Making AMIGOS More Affordable

Top ways to reduce the cost of AMIGOS

Fundraising: Fundraising part of your program cost is a longstanding AMIGOS tradition, and we make it easy! Local chapter volunteers fundraise with their chapter.  Scroll down for details about fundraising for National Chapter volunteers!

Tax deductibility: The portion of your program fee that relates to direct expenses for volunteer work is tax deductible as a charitable contribution*. Estimated direct expenses range from $1,000-$1,500 for summer programs, $4,700 for Gap semesters, and $9,400 for Gap years.

529 College Savings Plans: If you enroll to earn college credit for your AMIGOS program, you can pay for AMIGOS program fees with your 529 College Savings Plan. All programs three weeks and longer are eligible to earn college credit.  Read more here.

Financial Assistance: AMIGOS offers financial assistance packages according to a sliding scale of family income. It’s easy to apply. Read more about financial assistance here.

AMIGOS Alumni Referral Program: AMIGOS alumni can earn rewards and 2025 program discounts by referring their friends and families to our programs. Learn more and sign up for your alumni referral code here! Our Outreach Team is here to support with any resources you need to spread the word.

AMIGOS Alumni Award: AMIGOS presents the Alumni Award to deserving alumni who wish to join an AMIGOS program again. Packages range from $250–$1,500 for Summer Programs and up to $3,000 for Gap Programs.

AMIGOS Leadership Award: The Leadership Award is open to first-time AMIGOS participants aged 13–19 (from anywhere in the world) who show strong leadership potential, financial need, and a passion for cultural immersion and service. Award: Up to $6,000. Note: Leadership Award applications for Summer 2025 have now closed.

*AMIGOS recommends you always consult your own tax advisor before making deductions.

Volunteer fundraising is a key tool in making your AMIGOS journey possible and has been an integral part of the AMIGOS experience for decades.  Every year, AMIGOS helps hundreds of volunteers across the country run successful campaigns, and we can help you too!  Through fundraising, you can lower the cost of AMIGOS while building valuable skills and accomplishing something you can be proud of!  All funds raised by National Chapter students directly reduce their program fees.

What does volunteer fundraising look like at AMIGOS?

There are many ways to fundraise, but AMIGOS has found the most impactful method to be the letter writing campaign.  This peer-to-peer fundraising effort uses the online platform, CauseVox. Strengthen your appeal and multiply your impact by combining the letter writing campaign with a service event! Ask donors to pledge to support you in your event.

AMIGOS provides you with tools, templates, and step-by-step guidance to help you launch your letter writing campaign.  You’ll follow seven simple steps:

1. Plan your service event
2. Compile your contact list
3. Craft your appeal letter
4. Create your CauseVox fundraising page
5. Launch your campaign
6. Follow Up
7. Send Thank You Messages

Scroll down to see all the resources available to support you!

What do National Chapter alumni have to say about AMIGOS fundraising?

“Fundraising with AMIGOS is an experience of its own, one that will seem daunting at first but proves to be smooth, simple, and rewarding. I had never fundraised before, and to be honest, the idea of asking other people for money made me pretty nervous. AMIGOS’s approach to fundraising helped me push past my uneasy feelings. They provided me with templates for writing up my letter, my fundraising page, and my thank-you letters. The AMIGOS team was also always available to answer any questions I had. Afterwards, it was just a matter of watching the donations roll in and showing appreciation to my donors! The effort you put in is the result that comes out, and I couldn’t have been prouder about how successful and smooth the whole process was.” – Dominic, Panama Volunteer, 2023

AMIGOS is committed to your success and offers many forms of support to help you with your fundraising campaign!

1. Join the National Chapter Fundraising Cohort by February 27, 2025!

AMIGOS staff will lead you and your fellow cohort members through each step of the letter writing campaign in live Zoom sessions. You’ll plan a service event, give each other feedback, troubleshoot, and keep each other on track. This is a great way to connect with other National Chapter volunteers across the country. AMIGOS staff will be available for assistance between sessions.

There will be 6 sessions, approximately 30-45 minutes each. The meeting dates will be finalized in advance of the first session based on a poll of the volunteers who register. We know life happens, and this will be a supportive and flexible environment.

Register for the 2025 National Chapter Fundraising Cohort Here!

Approximate 2025 Cohort dates are as follows:

• Week of February 23
• Week of March 2
• Week of March 9
• Week of March 16
• Week of April 13
• Week of April 20

2. Volunteer Fundraising Toolkit

The fundraising toolkit contains written guidance on how to plan and launch your letter writing campaign as well as templates that can be used to craft your appeal letter and create your fundraising page.  It also contains additional ideas for fundraisers. Download the Fundraising Toolkit here.

3. Fundraising Info Sessions & Office Hours

We’ll be offering info sessions throughout the winter and spring! The first 20-30 minutes will be an introductory presentation on AMIGOS National Chapter fundraising for new families. The last 30 minutes will be reserved for questions.

Stay tuned for fundraising info session dates!

Click here to register! 

4. Fundraising Counseling Calls

If you can’t make the info sessions or would like to speak one-on-one, please schedule a call with one of our fundraising counselors!  We’d love to speak with you and help you plan your campaign. Schedule a call here.