Understanding the management of a nonprofit's funds is essential to trust it, which is why Freepackers transparently explains how cost management is organized.
The budget is determined by:
It is difficult to include indirect costs for each project individually. To optimize project management, these costs are averaged over the year and then distributed across all projects.
Here are some examples of hidden costs in all projects:
• Bank fees: managing bank accounts and international transactions.
• Project audit fees: on-site audits carried out by our team to validate partner organizations and ensure project transparency and efficiency.
• Project management fees: our team is actively involved in all projects, providing continuous support and oversight.
• Flexibility guarantees: Freepackers provides guarantees to adapt to changes in dates or programs, offering assistance in case of unforeseen events, allowing for program adjustments rather than cancellations.
• Exchange rate guarantees: currency fluctuations can significantly impact project budgets, and we take measures to ensure cost stability despite fluctuations in certain countries (Argentina, South Africa).
• Local authority compliance: we ensure compliance with all local regulations, which adds costs and administrative procedures.
• Liability insurance: to protect our organization and members, we maintain liability insurance.
Let’s take the example of an animal shelter project in Argentina to understand the importance of indirect costs.
Example: fees retained by the receiving banks and exchange rate costs (approximately 13% of the total budget):
• Total budget €2,100
• Freepackers Care donation €500
• Balance to transfer to Argentina €1,600
• Bank fees (receiving) €150
• Remaining balance €1,450
• Official exchange rate – converted to Argentine Pesos AR$1,334,000
• Project donation AR$850,000 (approximately €850)
• Volunteer logistics AR$484,000 (approximately €480)
Volunteer logistics are organized by a local partner organization and include taxes, local transportation, implementation of safety protocols and first aid across all projects, training and provision of local supervisors and coordinators, insurance, and equipment.
The more specialized the project, the more resources are needed (vehicles, telemetry, in vitro analyses, veterinarians, caretakers…), which affects the program cost. The local cost of living also determines logistical expenses.
This is why a mission in Australia will be more expensive than a mission in Thailand.
Going solo or in a group on a sustainable development project requires significant resources (logistics, supervision, equipment, a reliable organization). Paying to participate in a humanitarian trip can be seen as a barrier, so Freepackers is committed to helping you.
We continuously monitor all financial support options for international mobility. Our goal is to make international experiences accessible to as many people as possible and to provide information on all available resources.
Using Freepackers Care also means gaining access to information on scholarships and mobility grants, aimed at democratizing humanitarian action.
Do you have a funding goal? It’s achievable, you just need to:
We send hundreds of students and young people on projects every year. All of them manage to arrange the resources needed to make their dream a reality.
So why not you?
You understand, the costs we apply are tied to real needs to fund the programs we support. In return, here is a summary of Freepackers' guarantees:
We are an independent organization, receiving no assistance from the state or our partner organizations; the sustainability of Freepackers relies solely on the financial contributions of participants.
Over the last ten years, we have donated over €1,300,000 to our partner NGOs. Your contribution doesn’t just fund your project but also supports all the initiatives set up by Freepackers. It’s a great way to give even more meaning to your humanitarian journey.
Each project is selected based on strict criteria to ensure that financial contributions have a lasting impact. The projects we support must employ more than 50% local staff and demonstrate a co-management system with local communities.
To guarantee your safety, applying a pricing structure is necessary. It enables us to mobilize professionals (biologists, nurses, masons, architects…) to supervise you, assist you 24/7, guide you in your tasks, manage the projects, and ensure that the set objectives are achieved.
We are a small team of 10 people, and we ensure meaningful, high-quality international mobility.
Freepackers takes care of the complicated tasks for you:
We free you from the stress of logistics so you can focus solely on fully enjoying your trip.
This budget is justified by:
Our long-term partners regularly host international participants.
You will always find a position available for you, depending on your profile and travel dates.
Projects have been visited to ensure missions with real impact and reliable, experienced local teams. We work only with trusted individuals known to the entire Freepackers team, who travel the world to find the best projects.
We focus on learning and exchange projects; this is not humanitarian aid. Rescue, assistance to people in danger, or emergency relief is not part of our scope. We also do not claim to eradicate poverty, injustice, or inequality.
We simply aim to contribute to making the world a better place through targeted and local actions at our level.
