get to be the answer to that for someone.

The most effective ask is personal. A hand-written letter or a personal email will always outperform a mass social media post. Call people. Have coffee. If you can ask someone in person, do it. People give to people they know and trust, not to an abstract cause.

When you reach out, be specific and direct. Tell them what you’re doing, why you’re going, and what it costs. Then ask clearly. Vague asks make it easy for people to do nothing. Something like: “I’m trying to raise $8,500 for my DTS this fall. Would you consider giving $100 as a one-time gift, or $25 a month while I’m there?” gives someone something concrete to say yes to.

We have a sample support letter you can use as a starting point: DTS Sample Support Letter. Feel free to make it yours. The more it sounds like you, the better.

4. Follow Up

People are busy. Someone might read your letter, think “I want to do that,” and then get pulled into their day and forget. That’s not a no. That’s just life.

Following up is not nagging. It’s caring enough to stay in the conversation. A simple, warm message a week or two after your initial ask goes a long way: “Hey, I wanted to follow up on the letter I sent. I’d love to share more about what I’m doing if you have questions. And either way, I’m grateful for you.”

Give people the chance to say yes before you assume they’re not interested. Most people, when they do respond, will be kind. You will be surprised by who says yes, and sometimes by how much.

Keep your tracker updated as you go. Knowing where you stand helps you know who still needs a follow-up and keeps you from losing momentum. The Ask Process Spreadsheet

5. Keep in Touch

Fundraising doesn’t end when you hit your goal. The people who gave to you are partners in your DTS, not just donors. They prayed for you. They sacrificed for you. They deserve to know what God is doing.

Send updates throughout your school. Tell them what you’re learning, who you’re meeting, and where you see God at work. Ask how you can pray for them. The relationship is mutual, and treating it that way honors them and honors God.

When you get home, say thank you again. Share what happened. Let them see the return on their investment. Many of these people will become long-term supporters for whatever comes next in your ministry.

We’re With You

We mean it when we say we want to walk through this with you. Fundraising can be a long and sometimes discouraging process, and you shouldn’t have to do it in isolation.

That’s why we offer ongoing check-ins throughout your fundraising journey. Not just a one-time pep talk, but real touchpoints along the way: to see how it’s going, to pray with you, to help you problem-solve if you’re stuck, and to celebrate with you when God provides.

And here’s something worth knowing: every single person on our team has a story. From their own support raising, or from phone calls with students just like you, we’ve all watched God show up in ways that are hard to explain and impossible to forget. The unexpected donor. The church that gave more than anyone anticipated. The moment someone almost quit and then their phone rang. We’d love to share those stories with you. Honestly, we’d take that as a challenge: call us, and we bet we’ve got something that will encourage you.

If you’d like to set up a check-in with someone from our team, reach out and let us know where you are in the process.

Phone: +1 (360) 220-5954
Email: connect@ywamnorthcascades.com

Resources

Further Reading

The God Ask: A Fresh, Biblical Approach to Personal Support Raising by Steve Shadrach

Funding Your Ministry: An In-Depth, Biblical Guide for Successfully Raising Personal Support by Scott Morton