It's not as scary as it seems

World Concern gives help and coaching to people dedicated to working with people in need around the world. Many of our workers say that their commitment to this calling is even stronger, knowing that friends and loved ones are behind them.

Attitude

Support-raising is not begging for money. It is giving others the opportunity to take part in the biblical call to care for “the least of these” around the world. Through the support-raising process, the candidate stretches his or her faith, strengthens relationships, develops prayer support, and builds a support team of people who understand and are involved in the work. 

Getting Started

After World Concern has accepted the new candidate, he or she will be contacted by World Concern’s support-raising coach, and given information about getting started. We offer an orientation class to familiarize candidates with the organization, which includes discussions, lectures, videos, and the practice of support-raising skills.

What do World Concern fieldworkers say about raising support?

From a couple serving in Africa:

“It would not be an exaggeration to say that we were intimidated by the support-raising process. We still do not know exactly why, but the Lord blessed us abundantly and quickly with our financial and prayer support needs.  As we approached our goal we found we had different perspective on the process than when we had begun. It was an amazing blessing and encouragement to see that a ministry of roughly 200 participants had been created with us as the hands and feet to be sent. More than one donor said that they were thankful that we were providing the opportunity for them to give, and that our ministry was already a blessing to them. After about a year, we are certain we would not want to be sent any other way.”

From a fieldworker in Bolivia:

“I was very impatient for the first few months and eventually got so stressed that I had to let it go. I prayed and told God that it was too much for me to handle, that if He wanted me to go to Bolivia, He would have to make it happen. This is key...doing what you can, but leaving the rest up to God. Over the months my support snowballed and nine months after I started raising support I left for Bolivia.”

Principles of raising support

The main principle of support-raising is this: People give to people they know, trust, and care for. Therefore, focus support-raising efforts on people and churches you know. A second principle is that the most effective way of raising support is to meet with people personally, share your vision and excitement with them, and ask them to support you.

Steps:

1. The candidate develops a list of potential supporters of people they know, perhaps by starting with their Christmas card list. It is good to have both churches and individuals on your list.
2. Meet with people personally, explain what God is calling you to do, and ask them to support you financially on a monthly basis.
3. The candidate also makes presentations about what he/she will be doing to churches, or other groups.
4. The fieldworker sends out newsletters once a month, both before leaving for the field, and after he/she is on the field, to keep in touch with supporters, to invite them to pray for specific requests, and to give them the opportunity to continue to give.

Questions?

People who are considering applying to World Concern, but who have concerns or questions about raising support are welcome to contact World Concern’s support-raising coach Ron Stoufer at: rons@worldconcern.org, although support-raising does not begin until a candidate is accepted by World Concern. People outside North America need to find a sending agency in their country that could assist them with support-raising and send them to work in a World Concern project.

It's possible!

Raising support is possible, and results in a team that will stand behind the fieldworker financially, emotionally and in prayer. Fieldworkers are an essential part of World Concern’s work to relieve suffering around the world. Helping fieldworkers raise support to get into the field with the people we serve is a high priority for World Concern.