By Ken Sloane, Director of Stewardship & Generosity

YOUTH 2023 has been planned to be the most amazing, impactful event in the lives of young people, while also being accessible for churches to be able to send their youth and adult leaders. It’s a wonderful investment in your church’s ministry, and these folks will bring blessings back to your church upon their return! Below you’ll find a breakdown of the major costs for attending the event and ideas on how to raise money to cover those costs.

ESTIMATED COSTS FOR ATTENDEES

• Registration: $375 per person; includes all events and programs, as well as lunch and dinner on Wednesday and Thursday. Breakfast is on your own.
• Lodging: $145 per room night, with up to 4 staying in a room. For 3 nights with 4 persons in a room, the lodging cost per person is $108.75.
• Transportation: For each church to determine, based on distance and mode of travel.
• TOTAL COSTS: About $500/attendee, based on 4 in a room, plus transportation.

HOW CAN YOUR CHURCH FUND SENDING YOUTH?

1. Identify what size group your church might send to YOUTH 2023 and how transportation might happen. Plan funding into your 2023 budget to help send young people and their leaders to this life-changing event.
2. Explore whether there is a family (or a couple of families) who would be willing to match, dollar for dollar, money donated by the congregation to underwrite these costs (or to match youth fund-raising efforts).
3. Find undesignated funds (reserves, etc.) that could be used to help.
4. Many churches have memorial funds that include smaller, undesignated amounts. Check with families if a whole or partial grant for a youth to attend this event might be an appropriate memorial.
5. Designate Giving Tuesday as the day to fund YOUTH 2023 Grants. Set a goal and remind folks by text, email, and/or social media. Invite them to use the #GivingTuesday to announce their gift.
6. Invite folks in your church to make a gift to the YOUTH 2023 fund in honor of a pastor, Sunday teacher, or youth leader who was influential in their lives. You might even consider setting up a bulletin board with names and pictures to recognize these special people.
7. Provide your congregation the opportunity to give a grant as a Christmas gift to people on their gift lists who don’t really need or want any more stuff. Provide a memento that could be wrapped and given to represent the gift. (This could be the most meaningful gift they receive!)

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