FUNdRAISING
„Without borders, we can unite and do more for those who need us most.”
We met with our project partners, learned from one another, exchanged experiences, and discovered local best practices. We visited social services and programs for children in Cotuș, were welcomed and spoke with Mayor Sófalvi Szabolcs. We attended the professional presentation of the Fundraising Lab, learned about the donation activities of Yuppi Camp and Solidaris Association, as well as the story of the Gemma Book Café social enterprise. Thank you to all participants for the presentations, active involvement, and many inspiring exchanges!
Urs Gabriella, a second-year Communication student at Sapientia EMTE, currently doing her internship at Caritas, interviewed Márton Melánia, deputy director of Caritas, who is mainly responsible for development, major projects, fundraising, and organizing adult training programs, about the details of the multi-day international meeting:
„This week we organized a meeting at the Caritas House within the framework of an Erasmus+ project. Caritas organizations from several countries participated, including from Germany (Caritas für das Erzbistum Köln, Caritas Bonn), Italy (Caritas Triest), and Austria (Caritas Wien). This time, Caritas Alba Iulia was the host. It was the third meeting of this international project based on experience sharing – we had previously been to Cologne and Trieste, and the closing event will be held in Vienna in September,” informed Márton Melánia.
But what was the purpose of the project?
The central theme was fundraising in civil society organizations. The goal was to explore methods and solutions and present smaller projects that enabled participants to share their experiences. Experts were also present to support NGOs in more effective fundraising. Márton Melánia highlighted the atmosphere of the event: „It was very inspiring! Each meeting has a central theme, and this time it was the psychology of fundraising. We tried to answer how a campaign affects donors. Important questions were raised: who do we want to reach, and how can we personalize our campaigns – even by generation. We paid great attention to these finer details.”
Finally, the deputy director shared her personal experience of the event: „Professionally, we made great progress. The most impactful moments were when representatives from one country responded to another’s issues. For example, the German or Viennese participants explained how they would approach a Romanian campaign. We looked at what could work in Transylvania, among Hungarian and Romanian communities. It was fascinating to see how differently we think in different parts of the world, yet we work toward the same goal.”
When we come together, real change can happen. The power of unity helps us overcome challenges and provide help more effectively. This international collaboration proves it: we can unite beyond borders and do more for those who need us most.
