TRIP FINANCE POLICIES

Here is an outline of Global Encounters’ policies and schedules related to the finances of your trip.

Schedule of Payments

The specific dates for your team will be sent to you with your initial invoice, but this is the general schedule.

  • $250 non-refundable deposit - to reserve spot on the team

  • $1000 - due 6 weeks before departure

  • $500 - due 4 weeks before departure

  • Remaining balance - due 1 week before departure

Donations

If you are raising support and raise more than enough for your trip (Wow! Good job!), we will set aside the extra for you for a later mission trip. We will keep these funds on hold until the end of the next calendar year after your mission trip. If they are unused at that point, we will roll them over to the scholarship fund or general budget. If you pay for your trip personally and then later raise enough donations to more than cover the remaining balance, we can refund the excess money that you paid toward the trip.

Cancellation Policy

If you have to cancel your participation (we really hope that doesn’t happen!), this is the refund structure:

• 31 or more days before departure: refund of amounts paid, less the $250 deposit

• 15–30 days before departure: refund of amounts paid, less $500

• 14 days or fewer before departure: no refund, unless there is a documented medical or family emergency

In the case of a qualifying emergency, Global Encounters may, at its discretion, refund a portion of the paid amounts or apply funds toward a future mission trip, but any such accommodation is discretionary and does not waive Global Encounters’ rights to collect payment.

Cancellation does not relieve the participant of responsibility for amounts already due or for non-recoverable costs incurred on the participant’s behalf.

Global Encounters’ cancellation policies do not apply to airline tickets. Global Encounters may assist the participant in seeking a refund or airline credit; however, refunds or credits are not guaranteed and depend on airline policies. Such assistance is discretionary and does not create a refund obligation.