Fundraising education: your help needed

Since long ago I used to dream to become professional fundraiser. It may not sound something special in the USA or the UK, or even in other Eastern European countries, but believe me, it sounds really UNCOMMON in Lithuania. NGOs have never experienced a real need in raising money from private resources, neither anyone wished to make donation.

Some days ago I was shocked. I arranged a meeting with my old mate, amazing job in promoting cultural initiatives in Lithuania and abroad. She implements lots of cultural projects, promotes tallented people, takes care of socially weak families, organizes summer camps for institutionally cared children and lots lots of other activities. I knew she had started from zero 5 years ago, so before the meeting had looked through the website and was surprised about her achievements. I was willing her to share the secrets of her professional success and, of course, was curious about changes in her personal life. First 5 minutes of our conversation made me to rethink a lot in my further fundraising strategies. She has told she works for FREE (!), receives some personal donations for living and implements the projects for about 5.000 Euros per year. She has spent some 6 months at hospital and re-habilitation and she is almost at the limits of herself. She is not alone. There are 14.000 NGOs in Lithuania, must be some 2.000-3.000 operating actively, and hardly 20 who are able and have ever raised raise money on their own.

This scaring situation is stipulated by long time international foundations, foreign organizations, and in some cases, the government project funding policy. 15 years of transitional period before the access to the European Union had to teach us to raise money ourselves. Unfortunately, we have just learned to fill in the funding forms and wait for response. We have never been taught to develop our organizations and skills, we have never been asked to follow the financial status and watch financial sustainability. The government, apart from senseless “2 percent” law has done nothing to promote sponsorship neither invested (nor is now investing) any single Litas to the capacity building of our NGOs.

So, this is the situation which forced me to start fighting. My nearest plans, apart from some ordinary individual direct debit fundraising campaigns, involve a big educational campaign for NGOs with workshops and personal consultations.

Dear visitors, I kindly ask you to donate to my initiative by clicking the DONATE button on the right side. For more information on my and the Fundraising Agency‘s actitivities please contact me info@fundraising.lt. I will be glad to promote you here on this blog and, if you can help me with your advises or expertise, we may find ways to co-operate.

Finally, you can find here some websites of the most known non-governmental organizations. If you find out how, you are kindly welcome to donate for their praiseworthy and unique work.