MISSION TRIPS FAQ

Are mission trip expenses tax deductible? - Are mission trips tax deductible? - Can mission trips be tax deductible? 

In short, No. Mission trip expenses are not tax deductible, however if you donate to a 501C3 non-profit missions organization, your donation will go towards mission trip work and will be tax deductible. The key here is that you are not receiving goods or services in return for your donation. An additional tax deductible option would be donating towards someone else’ mission trip. You can do both things through Next Step Ministries give page HERE.

Are mission trips ethical? 

Mission trips can absolutely be ethical. If the structure of the mission trip relies on and supports local organizations building up their community it can be a very positive thing. Many nonprofit organizations rely heavily on volunteers to carry out their missions in the communities they serve alongside. It would be very difficult for many of them to survive without the local regular volunteers.  Additionally when an out of town group decides to travel and serve with one or multiple organizations like this, they are not only helping to sustain the long-term, year round mission of those organizations, they take that experience back to their own community along with a broadened world view! To experience this for yourself,  take a look at some of the local organizations Next Step Partners with HERE.

Are mission trips bad? 

Mission trips are not exempt from being harmful if not carefully planned. Simultaneously, they  can be extremely helpful and impactful if they are paired with local resources and organizations with long term missions and goals that don’t screech to a halt when the short term trip is over. At Next Step, we work alongside local community organizations and churches to further their local initiatives and missions. It’s a great example of how to run short term mission trips responsibly and impactfully. You can learn more about this process HERE.  

How mission trips are bad? - How are mission trips harmful? - How mission trips are bad? - Are mission trips good or bad - Are mission trips good or bad? - Why mission trips are bad?

A mission trip that doesn’t include local resources or local organizations could potentially be more harmful than helpful. For one type of example, if a group decides to help someone with a bathroom that has rotting floors, or to replace a leaky roof, but doesn’t finish the job in their short term time frame, resulting in a nonfunctioning bathroom, or a unfinished roof that leaks worse than the old one did in the first place. The solution to this would be to work with an organization locally in that community who has projects lined up and vetted and will finish them on a timeline that doesn’t rely on a person from out of town. The out of town group can be a huge help in the process but are not required for the finished project. At Next Step, we do trips differently from many other organizations. We work alongside local community lead organizations, initiatives,  and churches to further their local causes and missions. It’s a great example of how to run short term mission trips responsibly and impactfully, while respecting and elevating the local community being served throughout the process. You can learn more about this process HERE.  

Do mission trips actually help? 

A mission team from out of town can often accomplish much more in a week than a small amount of regular local volunteers can do in that same amount of time. Although the regular volunteers over time are extremely important.  If properly set up with local organizations, community members, and resources that don’t end when the mission team leaves, Mission trips can actually be immensely helpful. Local non profit organizations usually have projects they could purchase the materials for but often need more help in the volunteer department. You can be a part of this help by signing your group up for a trip HERE.

Do mission trips count as volunteer hours? - Does a mission trip count as volunteer work? - Do mission trips count as volunteer work?

In short, yes. However, this completely depends on program requirements of the organization you need to fulfill volunteer hours for. Usually your place of work, program, organization, or government authority will have a list of  eligible volunteer categories to choose from or to avoid. Next Step Ministries can provide you with a letter of volunteer hours upon request after your trip!

You can sign up for a trip HERE.

Do mission trips cost money? 

Yes. This money is usually applied towards materials for worksites, food & lodging for participants, staffing, programing, and overhead. Mission trips with Next Step Ministries usually cost as low as $449 per participant! You can view current pricing and sign up for a trip HERE.

Are mission trips free? 

No. There is a cost associated with mission trips. This money is usually applied towards materials for worksites, food & lodging for participants, staffing, programing, and overhead. Mission trips with Next Step Ministries usually cost as low as $449 per participant! You can view current pricing and sign up for a trip HERE.

What’s a mission trip? 

A mission trip is an organized event with the purpose of doing either community service work and/or evangelism in a particular community. Usually mission trips take place in underserved or overlooked areas in the United States or abroad. Mission trips with Next Step Ministries forenstance, are designed for high school and middle school students and mainly take place in the United States, and Guatemala. You can learn more about mission trips and current available trip options HERE. 

How do mission trips work? 

While trips can be run very differently depending on the organization or group you go with. If you join through an organization like Next Step Ministries, you just arrive on your planned date and the projects you’ll work on, the lodging, your meals, nightly programming and staff to lead your trip will be on site ready to guide your week. We take care of the details so you can focus on your students or group. You would typically arrive Sunday evening to get settled in. Monday - Thursday are service days where you and your team work together in that community. You can learn more about Next Step Ministries mission trips process and the current available trip options HERE.