The international conference “Fundraising in Times of Courage” brought together more than 170 participants and over 30 international and Bulgarian speakers. The event was dedicated to one of the most important questions facing civil society organizations today: how causes can raise support in times of uncertainty, tension and rapid social change.
Olya Malinova, known as the “Minister of Happiness”, opened the event by bringing the conversation about giving back to the time of the Bulgarian National Revival, reminding the audience that support for common causes has always been part of our history.
Kay Sprinkel Grace, an international expert with more than 40 years of experience in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, spoke about sustainable leadership, personal responsibility and the need for fundraisers not to forget their own energy, values and joy. One of the key lessons from this session was that fundraising does not begin with money, but with relationships — with trust, meaning and the ability of the donor to feel part of the change.
Paul de Gregorio from Rally introduced another key topic — the digital mobilization of mass support. In a world where public attention is increasingly won through short, powerful and emotional messages, civil society organizations cannot afford to speak quietly. His call was clear: causes must use values as a magnet, tell simpler stories, remove barriers to action and invite people not only to donate, but to participate — with their time, voice, networks and support.
“Civil society organizations should not abandon the complexity of the issues they work on, but they must speak in a way that enables people to act. In the battle for attention, clear messages, strong values and easy steps for participation win.”
The business presence in the program was particularly strong. The panel “Business Alliance for Strategic Support of Good Governance and Democratic Institutions” presented examples from Czechia and Slovakia of how business leaders can support civil society organizations working for transparency, good governance and democratic institutions. The discussion featured Michal Kiša from Pontis Foundation and Martin Vohánka from Alliance for Modern State, and was moderated by Lyuben Panov from the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
Special attention should be given to the participation of Martin Vohánka — one of the most prominent entrepreneurs and philanthropists in Czechia, founder of Eurowag and co-founder of Alliance for Modern State, the Independent Journalism Foundation and BLÍŽKSOBĚ Foundation. His example showed how business can be not just a donor, but a strategic partner in defending democratic institutions and modernizing society. Vohánka spoke about the responsibility of entrepreneurs to invest not only in economic growth, but also in the environment that makes this growth possible — the rule of law, education, trust, independent media and strong civil society organizations.
Martin Vohánka emphasized: “There is no sustainable business without a sustainable state, trust in institutions and a strong civil society. To invest in Bulgaria means to invest in its future.”
The topic of business partnerships continued with an address by Nancy Schiller from the America for Bulgaria Foundation and a CEO Talks panel moderated by Anna Korzeniewska from the Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe. The panel featured Peter Tornev from Accenture Bulgaria, Vladimir Nikolov from FANTASTICO, Petya Dimitrova from Postbank, and Vanya Manova from Mastercard. The discussion outlined an important conclusion: partnerships between civil society organizations and companies do not end with a logo on a poster or a one-time donation. They can include expertise, technology, volunteering, access to networks, joint campaigns and long-term investments in social change.
The afternoon program continued with parallel sessions exploring fundraising from different perspectives. Linda Harwood-Compton from Latch Fundraising spoke about the next generation of donors — millennials and Gen Z — who expect transparency, authenticity, a digital experience, visible impact and opportunities to participate not only with money, but also through action. In the session on artificial intelligence, Atanas Raykov from Rakuten Viber raised the question of how AI tools can support fundraising without replacing human trust and ethical responsibility.
The session on the financial sustainability of civil society organizations in Central and Eastern Europe presented experience from Slovakia, Poland and Czechia through Eduard Marček and Andrzej Pietrucha. The discussion focused on the development of individual giving, mechanisms for sustainable support, digital channels and the need for a stronger culture of giving in the region.
Another important panel was dedicated to the NGO brand and the role of advertising and communication agencies. Gergana Ivanova from The Smarts, Iva Grigorova from Publicis Bulgaria, and Ivelina Gicheva from The Convo discussed how civil society causes can tell their stories in a stronger, clearer and more impactful way. The conclusion was clear: a good cause also needs good communication, because in an environment of information noise, meaning must be translated into a language that people can hear and recognize.
In the session on bold NGO campaigns, Maria Tsantsarova from “Off Air”, Peter Dimitrov from A to Jazz, and Denitsa Rukanova from the Anti-Corruption Fund showed how campaigns can go beyond familiar boundaries, address difficult topics and turn public attention into real support.
The final parallel session was dedicated to the social impact of fundraising and the question of why it is important to measure the effect of our work. Lora Lalova from Generali Insurance Bulgaria, Ivo Bosev from the America for Bulgaria Foundation, and Violeta Nedeva from Telerik Academy Foundation discussed how organizations can present the results of donations in a way that builds trust and motivates continued support.
The final highlight was once again delivered by Kay Sprinkel Grace with the plenary lecture “The Only Constant is Change: More Than Ever, You Matter”. She reminded the audience that civil society organizations are not a “third sector” on the periphery of society, but should be seen as a “third partner” — an equal participant alongside the state and business in solving public problems.
“Fundraising in Times of Courage” showed that the sustainability of civil society organizations does not depend only on techniques, campaigns and tools. It depends on trust, clear values, powerful stories, long-term partnerships and people who have the courage to ask for support for meaningful causes. And when civil society, business and the international community sit at the same table, fundraising stops being merely a mechanism for resources. It becomes a shared language for change.
The conference was initiated by Fundraising Club Bulgaria and organized by the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law, with the financial support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, within the project “Stronger Together: Engaging Other Sectors in Civil Society Initiatives”. The event was held in collaboration with the European Fundraising Association and the Social Impact Alliance for Central and Eastern Europe, with partners including Accenture Bulgaria, FANTASTICO, Vivacom, Merkato, myPOS, and The Democratizing Innovation Institute.
