Sisterhood Travel Fund – FAQ
Building memories together with less stress, more joy, and shared financial preparation.
Overview & Table of Contents
- What If I Need a Refund or Want to Leave the Fund?
- What If I Miss Several Months of Contributions?
3. What happens if we’re ready to book parts of the trip but contributions are uneven? How do we handle this fairly?
- What Happens If the Trip Gets Canceled?
- What If I Skip a Trip?
- Can I Contribute More Than $10?
- How Are Decisions Made?
- What If I Disagree With a Decision or Have Concerns?
Purpose & Participation
What Is the Purpose of the Fund?
The Travel Fund was created to help us—Spring 2000 Line Sisters—travel together with less stress, more joy, and shared financial preparation. It allows us to plan ahead, show up for one another, and create lifelong memories without last-minute money concerns.
Who Can Participate?
- This fund is exclusively for members of the Spring 2000 Line.
- Partners, friends, or family members may only be included in trips or contributions if approved by group vote.
Contributions & Tracking
How Do We Contribute?
- The standard monthly contribution is $10, unless changed by group vote.
- Contributions are optional, and there is no penalty for missing a month.
- If you skip a month, you can catch up later if you choose.
- Contributions are optional, and there is no penalty for missing a month.
- If you skip a month, you can catch up later if you choose.
When sending your contribution, label it like this: "Your Name – July 2025 Travel Fund" (Name, month, and year must be included for tracking.)
You can send your contribution via:
- Zelle
- Venmo
- Direct bank transfer to the group SoFi account
Please contribute by the 15th of each month to allow for smooth and consistent tracking.
How Is It Tracked?
- All contributions are recorded in a shared Google Sheet Contribution Tracker.
- The tracker includes each participant's name and their monthly contribution history.
- Only the fund managers (Athena Payne and Robin Semien) can edit or update the tracker.
- Everyone else has view-only access for full transparency.
- If you believe there's an error or need a correction, email Athena at [email protected].
- The tracker includes each participant's name and their monthly contribution history.
- Only the fund managers (Athena Payne and Robin Semien) can edit or update the tracker.
- Everyone else has view-only access for full transparency.
- If you believe there's an error or need a correction, email Athena at [email protected].
Monthly reminders are sent on the 14th of each month to help you stay on track. We also encourage you to set a personal reminder a week in advance so you can prep your finances and contribute with ease.
Fund Management
Where Are the Funds Stored?
- Contributions are housed in a dedicated SoFi joint checking account.
- Sub-accounts (for individual trips or special purposes) will only be created if the entire group agrees.
- Only the designated Fund Managers (Athena Payne and Robin Semien) have access to the account.
- Sub-accounts (for individual trips or special purposes) will only be created if the entire group agrees.
- Only the designated Fund Managers (Athena Payne and Robin Semien) have access to the account.
Who Can Spend From the Account?
Only the fund managers (Athena or Robin) may access and use the SoFi debit card. They will only spend on group-approved expenses. All receipts will be logged, and a post-trip expense summary will be shared with the group.
Travel Spending & Limitations
How Are Funds Used?
Funds may only be used for agreed-upon, group-related travel expenses, such as:
- Lodging
- Group excursions or activities
- Shared meals or transportation
Funds will not be used to book individual flights, as flight costs vary and complicate redistribution.
No part of the fund can be used for personal, solo, or non-approved expenses.
All trip decisions and expenses must be discussed and approved by the group.
Can the Card Be Used Internationally?
Yes—with the following limitations:
- The SoFi debit card can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
- ATM withdrawals are allowed, but only two international ATM fees are reimbursed per month.
- There are no foreign transaction fees.
- International wire transfers are not supported.
Refunds, Exits & Uneven/Missed Contributions
What If I Need a Refund or Want to Leave the Fund?
Refunds are limited to maintain fairness and protect the integrity of group planning.
- Refunds may only be requested before any bookings or deposits are made.
- Once bookings are made, your contribution becomes non-refundable and will be applied toward your portion of the trip costs.
- You may only request one refund per calendar year, unless the group agrees otherwise.
- If you are exiting the fund entirely, send a 30-day written notice to the group and the fund managers at [email protected].
- Any unused, uncommitted funds will be refunded after notice.
What If I Miss Several Months of Contributions?
- No problem. No pressure. No judgment.
- Your missed months will simply be noted on the tracker.
- You can catch up later if you choose to re-engage in upcoming trip planning.
What happens if we’re ready to book parts of the trip but contributions are uneven? How do we handle this fairly?
To keep things organized and fair, we’ll use SoFi vaults to set aside money for each part of the trip (lodging, activities, group meals, etc.). Each vault will have a specific budgeted amount per person.
Before any booking is made, fund managers will check each member’s total contribution against the trip’s budget requirements. If someone’s contribution is less than the amount needed, they will need to:
- Pay the difference in order to participate in that portion of the trip
- Or opt out of having their part of the expense covered by the group fund and pay for it separately (if they still plan to attend)
This approach makes it easy to organize who is included in each booking based on actual contribution, without requiring extra math or judgment at the time of planning. Each vault shows exactly what’s needed and who is covered.
This system ensures:
- Everyone pays fairly based on what they’ve contributed
- No one’s covering another person’s cost without agreeing to it
- Fund managers can book confidently, knowing all shares are accounted for
If you ever have a question about your contribution status before a trip, just reach out. We’ll always handle it with grace and transparency.
Planning, Voting & Decisions
What Happens If the Trip Gets Canceled?
If the entire trip is canceled before any funds are spent:
- Your contributions will be rolled over to the next trip, unless the group votes to refund all unused funds.
If some bookings were already made, the used portion is non-refundable, and remaining funds may be rolled forward or partially refunded.
What If I Skip a Trip?
- If you're actively contributing but choose not to go on a specific trip, your balance stays in the fund for the next experience.
- You do not need to request a refund if you're staying in the group.
Can I Contribute More Than $10?
Absolutely. You can add more at any time—just label your transfer as a bonus (e.g., "Bonus – Your Name – July 2025"). Any surplus may go toward group upgrades, surprise gifts, or covered incidentals—based on group consensus.
How Are Decisions Made?
- All major decisions (trips, policy changes, use of funds) are made by group vote.
- Voting can happen through text, poll, or virtual meeting.
- Everyone's voice matters, and we aim for full agreement before moving forward.
Questions or Concerns
What If I Disagree With a Decision or Have Concerns?
- All concerns will be handled with kindness, honesty, and clarity.
- Bring it up in the WhatsApp group chat, email Athena directly, or request a time to talk.
- This fund is built on trust and sisterhood—we always aim for mutual understanding.
Contact
Questions, updates, or corrections? Email Athena at [email protected].
We're building memories—not stress. Let's keep showing up for each other with grace, joy, and good energy.