<p>I thinking about applying to a summer program in Cambridge (UK). (I live in the states)
Anyways, it is REALLY expensive. $7295 (+$1050) deposit to be exact and i dont think that includes airfare.
Anyways. I looked at the scholarship forms and none of them apply to me and my interests.</p>
<p>So I hear that people write letters to local businesses and companies asking for donations. Does that really work? How much do people usually donate? And do you think I can get enough money (or at least a majority) of it by April 1st? (that leaves me with 1 month to collect funds) </p>
<p>So do you just write a letter asking for money? I dont get how that works exactly because I dont think companies are just going to give out money to a kid.. Also if they do agree to send you money do they send it directly to you? do you set up an account? Im confused!
Please help me!
my parents are tight with money! They cant afford a program as expensive as this but I really would love to go!
Thank you</p>
<p>okay so im not going to oxford because i called and they didnt have any spots left in the majors that i was interested.
but now im looking into stanford and similar programs which are just as expensive…
so i still need help raising funds!
thank you!</p>
<p>Why do you think a local business would give you money to go to an expensive summer program? </p>
<p>Some programs have financial aid for needy students, so you might check into that. But these programs are hardly necessities. If you don’t have the funds, look into getting a job for the summer, or exploring local volunteer opportunities.</p>
<p>First of all, congrats on getting your program fundraising started! Raising support for a worthy cause can be super rewarding, even if it it is focused on a summer program.</p>
<p>One route you might want to consider: setting up a homepage for your group on a fundraising website. </p>
<p>Raising support online is much simpler and more tidy than raising funds via cash or check (most sites can link donations straight to your bank account through a merchant processor). And having a group page gives you a central place to post information, photos and let people know what you do - this helps you promote your cause to friends, family and whoever else you want.</p>
<p>There are plenty of sites these days that help community organizations like yours meet their goals. For a small, community-based group, there are some good options:</p>
<p>First Giving ([Online</a> Fundraising Website for Events and Causes | FirstGiving.com](<a href=“http://www.firstgiving.com%5DOnline”>http://www.firstgiving.com)) is a solid one. They charge about 5% on donations raised and have a simple structure to set up your page (though you may have to be a certified non-profit to register with them). </p>
<p>If that’s the case, another option is Empowered ([Empowered.org:</a> Empowering groups of volunteers to create social change](<a href=“http://www.empowered.org%5DEmpowered.org:”>http://www.empowered.org)). They process about 1.5% on donations raised, offer lots of tools to help organize/fundraise, and I know they support all small groups, regardless of non-profit status.</p>
<p>And you could always try to send up your own PayPal account to link to you directly, but this is a little trickier and a bit inflexible.</p>
<p>Good luck getting everything going, I hope this helps!</p>