Erasmus+ FUNdRAISING: 4th partner meeting in Vienna
The fourth and final transnational partner meeting as part of the Erasmus+ project ‘FUNdRAISING – Professional qualification of fundraisers in social organisations in Europe’ took place in Vienna from 24 to 26 September 2025. It was hosted by Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna. A total of 20 experts from Caritas associations in Cologne, Bonn, Trieste, Alba Iulia and Vienna took part in the meeting. The meeting marked the successful conclusion of two years of intensive European cooperation on the professionalisation of fundraising in social organisations.
The content-related kick-off took place on 24 September 2025. After a welcome by Klaus Schwertner, Director of Caritas Vienna, the participants were given an insight into the diverse range of tasks carried out by Caritas in the Austrian capital. Subsequently, all partner organisations presented their current fundraising activities and developments. The contributions impressively demonstrated how the ideas from previous meetings had been put into practice in the respective institutions – from individual fundraising campaigns and strategic partnerships to digital donation campaigns.
In the afternoon, the programme included excursions to Caritas Vienna’s social institutions, which are financially supported by fundraising activities. The participants first visited the ‘Gruft’ care centre, which offers homeless people a place to go, advice and care. The subsequent visit to the ‘Shop mit Ziege’ on Mariahilfer Straße showed a successful example of social entrepreneurial fundraising, where high-quality products with social added value are sold. The day ended with a visit to the Caritas second-hand shop ‘Carla’ on Stephansplatz, where the focus was on the combination of sustainability, social commitment and fundraising.
The second day (25 September) was devoted to practical expert input and best practice examples. The press and social media team at Caritas Vienna presented successful strategies for public relations and digital communication in fundraising. Barbara Lindtfeld from the Diocesan Caritas Association in Cologne then presented her activities in the area of legacy giving fundraising. Caritas Vienna in particular showed great interest in the approach and the successes achieved in Cologne to date. Further project visits followed in the afternoon: at the Caritas day centre ‘Am Himmel’, participants gained insights into the connection between social agriculture, workshop work and donation projects. A visit by the Caritas Vienna street work team to the youngCaritas Actionfabrik illustrated how fundraising specifically contributes to supporting low-threshold assistance services for people on the streets.
The final day (26 September) began with a group work phase in which all partner organisations developed creative fundraising ideas for real challenges. This form of work made it possible to bring together experiences from different national contexts and develop practical solutions. Afterwards, the participants reflected on the key learning experiences from the specialist presentations and visits. In a joint session, the results of the entire project were summarised and prospects for continuing the cooperation were discussed.
Finally, the partners thanked each other for their constructive, reliable and trusting cooperation over the past two years. The meeting ended with a joint lunch at the magdas Hotel Vienna City, an integration enterprise for people with disabilities, which thus stands as a symbolic location for social innovation and successful integration.
The final meeting in Vienna brought the Erasmus+ FUNdRAISING project to a successful conclusion. It provided a forum for professional exchange, practical insights and strategic reflection. Particularly noteworthy was the diversity of the Caritas institutions in Vienna, which impressively demonstrated how professional fundraising can provide sustainable support for social work. The meeting not only strengthened the professional networking of the European partners, but also underlined the importance of joint learning processes for the further development of fundraising in social organisations.
