Global Village payment and cancellation policies

Thank you for choosing to serve with Habitat for Humanity! Below you will find details about our payment policies, which apply to all U.S. Global Village and Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide donors and volunteers.

What is included in your program donation

Each program has a required donation that covers most costs associated with your program participation, including accommodations, meals, ground transportation, travel accident and sickness insurance and trip cancellation insurance (international programs only). The program donation also includes a direct contribution to the Habitat for Humanity country/affiliate program you are visiting to facilitate Habitat’s work, even when no volunteers are present.

Deposit and balance

Once you join a Global Village or Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide program, you will confirm your spot by submitting a nonrefundable and nontransferable deposit to Habitat for Humanity. The remaining balance is due no later than 45 days before departure and is also nonrefundable. If you are joining a team from a school, church, workplace, Habitat affiliate or other organization, please confirm the deposit amount and payment process with your team leader and understand that it is nonrefundable.

If your program must be canceled (by you or by Habitat for Humanity)

Any U.S. Global Village or Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide program will be subject to the following conditions:

All payments made towards programs are considered donations and are unable to be refunded, even if you must cancel, or Habitat for Humanity International must cancel or postpone your program. However, Habitat for Humanity has expanded our level of insurance coverage for volunteers travelling on U.S. Global Village and Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide international programs. If your U.S. Global Village or Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide international program is canceled, after you have paid your donation in full, for a covered reason you will have two options:  

  • Habitat will hold your funds for a future Global Village or Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide program traveling within the next 11 months of your original program’s start date.
  • You will be able to submit a claim to receive compensation for your loss with a maximum compensation amount of up to $2,500. You also have the option of claiming flight costs if those costs are nonrefundable. This claim would come from the same maximum compensation amount of up to $2,500.

To ensure that we can fulfill our commitments to our partner communities and the homeowner families around the globe, we can only offer these options whether the cancellation is made by you or Habitat for Humanity International.

Please keep in mind

  • All program payments are donations to Habitat for Humanity.
    All funds paid to Habitat for Humanity towards your Global Village or Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide program whether from you or your donors are considered donations. We are unable to refund donations. We use donations from our volunteers and their supporters to provide families with safe and decent housing. 
  • For all international programs: Insurance claims can only be made by the traveling volunteer. 
    While Global Village and Habitat and Thrivent program volunteers can seek compensation through our insurance, we are unable to provide that service to donors not traveling with the Global Village or Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide program. Donors will receive documentation of their tax-deductible gift and their gifts will go to support the Global Village program and the work of Habitat in the original country program selected by the participating volunteer.
  • For Habitat and Thrivent Worldwide U.S. domestic programs: 
    Your program donation does not include trip cancellation insurance. We strongly urge you to purchase “cancel for any reason” trip cancellation insurance to cover your travel expenses in the event you have to postpone or cancel your program. There are a variety of travel insurers available in the U.S. We strongly encourage you to explore options. 
  • If you encounter a delay en route to your program destination, you can still participate in your program. 
    If missed or canceled flights cause you to miss your rendezvous with the team, our staff will assist you in connecting with your team.
    While Habitat for Humanity cannot be responsible for any expenses incurred because of travel related problems, in certain situations the purchased travel insurance will be able to cover some of your expenses for delayed participation in the program.