Fundraising & Budgeting for Youth Ministry
 

Ideally, youth ministry would be fully funded through the congregation's budget. However, in many congregations fundraising is a necessary component of the youth ministry program. Too often, youth fundraising lacks an evangelical purpose beyond generating revenue. Also, many fund-raising tools (like frozen food sales) take a larger percentage of the funds generated than the ministry. 

Congregations may be better served by an activity which both raises funds for the youth group and serves an evangelical purpose. Please consider these options:

Ready-to-Go Fundraisers: 75 Ways to Fund Your Ministry
Augsburg-Fortress offers ready-made fund-raising packages accessorized with everything needed to prepare and execute youth ministry fund-raising activities that involve youth participation.
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Lutheran World Relief offers a fundraising opportunity that can produce significant profits for the youth group and raise awareness of the child labor, environmental issues, and economic injustices associated with the cocoa trade. www.lwr.org/chocolate/fundraiser.asp

 

It is also a powerful witness by the youth ministry to the congregation when the youth tithe (giving 10%) their fundraising profits for mission outside itself. A youth group may tithe to a project listed in the ELCA Hunger Grants Catalog, to the ELCA World Hunger Lutheran Youth Challenge, or to another youth ministry with few resources.
 

Budgeting for Youth Ministry

Sample Youth Budget

Sample Fundraising Policy