Fundraising Strategies for Long-Term Missionaries: The Power of Partnership
August 2023
When people think about support-raising for a mission trip, they often think of asking people for money, having a car wash, or hosting a fundraising dinner. While that may work for a short-term trip, in Encompass’s 120+ years of sending long-term missionaries, we’ve found an approach that works even better: partnership. It’s not just about asking people for money—it’s about inviting investors to participate in ministry alongside you to make a bigger impact than either of you could have separately. That’s why we don’t even call it “support raising”—we call it Ministry Partner Development (MPD).
MPD is a vast topic, which is why we have each of our long-term missionaries complete a 12-week program entirely dedicated to it. The program even includes a coach so each participant can customize MPD and make it their own. While this article isn’t meant to replace MPD training, here’s a basic overview of our MPD method:
- Have the Right Mindset: Jesus said it’s more blessed to give than to receive, so you shouldn’t be scared to ask people for their partnership. You are offering people a chance to trust God and join Him in His eternal work. You shouldn’t view yourself as a desperate beggar shamefully asking people for whatever you can get—you are a spiritual prospector filled with excitement and discovery as you seek investors to join you in reaping lasting rewards.
- Pray: As Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work—prayer IS the greater work.” Finances may get you to the field, but prayer is what empowers you to produce fruit on the field. Ask God to give you divine opportunities with the people He has to be part of your team.
- Connect: Make a list of everyone you know and set up face-to-face meetings with each of them to share your vision. When you meet, describe the kind of ministry you’ll do and why it’s so important. Show photos of times you’ve ministered to others in the past, and share testimonies of how you’ve seen God transform people’s lives. Then invite them to partner with you in what God is doing and ask if they’d commit to praying, giving a one-time gift, and/or giving a monthly recurring gift. If they need time to think about it, tell them you’ll follow up with them in one week. Offer to add them to your email list so they can follow your journey, and ask if they know anyone else who might be interested in partnering with you.
- Follow up: After you meet with each person, make sure to follow up with them about a week later and ask if God might be leading them to partner with you.
- Thank: Send an email or card to people thanking them for their interest and for setting aside the time to meet with you. Even if they don’t give right now, this expresses that you value the relationship regardless of their financial involvement. It’s also good to find ways to give back to your partners by praying for them, messaging them on their birthdays, and sending them souvenirs from the field. These kinds of things remind them that you truly view them as partners.
More Stories
When Anna* was challenged to think about her goals for 2026, she sensed a clear nudge from God: begin preparing material to train others....
February 17, 2026
“In the 1980s, if you walked into a Christian bookstore in France, you’d find maybe two shelves of Christian books,” Florent...
February 13, 2026
As someone who’s spent much of his life planting churches in Asia, Ted now serves as the Director of Encompass...
February 10, 2026
Reaching the unreached is a beautiful idea, but it’s a lot easier said than done. Even so, Auburn Grace Community...
February 9, 2026
“I had no idea what Japan was,” Kya says. “Then my parents took me when I was 10, and now I wake up every day and think about...
January 30, 2026
Mika* grew up in Japan as part of a family that was culturally Buddhist, yet God gently placed people in her life who...
January 29, 2026
Grace Church in Simi Valley, California has been partnering with Encompass for over 60 years now, making us their primary missions agency. That...
January 23, 2026
The environment a child grows up in becomes their baseline for what’s normal. As you can imagine, children growing up overseas often form a...
January 23, 2026
“I never set out to become a crisis response person,” says Barb. In fact, if you had asked her younger...
January 21, 2026
