Volunteer Budget Guide

Estimating Your Service Budget

As you prepare to serve, it’s a good idea to create a budget. To estimate your service budget, you need to know your monthly expenses and your irregular expenses.

Step 1 – Calculate your monthly expenses: Your monthly expenses may include supplies such as toiletries (available in the Ship Shop), recreation, or malaria prophylaxis. A list of the most common expenses crew cover is below.

Step 2 – Add your irregular expenses: Your irregular expenses are one-time expenses, such as round-trip flights, costs during planned time off (for crew serving 3 months or more), and end-of service expenses.

To help you do this, feel free to download a budget worksheet below, based on your length of service.

Sample Budget Worksheets

For Crew serving less than 12 months, it’s more common to fundraise for all or most of your service at once. The worksheet will still calculate a monthly breakdown for you.

Budget Worksheet for Short-Term Crew

For Crew serving 12+ months, it’s more common to fundraise towards a monthly or annual goal. Funds for irregular expenses can be spread out and included in the monthly goal, or raised separately.

Budget Worksheet for Long-Term Crew

Expenses

Costs Covered by the Volunteer

Below are some of the most common expenses volunteers pay for.

• Round-trip airfare*
• Vaccines*
• Malaria Medication*
• Fundraising and donor care expenses*
• On-Boarding or Gateway training attendance (travel expenses)*
• International Driving Permit (as required by role)*
• Passport fees
• Personal supplies and clothing
• Spending money
• Recreation
• Souvenirs
• License renewal (as required by role)
• Re-entry (3-6 months of expenses)
• Emergency funds

* Volunteers from certain countries may need to separate their expenses into “mission-related” and “personal” categories. Your National Office will inform you if this is the case. Expenses marked with an asterisk are considered “mission-related” for these purposes.

Costs Covered
by Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships covers the cost of lodging and meals on board for all volunteers.

In addition, Mercy Ships provides a comprehensive health and travel insurance policy at no cost to all active volunteers.

Volunteer Budget Guide

Estimating Your Service Budget​

Sample Budget Worksheets​

Expenses

Costs Covered by Mercy Ships

Other Helpful Links:

Before we get started, please provide your email so we can follow up

Have you served with Mercy Ships before?

Which area best describes your experience or interest?

How long are you available to serve on board?

Volunteers must be aged between 18 and 79 years to serve with Mercy Ships

When would you be ready to serve?

Do you have a family?

What is your level of spoken English?

How did you hear about us?

Welcome back Mercy Ships Alumni!

We only accept applicants over the age of 18 and under 80 years old. There are other ways to give through donation or supporting a crew member.

What is your level of spoken English?

Serving with Mercy Ships means living respectfully in a multi-cultural community founded on Christian values.

A Quick Note on Medical Requirements

Family Separation Policy

You’re Ready to Apply!

Estimating Your Service Budget

Sample Budget Worksheets

Costs Covered
by Mercy Ships