• Learn
  • About the Program
  • Past Trips
  • Upcoming Trips
  • Important Dates
  • Photo Gallery
• Volunteer
  • As a Coordinator
  • As a Facilitator
  • As an Advisor
  • As a Participant
  • Propose a Trip
  • Application Tips
  • Leader Resources
• Contribute
  • Become a Sponsor
  • Upcoming Fundraisers

Propose a Trip

We have heard lots of great ideas out there from participants for trips, and we greatly encourage this. If you have a great idea or something your passionate about, then take a look at the proposal process and get working. Proposals submitted before August 15, 2007 will be considered for the coming year. Any alternative break sponsored by Willamette University must submit a trip proposal and be approved by our office. This is to ensure all safety and liability issues are addressed. We cannot guarantee that all proposed sites will be selected but if you turn in all required materials we will definitely give your proposed trip some serious consideration.

Please note that by proposing a trip you are agreeing to lead the trip yourself with a co-leader that either you select, or that we select for you through an application process. Please let us know if you are interested in proposing a site so we can support you in the development process. Feel free to contact Mikki Trowbridge or the Community Service Learning office if you have any questions or need assistance.

---

The following information will hopefully help guide you in the development of a complete trip proposal. You can either read and print this information from the website or download it as a Word DOC.

Site selection guidelines and criteria

• TaB trips can only be offered within the United States. International trips are not possible.
• Trips requiring flights (larger travel budgets) need to provide a compelling reason why they are being proposed for that location versus a local/Oregon option.
• All trips must focus on a social/public issue and its implications for a particular community and/or the broader public good.
• Integration of service and learning.
• Trips are selected to provide a range of opportunities and a diversity of topics.
• Prospective trips are evaluated each year based on the merit of the application and the experience of the co-leaders.
• Past trip topics are encouraged, but no preference will be given to trips based on history with the TaB program and no trips are guaranteed.

Required proposal materials

Written explanation of at least 500 words including the following information:

• What social/public issue(s) will be covered by the trip?
• What particular community will you be working with to see the implications of the issue(s)?
• Why is the location you have chosen critical to what you are trying to accomplish?
• Why do you feel passionate about pursuing this trip, the issues it deals with, and the community it involves?
• What particular skills or experiences do you have that will make you a strong leader for this trip? If you don’t presently have any applicable skills or experiences, describe what you will do to prepare yourself to lead this trip.

Housing Contact

• You need to show that there is housing for a group of at least 15 participants within a reasonable price range, preferably free or for a donation.
• The housing needs to have kitchen facilities and needs to be safe (i.e. fire alarms, locking doors, etc.)
• You need to have written confirmation (preferably an email) that you can forward with your proposal showing that you contacted the housing site and they confirmed that if the trip is approved the group can stay there.
• You do not need to make a reservation at this time.

Service Site Contacts

• Make contact and receive written confirmation (similar to the housing confirmation) from at least 5 service sites verifying that a group of 15 people (or half of the group) can work there at least once during the trip.
• Very briefly describe each of the service sites, including what type of work the group will be engaged in at that site and what issue(s) will be encountered.

Basic Schedule

• Create a very basic, very tentative schedule for the week. This shows that you have found enough service to fill up the week and also displays to us a little bit about your planning abilities.
• Make sure to leave time for fun day, travel days, and meal breaks.
• This schedule will obviously not be what actually happens as you won’t have reservations of housing or service, but it’s a good starting place.

Basic Budget Outline

• Do a little research and try to calculate rough, basic estimates for the following information:
  • Transportation (i.e. flights, gas, etc.)
  • Housing
  • Supplies
  • Food

---

This might seem like a lot of work and planning for a trip that might not even be selected, but it really helps us get a better idea of what the final trip will end up looking like. The benefit is that if the trip is selected, a good amount of your work is already done.

As you work on your proposal feel free to contact Mikki Trowbridge with any questions that you might have or if you have any need for resources or direction. Thank you in advance for your hard work and effort in creating your proposal.

If you are proposing the trip as an alumnus or other TaB community member, tell us what characteristics and experiences you think the leader of your proposed trip should have.