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Description
Turul Madar Association has been active for 13 years, in the field of non-formal education, addressing children and youngsters from Covasna county. Through this project we want to enter a new stage of organizational development for the next 5 years in order to strengthen organizational capacity and sustainability, for a period of 24 months, by implementing a fundraising strategy, by organizing 4 specific fundraising activities and by implementing a philanthropic consulting process and an exchange of experience, involving 1 partner from Romania and 1 partner from Iceland. Our project aims to form a network of donors, consisting of 1400 individuals and 15 legal entities, which will contribute and support 2 civic causes constantly present in the life of the association: -development of life skills among children from disadvantaged backgrounds (with social problems, rural environment, single-parent families, institutionalized) through an after-school program, which involves about 90 children, aged 7-14 years, respectively – raising responsibility and developing vital skills among disadvantaged youngsters (with social problems, rural environment, single-parent families, institutionalized) aged 15-19 years, through educational and volunteering program, involving about 70 young people from Covasna County, every year. After a professional evaluation of our NGO, carried out by external experts, it become obvious the lack of differentiated incomes in the association – others, than non-refundable grants. The project comes in favor of avoiding financial gaps created by inconsistent grants and by national/local budget instability. Our revenues apart from grants, originate from local sponsorships or from the redirection of 3.5% of the annual tax, but these in October 2020 reach only 7% of the total revenues of the association. Through the proposed activities we want the diversification of funding sources to become of strategic importance.
Summary of project results
The project addressed essential needs of the organization such as financial sustainability, diversification of funding sources, and volunteer engagement, as well as challenges related to strengthening the relationship with the local community and developing skills in fundraising (FR) and volunteer management.
The activities carried out included hiring a professional fundraiser, collaborating with organizations from Romania and SEEDS Iceland for knowledge transfer, and organizing an exchange program in Iceland. Additionally, four community fundraising methods were tested: an SMS campaign, donation boxes, a community event, and the development of a network of individual and corporate donors. The SMS campaign generated 415 messages, while donation boxes were placed in 20 locations. The community event “Compass – Path to Community” attracted over 300 participants, and the NEXT program involved 16 young people and 16 companies.
At the organizational level, the project team developed a five-year fundraising strategy and launched a dedicated section on the organization''s website to facilitate donations and provide relevant information. Results included significant increases in donations, by 410.20% in 2022 and 318.36% in 2023 compared to 2020, as well as sponsorship growth of 126.25% in 2022 and +252.28% in 2023. The organization expanded its base of volunteers and sponsors and won third place at the Gala of Covasna Superlatives, based on community votes.
The SEEDS Iceland partner provided support in volunteer management and fundraising, facilitating the exchange of best practices and strengthening bilateral relations. Additionally, the Brașov Community Foundation conducted an organizational audit, developed the long-term fundraising strategy, and offered tailored consultancy to meet the organization’s needs.
The project demonstrated the positive impact of international collaboration, adaptability, and efficiency in improving financial and organizational sustainability. It also enhanced the organization’s visibility and stability within the local community.