Missions

You can apply for teams online through the link above.  You will be prompted to create an account to apply. After receiving your application, team leaders will reach out to you with the next steps in the application process. Most of our teams are open for anyone to apply. Many of our discipline-specific teams, like engineering and medical, may have a need for team members from other majors, too. If you are interested in one of those teams, connect with the team leaders to find out more. 

Some teams have limited space and are highly competitive. If you apply for a team and don’t get accepted, Missions staff will connect with you about other options.

The application deadline is September 27th. Teams that have space for additional members will be reopened until they are filled. 

Note: You only need to create an account once; all of your current and future trips will be visible moving forward. 

Once your application has been accepted, you will receive an email prompting you to pay a $50 non-refundable deposit by October 18th. While some requirements are team-specific, members of all teams must complete the following to fulfill registration requirements: 

• Pay a $50 deposit
• Payment vs. donation acknowledgement
• Sign a participation waiver
• Upload a government-issued photo ID (passport for international teams, DL for domestic)
• Upload an insurance card
• Input information for two emergency contacts

Some locations may require a vaccine or other medications. Your team leaders will let you know what (if any) you need. You can get vaccines from your healthcare provider or a local travel clinic.

Participants are responsible for covering the costs of their mission trip. There are two ways to meet this financial commitment: personal payment or fundraising.

Make a Payment 

Click on the “Make a payment” button above. Payments are refundable; donations are not. If you or a family member pay out of pocket for the mission trip and then decide you can no longer go, payments are refundable  (minus any non-refundable expenses that have been incurred on your behalf).

Fundraise Donations 

Many participants choose to fundraise on behalf of Lipscomb Missions in order to offset the costs of their trip.  Donations made to Lipscomb University are tax deductible and non-refundable, regardless of participation.  

Fundraising Timeline

All funds are due two weeks before travel date. Refer to team details for any additional funding milestone requirements.

Participants need to familiarize themselves with the fundraising process before beginning. Team members are not just asking people to give them money so they can travel somewhere; they are inviting others to be a part of their ministry. Mission trip fundraising is as much of a spiritual process as it is a financial one. Consider the many examples of fundraising (both financial and physical resources) found within scripture. Pray over the process both individually and with your team. Follow the suggestions below and reach out to our Missions Staff should you need additional guidance.

1. Online Fundraising. Our platform gives each participant a unique URL through which they can receive direct donations. Send your URL to friends, family, or post on social media.

2. Letter Fundraising. We encourage participants to brainstorm categories of people (family, friends, churches, local contacts, etc.) and create a list of at least 50 contacts to whom letters or emails will be sent. Many participants will reach out to family members, team members, and other contacts to identify more potential supporters to add to the list. Team leaders will go over sample fundraising letters and suggested content in one of the first team meetings. If you would like additional help crafting a fundraising letter, reach via missions [at] lipscomb.edu (email )or come to the Missions Center. 

Ways to Donate

1. Check: Payable to Lipscomb University with participant’s name and trip name in the memo line. Mail in one of the postage-paid business reply envelopes provided by Lipscomb Missions. Checks are assumed to be donations unless otherwise specified. If you or a family member makes a payment by check, indicate it as “payment” in the memo line.
2. Credit Card: People can donate to you online through your unique URL or to the general team by going to the team’s page via the link above.
3. Please note, we do not accept cash.

Account Holds

In some rare situations  (dropping out of a trip after nonrefundable flights have been purchased in your name, for example), you may have an outstanding balance with  Lipscomb Missions. Upon notification of the outstanding balance, you will have a 30-day grace period to resolve the balance. After the grace period has expired, a hold will be placed on your student account. This will impact your ability to add or drop classes, graduate, and request transcripts. Holds will be removed when the outstanding balance is met. In order for a hold to be removed in the most timely manner, please email the missions [at] lipscomb.edu (Missions Center) upon submission of final payment so it can be confirmed and the hold removal request can be submitted to the Business Office ASAP. 

Multiple-Trip Participants

Students who wish to participate on multiple trips are able to fundraise for both trips at the same time; however, they must be registered for multiple trips before this applies. For example, a team member who has raised $100 beyond their fundraising goal for trip A cannot then decide to join trip B and request that the $100 be used for trip B. When a team member is registered and fundraising for multiple trips, once the first fundraising goal is met, funds will automatically be applied to the next fundraising goal.  Ideally, we recommend that fundraising letters include both trips. Students who choose to join multiple teams later in the year will need to start a new fundraising process for that team and any funds previously raised beyond the fundraising goal will be applied to the student missions general fund. Students who are registered for multiple trips will follow the standard fundraising goal deadline for the earliest season of participation.