Payment and Donation Policies & Procedures

This information applies to everybody who commits to a GV trip, so please read this carefully. We hope the following guide also proves helpful for those of you who are fundraising the financial support necessary to make your trip a reality. Be sure to review the information here before beginning your fundraising efforts. These guidelines are in place to ensure that you have the opportunity to join others in the mission of Habitat affiliates around the world to help build decent, affordable houses in partnership with low-income families.

Deposit and Balance
Once you are invited to join the team, you must confirm your place on the team by submitting a nonrefundable and nontransferable deposit to Habitat for Humanity International in the amount of $350. The balance of the trip payment (trip cost minus the $350 deposit) is due no later than 45 days prior to departure (July 24 and August 14)

Submitting Payments
This information is for depositing your own funds, or to give to potential donors to make deposits on your behalf.

All payments toward your trip must be made in U.S. dollars to Habitat for Humanity International, and designated to the Global Village department (see "coding" info below). Payments may be submitted by personal check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover.

You or your donors may submit funds by credit card online. Go to www.habitat.org/gv and click on the link called "Donate in Support of a Global Village Trip”. You can also submit funds by telephone by calling the GV customer service coordinator at (800) 422-4828, Ext. 7530. To submit payments online or over the phone, you and your donorws will need: a credit card number, your eight-digit Habitat ID number, and the GV event code for Mozambique, (GV10116 for Team One and GV 10117 for Team Two). Participants and donors who submit funds by credit card will receive an automatic e-mail acknowledgment that the payment was received.

Checks and money orders must be made payable to Habitat for Humanity International and mailed to:
Habitat for Humanity International
Global Village Department
P.O. Box 369
Americus, GA 31709-0369

Make sure the check or money order is coded correctly (see below). Tracking down funds that are not submitted correctly can take a tremendous amount of time and sometimes cannot be found in order to be credited to the participant.

Note: It may take up to two weeks for donations to post to your account. Your deposit and any payments you submit toward the cost of your trip will automatically be credited toward satisfying your financial obligation only when coded as per the instructions.

All donors will receive a tax-deductible receipt regardless of how the funds are submitted.

Coding Your Donations
For a donation to be credited toward your trip, your personal eight-digit Habitat ID number and GV event code for Mozambique (GV10116 or GV10117) must be included on ALL funds submitted to the Global Village program on your behalf. For online credit card payments include your eight-digit Habitat ID number and GV event code in the fields provided. For personal checks or money orders please write the eight-digit Habitat ID number above the name and address in the upper left corner of the check, and the GV event code on the memo line located in the lower left corner.
Make sure all of your donors are given this information if they intend to submit their donation directly to Habitat.
If you are uncertain of your eight-digit Habitat ID number or the GV event code, please contact your team leader.

Fund Raising Web Site
To use the fundraising web site, point your web browser to www.habitat.org/gv/create.html and in just a few minutes you can create a personalized fundraising web page for your trip. You can then direct potential donors to your web site where they can learn more about the Global Village program, HFHI and your specific trip. You can also direct potential donors to this blog. More information is in this blog on the post called Setting Up Your Fundraising Web Page.

Matching Gifts
Contact your company’s matching gift officer prior to submitting a matching gift form. Not all companies’ matching-gift policies allow for the matching of participation fees. If applying for matching gifts, notify your team leader. Note: Matching gift funds often take 6 months to be received by Habitat. Make sure your application for matching gifts is done well in advance

Tax Deductibility
Funding raised toward the cost of a Global Village trip also includes the cost of food, lodging and transportation during the trip. Only a portion of the required trip payment supports the charitable purpose of the hosting Habitat program. Depending on the participant’s country of origin, this trip’s cost may or may not be tax-deductible. Please consult a tax adviser concerning your specific situation.

Acknowledging Donations
All donors who contribute via check or money order payable to Habitat for Humanity International, or make a credit card donation designated to a Global Village team, are sent acknowledgment letters by Habitat for Humanity International. Those who donate online (via a personalized Web page or via the link “Donate in Support of a Global Village Trip”) receive a prompt e-mail confirmation that the donation was received, and will also be mailed an acknowledgement letter. Discourage your supporters from sending cash, as Habitat for Humanity International cannot acknowledge cash donations. Talk to the team leader about cash that you collect as a donation at your own fundraising events.

How to Find Out the Status of Your Account
Keep track of any funds that you submit yourself or on behalf of your donors. To know what other donations have been made to your account, contact your team leader (NOT the GV Department). The Team Leader receives updated accounting about every two weeks.

Donation checks Made Payable To You Instead of HFHI
If a donor makes a check payable to you, but would like an acknowledgment letter from HFHI, you may write “Payable to Habitat for Humanity International,” along with your signature, on the back of the check. Include the event code and your eight-digit Habitat ID number on the front of the check.
If the donor does not want an acknowledgement form, you may submit this gift yourself and receive the acknowledgement form, or, with the donor's permission, use the gift for your own personal use towards your airfare or other travel expenses. You can use cash that you receive in the same manner.

Funds Raised in Addition to the Published Trip Cost
One of the stated purposes of the Global Village program is to raise funds for the building efforts of Habitat affiliates worldwide. To remain consistent with our mission, the Global Village department is not able to roll additional funds over to a future GV trip. Habitat for Humanity International will direct any additional funding you raise (beyond the published trip cost) to additional support for the building programs in the team’s host country.

Fundraising for Airfare
As of Jan. 1, 2008, funds raised at HFHI in excess of the trip cost may no longer be used to cover all or part of a GV participant’s airfare. Participants may still be able to claim their airfare as a tax-deductible expense even if the funds are paid directly from the participant to a vendor, as long as the trip is in pursuit of a charitable purpose. Team members will need to contact a tax adviser concerning their specific situation. Team members can, however, receive "miles" in an airline mileage program as a donation. No receipt, however, can be given to the donor.

Cancellation Policy
No refunds are offered if you must cancel.

Cancellation More Than 45 Days Prior to Departure
All payments excluding the $350 deposit may be transferred for use on a future GV trip within one year of your original trip date. All cancellation notices must first be given to your team leader before notifying GV. All transfer requests must be sent in writing to the Global Village sending coordinator. Ask your team leader for more information.

Cancellation Within 45 Days of Departure
One hundred percent of your payments and donations will be retained by HFHI to meet current obligations.

If Habitat for Humanity Must Cancel
GV will make every effort to conduct the trip as scheduled; however, if Habitat for Humanity International must cancel, GV will attempt to place you on another team. If that is not possible, you may receive a full refund. Global Village cannot compensate participants for the cost of unusable airfare or any other expenses resulting from the cancellation

Delays Enroute
If delays occur enroute, or missed or cancelled flights cause you to miss your rendezvous with the team, the Global Village staff will do everything possible to assist you in connecting with the team. However, Global Village cannot be responsible for any expenses incurred due to flight problems.

Note: all team members are provided with a Trip Cancellation Insurance policy. See more information on this blog site.