Fundraising - from money to donor communities

Project facts

Project promoter:
Association for Community Relations(RO)
Project Number:
RO-ACTIVECITIZENS-0298
Status:
Completed
Final project cost:
€200,022
Other Project Partners
Fagaras Research Institute(RO)
Programme:

More information

Description

The project aims to build capacity in the nonprofit sector and its financial sustainability through: 1. building expertise in ARC training and consultancy team in delivering digital campaigns and donor care processes for other nonprofits. ARC’s expertise will be built through coaching and mentoring from international experts in the field, through hands on experience in implementing campaigns for 4 different nonprofits, through training and site-visits to international nonprofits. 2. Implementing a practical learning program for 10 nonprofits that will be capable to implement digital campaigns and donor care systems. 3. Understanding the FR practice of the nonprofit sector through an annual research of a constant group of 100 nonprofits and understanding the expectations and behavior of individual donors through a nationally representative study. The focus on the two methods comes because they are defining the trends in future and effective fundraising; however, there is very little expertise and experience in Romania in using and developing either of the two methods. Digital fundraising is the method adapted to the new generations of donors and is accessible to all nonprofits as it allows for constant adjustments and the resources invested in the method are very flexible. Donor care is an organizational process that involves constant and personalized communication with your donors, which can significantly increase their loyalty and involvement in the cause. ARC is the only organization in Romania that offers, for more than 18 years, training and consultancy in fundraising for the nonprofit sector. All the instruments, the materials and the coaching/training methods developed during the project will be used in training and consultancy processes with other nonprofits.

Summary of project results

Fundraising, from money to donor communities project took place between October 2022 and April 2024 and had as its main directions the learning activities for the Promoter''s team, the transmission and practice of the lessons learned in online learning and mentoring activities for the beneficiary organizations and carrying out of sociological studies to serve the entire NGO sector in their fundraising activity. There was a lack of expertise when it came to digital fundraising practice and implementation in the Romanian nonprofit sector. 

ARC consultants have participated in study visits in countries such as Great Britain and Norway, courses on the psychology of philanthropy and a face-to-face FR congress. The knowledge and skills acquired were used by the entire ARC team in the work with the 14 organizations selected for the FR online course and mentoring and will continue to be used in the entire work of the consultants, with hundreds of organizations in Romania. 

The quantitative study on the philanthropic behavior of the Romanians is a must-have document for any FR organization in Romania, and the studies on the FR practices of the organizations and on exceptional donors are valuable tools in the fine tuning of fundraising planning. The studies had 1459 downloads. Communication of the project and its results was done throughout the implementation, but especially in moments such as the national fundraising conference and at the launch of the studies, quantitatively and qualitatively. In the long term, the knowledge and skills acquired by the ARC consultants team and the studies carried out will be used by organizations in Romania to base their decisions on attracting resources from private sources.

Information on the projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants is provided by the Programme and Fund Operators in the Beneficiary States, who are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of this information.