AIM FINANCIAL POLICIES

PROJECT REGISTRATION

(NOTE: The information on this page is no longer valid. If you have questions about AIM's financial policies, please contact Sara Perelman)

General Information

Adventures In Missions makes substantial monetary investments in preparation for mission projects. Often these investments must be made long in advance of the project and are not recoverable by AIM. AIM's desire is to honor the Lord in ministry, and we must be good stewards. It is therefore necessary for AIM to protect its investment by establishing and adhering to specific payment and reimbursement policies as described below.

Project costs vary depending on location and ministry opportunities, but generally include advance on-site arrangements and preparations for: lodging, food, worship leaders, training materials, T-shirts, journals, Bibles, construction materials and supervision, translation costs (where applicable) and various administrative costs.

Participant costs generally include: transportation costs, personal expenses, and craft materials for Vacation Bible School.

All AIM projects must have a minimum of twenty-five (25) participants. AIM reserves the right to cancel a project if the minimum numbers of participants are not registered. In the event AIM cancels a project, all monies paid to AIM will be applied to another project or refunded according to the church or sponsoring group's preference.

Application Deadlines and Deposits

All deposits and scheduled payments should be provided by the church or sponsoring groups.  Individual, personal checks or cash should not be sent.

Project availability is determined on a first-come, first-serve basis so it is important to ask God for confirmation of your group's mission project participation early. Early applications and early payment of fees will secure a space on your preferred project for your participants.

AIM requires a group application and deposit fee to hold participant spots on a project. The required deposit for applications and deposits received in AIMs' office on or before the Early Bird Deadline is $50 per person. (This is a non-refundable deposit that is a part of the total project trip cost.) A $25.00 per person late fee is required for applications and deposits received after the Early Bird Application Deadline. (This $25 late fee is in addition to the stated project trip cost.) Application deadlines are as follows:

Participant Changes

Adding Individuals:
If you wish to add individual participants, you must call your Church Mobilization Representative to find out if space is available. If space is available, then send additional applications and deposit fees, accompanied by an Add/Drop Replacement Form. Participant names can be changed without additional charge as long as the total number of participants does not change and appropriate documentation is submitted for all participants. All additions must be submitted and received in AIM's office on or before the 46th day prior to the project start date. Forms may be submitted by e-mail, fax or mail. Name changes only may be made between the 46th day and the 8th day prior to the project start date. The project will be "closed" to any participant changes 8 days prior to the start of the project. If more participants than the total number registered for the project show up at the project site, a fee of $100 per additional participant will be assessed in addition to the full project cost. Upon arrival at your project site you will be required to sign in to receive an ID tag.

Dropping Individuals:
If an individual participant drops out of the project, you must call your Church Mobilization Representative and submit the Add, Drop, Replacement Form by e-mail, fax or mail. In order to maintain auditable records, accounting must have this form in written format.

Remember when you apply for a project you are making a commitment to God, the host church pastor and his congregation. Since our projects are filled on a first come first serve basis, when your application is accepted for a project, you have committed to a time of service that possibly someone else may have felt called to fill. If an individual participant later drops out they will be leaving a void unless an appropriate replacement participant is found. With this in mind, along with the factor of AIM’s investments of time and finances in preparing projects, we must impose the following individual drop fee schedule.

• If the total number of individual participants is reduced between 61 and 90 days before the project start date, you be responsible to pay 50% of each dropped participants project cost after application deposit
• If the total number of individual participants is reduced between 46 and 60 days before the project start date, you will be responsible to pay 60% of each dropped participants project cost after application deposit.

If an individual participant drops out after the 46 th day prior to the project, no deposits or fees will be refunded or credited. You will have up to the 8 th day prior to the start of your project to find a replacement participant.

Project Payments

After paying the application fee the balance of the project costs are to be paid in three installments as outlined below. The first installment will be due 90 days before the start date of the project, the second payment will be due 60 days before the start date of the project, and any remaining balance will be due 30 days before the first date of the project. Final invoices for your project will be processed and submitted to you 45-40 days prior to your trip in order for you to meet the final payment terms.

Late Fees
If the full amount of the project has not been received 30 days prior to the start of the trip, a 10% late fee will be assessed.

Project Cancellations by a GROUP

Please pray and keep in mind that when you applied for your project you made a decision to drawer nearer to God. At the same time you made a commitment to God to join AIM and other in carrying His love and message to a particular group of God’s people who are eagerly awaiting to host you as brothers and sisters in Christ. Please consider the time and expenses that have gone into preparation for your group’s trip. Not only do you and AIM have much invested in your project financially but there may be another church that is scheduled to go with you. In addition AIM invests both time and finances into building relationships with our host churches and pastors. It is very difficult to explain to a pastor that we will be unable to fulfill our commitment to him and the members of his church. This is especially hard for those whose kids are excitedly waiting for Vacation Bible School.

If after careful thought and prayer, your group decides to withdraw from participation, your notification of cancellation must be received by AIM on your church or organization letterhead prior to the 80 th day before the scheduled start date of the project. You may fax, e-mail or mail your notification to us. We will use the date postmarked on the envelope, the date stamp from the fax machine, or the date from the e-mail received to calculate refunds or late payment fees. Groups that cancel a project less than 80 days prior to the scheduled start date will be responsible for the entire cost of the project

Application fees and scheduled payments received by AIM are transferable or fully refundable if AIM must cancel the project.

Transportation

You are responsible for the cost of travel to and from all project locations (or designated AIM meeting places). Ground transportation expenses are not included in project cost unless stated otherwise (for example, overseas projects). Further policies below may pertain to your project.

• Matamoros and Reynosa Projects: AIM has transportation available on a first come first serve basis for the following projects. You may choose either to use your own transportation on these two projects or let AIM provide it for you at the per person, per week costs shown below. This charge includes all project-related local transportation for the project and to and from the airport. Fees are based on the location of your arrival and departure as indicated below.
  
  • Matamoros projects arriving and departing from Harlingen, TX - $60 per participant
  • Matamoros projects arriving and departing from Brownsville, TX - $60 per participant
  • Reynosa projects arriving and departing from McAllen, TX - $60 per participant
  • Reynosa projects arriving and departing from Harlingen, TX - $75 per participant
  
  You must let your Church Mobilization Representative know if you would like transportation.

• Mexico Interior Projects: Groups should be prepared to provide for their own transportation and transportation costs (i.e. gas, tolls, Mexican insurance) on interior projects. We can provide you with lists of rental agencies, Mexican insurance agents, and driving regulations in Mexico. Please make ground travel arrangements several months in advance of your project.

• Overseas Projects: You are responsible for domestic and international airfare along with any country entry and exit fees. Ground transportation is included in the cost of your project.

• Domestic Projects: You are responsible for your own travel to, from, and during the project. AIM does not have vehicles in any of our domestic locations.

Note: AIM will not be held responsible nor pay for any charges for costs incurred as a result of speeding citations or accidents a group may incur while on the mission trip.