Processing Your Donations and FAQs

Processing Summer Mission Donations

Below is a detailed explanation of how to handle the funds that are given to you.  Please read this carefully.  There are important specifics you need to know.   If you want the money ready for your summer AND you want happy ministry partners, don’t skip this section. The process is considerably less painful than ever but still needs your careful attention!

Check Donations
Make sure all checks are made payable to ‘Cru’.  Let your supporters know this before they write their check (even though some will still forget – it’s inevitable).  Keep in mind that your name CANNOT appear on the “Payable to” line along with Cru.  If it does—you need a new check!
Return an incorrect check to your ministry partner and graciously ask them to replace the check with a new one payable to Cru if he or she would like to have a receipt.  If the ministry partner prefers to make a check payable to you and does not want a receipt, that’s fine.  Just be sure they understand they will not receive a receipt!  Endorse all checks payable to you by signing the back of the check and writing “Pay to the order of Cru” below your signature.

IMPORTANT: All checks from ministry partners must be processed and sent to your Mission Coordinator by you. If a ministry partner mails their check directly to Cru it can be very difficult to find their check and credit it toward your summer mission cost.  Someone will be excited about the new support, but it probably won’t be you!

Cash Donations
Replace cash gifts with a check of your own, a money order, or a cashier’s check made payable to ‘Cru’. If using a check, write “replacing cash” on the memo line.  Do not use your online giving page to replace cash. Do not mail cash.

You can save some of the cash to pay for expenses related to the mission such as stamps, printing, envelopes and other expenses you incur while preparing for your summer mission.  Integrity is the key here.  If you have not raised support by the mission briefing, but have used cash to meet other needs, you will need to write your own personal check to cover the amount you did not raise.  However, late donations after you make a personal payment may provide for a partial refund.

Online Donations
Donations can be given online through your specific page on the Cru Giving website. You can include the URL in your letter to potential ministry partners: http://www.give.cru.org/______ (your 7 digit designation number goes in the blank). If you are going to a secure country, your name will not appear on the website, but your specific designation number will.

Cru Scholarships
Staff Members or a local Cru movement may want to provide a scholarship toward your summer mission cost. You will need to fill out the Account Transfers section of the Donation Information Form (DIF) that you send with your checks. You’ll need the staff name, amount, and either a staff account number or Cru movement account info to enter on the form.

Sending In Donations
Send your checks in once a week, to respect your donors (not holding their checks too long) and to enable us to keep your support totals up to date. The final deadline for mailing checks is May 27th. Checks you receive after May 6th should be brought with you to briefing and will be counted there.

Before sending checks to the mission coordinator, make two copies of each check (three to a page or however many fit).  Keep one photocopy for your records and send the second along with the original checks. We must have these copies. 

The Donation Information Form (DIF) serves as a cover page to help us get your donations to the right place. Fill out a DIF and send it along with your donation checks every time. Follow the DIF Instructions to complete the form.

Use USPS certified mail, FedEx or UPS to send your checks, photocopies and completed DIF to your summer mission coordinator. Keep track of your total and make sure that by each deadline you have sent in an amount totaling the deadline goal.  Please talk to your mission coordinator before sending in personal funds to meet a deadline.

Double-check everything before mailing in your checks, copies and DIF to:

Cru

Attn: John Ingram

407 Lakefront Drive

Huntsville, AL 35824

For donation questions not answered here, email john.ingram@cru.org.

Financial FAQs

Q. Can I use GoFundMe or some other method for receiving donations?
A. No. All summer mission donations must go through the Cru processes outlined for you.

Q. What if a check is made payable to me, but I’m not sure if my ministry partner wants a receipt from Cru?
A. Assume that they do and give them a call. If indeed they do want a receipt, graciously ask them to replace the check with a new one payable to ‘Cru’. Offer to return or destroy the incorrect check. We cannot issue a receipt for a check payable to you.

Q. Aunt Vicky sent a check payable to me and doesn’t want a receipt. May I use it toward my mission expenses?
A. Yes. You actually can cash it and use it to purchase those stamps, etc. or follow the directions to replace it with a check, cashiers’ check or money order and send it in to your mission coordinator to go toward your summer mission total.

Q. What if a partner sends a check directly to Cru (not to me)?
A. With thousands of checks being processed daily at our headquarters, it is almost impossible to trace separate checks before you arrive at briefing. This is why you need to receive the check from your partner. If you know that one of your donors sent such a check, let your mission coordinator know by email. Tell us the partner’s name, full address, amount, check number, and the date of the check.

Q. My church took up a collection and gave me cash. What do I do?
A. You can ask your church Treasurer to convert the cash to a check from the church payable to ‘Cru’, unless they specify that you can use it for preparation expenses and they do not want a receipt. 

Q. What if my final financial deadline arrives and I know that checks are on the way to me in the mail?
A. We can only count donations that we have evidence of. If you get donations after leaving for summer mission, contact your summer mission coordinator when you return. This kind of problem can be avoided if you will:

• Begin now to work on developing your partnership team. Don’t wait until the last minute!

• Ask for all checks from out-of-town partners to be sent to you soon enough to arrive before the deadline.

• Let them know the dates you’ll be at school & home. 

Q. What if I raise more funds than I need? What happens to the extra amount?
A. All money that you raise for your summer mission belongs to Cru and is designated for use by the Global Missions Team for your Summer Mission (SM) expenses. You may use extra money to reimburse MPD and other specified expenses only if you have the receipts. See Domestic Travel for the specific options on how to get reimbursed for your domestic flight. You may also want to ask supporters if they would donate frequent flier miles to help pay for your domestic flight. Extra money may also be used to help scholarship other SM students as determined by Global Missions leadership and your SM team leaders.

Q. What if my plans change and I can’t go?
A. You must tell the Summer Mission Coordinator and Team Leaders as soon as possible to let them know your plans. There may be financial penalties to you to pay for hotel reservations for your Briefing and airline ticket cancellation fees. If you cannot go, it is MANDATORY that you inform your ministry partners. Your coordinator can explain how to do this.

Q. What if I don’t make the deadlines?
A. Pray and seek the Lord concerning His will for your summer. Continue to work on your support and be sure to let your potential ministry partners know that you have a specific deadline to meet; many people are willing to write their checks a little earlier if you have a need. By past experience, we have found that those who continue to pray about their summer and take steps of faith will see their support come in before they leave for on Mission Trip. Please keep in close contact with your team leaders.

Q. Will someone be helping me while I raise support? What if I have more specific questions?
A. Yes, there will be a staff person assigned to help you during the preparation period. Once you are accepted to the Mission team, your team leaders will set phone appointments when you can share prayer requests, have questions answered, give updates on your support raising and check-off on the required ministry skills you need for the summer. You will also receive update e-mails from your team leaders and the Global Mission Services office.

These updates supersede anything online or that you’ve heard from a previous summer mission trip. The specifics of our summer missions change from year to year, so do not rely on any other information, other than what you receive this year.