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Forum Expert
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Last Login: 11/10/2009 9:40:35 PM
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Our VBS is an all day "KidsCamp" (8:30a to 4:00p, with 'after care' available until 5:15p) and we charge on a scale depending on how many kids you register. The 1st is $55, the 2nd $45; I don't remember the other 'steps' of the scale, but there is also a maximum per family (which I can't remember). We also offer 'scholarships' for those who can't afford the full amount, asking them to at least pay $5 per child if they are at all able. We feed the kids breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack & they get a T-shirt, plus 5 morning crafts, and 2 afternoons worth of extra crafts during the week. Some families use our KidsCamp as 'cheap' childcare for the week -- but that's OK. God brings the kids who need to hear His message, whether they are there because their families were really looking for a VBS, or just a week of affordable daycare.
In 2008, for PowerLab, our income from registrations and monetary donations met our expenses, plus a little extra. Although our church 'budgets' a large amount for this ministry/mission outreach, God has been good to provide for it while the church struggles with meeting budget for more 'required' expenses.
God Bless!
~Cassie
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ~Matthew 28:19-20
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Forum Guru
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Last Login: 8/5/2009 12:17:32 AM
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we dont charge and we don't fundraise...we put a large budget amount onto VBS and since it is our biggest outreach, if we go over, no one says anything...
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Forum Member
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Last Login: 8/5/2009 10:30:55 AM
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| We charge $10.00 per child. It helps a lot with our expenses. I'm thinking of next year increasing it to $15.00 per child but we will have to see. I wish we wouldn't have to charge but with out that registration money we would not be able to afford most of the supplies. Candy
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 8/5/2009 9:04:23 PM
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We have been asked to make all activities self supporting! We calculated cost-per-child at $30 (t-shirt (buy on sale, paint ourselves), buddies, books, 5 Group crafts, snacks, percentage of posters,decorations,etc.). We requested 'donation' of $25 dollars, after giving them the per-child cost. Since registration was through toy-box, we don't know at this time how many families actually paid - obviously they could register and not pay. Many parents think this is a bargain, and send $30 and even more. Many in the congregation donate the per-child amount to cover those who are unable to pay. Last year we broke about even. Don't know yet for this year, but expect about the same. For mission, we do the K2K project, but send to Costa Rica with out Mission outreach project that goes there. They loved the bears 2 years ago, and the soccer balls last year. We also request paper goods which were split between 4 local mission partners. (We received 4 boatloads, which translates to 4 mini vans full of paper.) This year we had 120 children.
Nancy from Delaware
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 8/6/2009 1:48:26 AM
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| We started last year charging $5.00 per child. If they pre-register they get for that $5.00 a free VBS t-shirt. This year we had 95% pre-register. This allowed us to run a smoother registration on Monday because almost all children were already didvided into groups. The group dividing is done on the night before VBS week starts (Sun night) so as long as they register by the day before they receive the shirt before or the first day. We have registration info on our churches website. They just pay the first day. It's not about getting the money early it is about getting the kids names to put them in groups. BY paying the money, it makes the family accountable and this cost offsets the t-shirt price. The people that register on that first day are charged the $5.00 and a fee for the t-shirt.
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Forum Member
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Last Login: 10/14/2009 8:36:16 PM
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We charge $5 per child or $10 per family with a 10% discount for early registration. That doesn't even begin to pay what we spend on the children, it is more just a way to have the parents be accountable for registering and getting the kids to the program. We find if parents have to pay something (even a nominal fee) they are more likely to follow through. We had a 95% pre-registration with just a few walk-ins and also an almost 100% participation each night. (P.S. We do offer scholarships for anyone who cannot afford the $5. We don't make a big deal out of the money - it really is more of a parent incentive!)
Susan in Arizona
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Forum Expert
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For three years my heart was broken every time it came to VBS. We were part of a bigger church that did not have a budget for VBS. Since my conviction is that VBS better serves as an outreach than an extra summer activity for church kids I could not find it in my heart to invite the neighborhood kids to hear the Gospel and charge them a fee for it. Hence, VBS was just for church kids. After much prayer and crying out to God he opened a door for us to relocate to a church closer to our home, a much smaller church by the way. The budget there was -0. But this is where God wanted to truly glorify himself. We were able to offer VBS for FREE for the first time! With only a handful of people (literally) and no money, but an enormous trust in God we set out to do the impossible. And we have been doing so for the past 7 years! One very important thing to do is to PRAY, PRAY, and then PRAY some more. Share your heart and your passion with the pastor and the congregation and trust God for every money donated and/or raised. He will find a way to multiply it and meet all your needs. Hey, he has done it with us and it started in a small church of no more than 20 members! Everything for this year’s VBS was donated through generous giving and raised through fundraisers. Many of the site leaders donated not only their time and talents, but also their treasures to help with the cost of supplying and decorating their sites. Oh btw, we now have 40 members. Here is a link to the work we put together this year and offered it Free of charge to over 60 kids. http://studiogogameshow.shutterfly.com/
 
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 10/20/2009 4:03:30 PM
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| The is no money in our budget for VBS so we charged $40 for each child but our 6th graders who are also our Jr. Counselors are only charged $10. I tried reaching out to our congregation for monetary donations to purchase specific items but had no luck.
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Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 8/8/2009 12:27:00 AM
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| Five years ago, we decided to charge $25 to cover costs because we attract a much larger number of kids (325) than we have in our congregation (75). By charging a fee, we prevent people from using it as free babysitting. A $25 fee is still way cheaper than any summer program of similar scope here in the Los Angeles area. We provide Bible Buddies, books, crafts, snack, and a cool set. We do provide scholarships and family discounts for those who cannot afford the fee. Even though we charge this nominal fee to cover costs, we still consider it an outreach to the larger community. We have about 100 volunteers who invest a great deal into delivering this message to our neighborhood kids...it's not a money-making operation. It is still a labor of love for the kingdom.
Lin from LA
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 9/10/2009 1:45:12 PM
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| I couldn't imagine charging a fee to come to VBS. I've told our congregation many times that when we start charging is when I'm done being the director. I want one place in this world where parents can send their children that doesn't cost anything. Our congregation funds everything for the week through donations. We do take an offering on our rally night to help with funding but people don't have to give anything. We had 120 kids this year and collected around $450.00 on rally night. We are from a very small community and small church but have never had any problem with funding. Our members see how much work goes into the program and see the wonderful outcome with 120 kids together praising God for the week and they just give and give and give!! Jan Toluca, IL
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