Fees
1. What are the fees for attending a Renewal and Growth Sabbatical?
The fee structure is often modified by discounts, scholarships, and insurance considerations. (See the questions and answers below for these modifications.) The chart below shows the full fee and the “prompt-pay” discounted fee for both the 2-week and 3-week programs.
Two-Week Program (all fees include program and lodging)
- One-person, full fee: $2,750
- One-person, with prompt-pay discount: $2,475
- Couple, full fee: $3,850
- Couple, with prompt-pay discount: $3,465
Three-week Program (all fees include program and lodging)
- One-person, full fee: $3,850
- One-person, with prompt-pay discount: $3,465
- Couple, full fee: $5,500
- Couple, with prompt-pay discount: $4,950
Please note, however, that by utilizing insurance, our prompt-pay discount, and scholarship monies, the missionary or pastor may have less than half of the stated fee to pay out-of-pocket.
The fees cover all instructional sessions, group counseling, personal counseling, and housing. Food is not covered in these fees, since you will be housed in your own cottage with full kitchen facilities and will be responsible for your own meals (the exception is the July program, in which meals are furnished at a cost of an additional $200/person).
Fees for childcare – since the childcare fees are dependent on both the length of the retreat and the number of children involved, please contact our office for a summary of these fees.
Fees for transportation to/from the airport is $35 each way for the Kalamazoo Airport (code: AZO) and $50 each way for the Grand Rapids Airport (code: GRR).
2. What about insurance — Does it cover the counseling at Alongside?
Most pastors and missionaries are part of an insurance plan that covers at least part of Alongside’s fees. Even an insurance plan that is quite conservative in its coverage is likely to cover a minimum of $750 of Alongside’s fee. Most insurance plans would pay somewhere between $1,000 and $1,600. A few generous insurance plans would pay $1,800 – $2,000. One denomination that utilizes our services fairly frequently has an insurance plan that pays 100% of our fees, including lodging! Now that’s generous!
3. Where does the rest of the money usually come from?
Very often one’s church or denomination or mission board has funds available to pay part or all of the cost. Alongside is very willing to assist you in writing a letter to request such help. Additionally, there are often need-based scholarships available from our scholarship fund.
4. What about scholarships?
We have some very generous donors who do not want to see any pastor or missionary prevented from coming because of cost. After assessing your situation, we offer need-based scholarships according to your income bracket and fund availability. We believe that your own church or mission board or family is the first place to go in seeking financial help, but when such help is not forthcoming or is insufficient, we seek to provide the remaining need from our scholarship fund. If you believe you need scholarship help, ask for a scholarship application.
5. What is the “ prompt-pay” discount?
If your bill is paid in full within 30 days of the end of the Renewal and Growth Sabbatical that you attend, you will receive a substantial discount. Please see the chart near the top of the page for exact figures.
