Hearts and Money Beyond Borders

The book is based on the experiences of more than twenty authors – development and humanitarian workers, fundraisers, and consultants. The core of the publication is based on case studies which offer a reflection of hands-on accounts and inspiration for others to follow. Of the wide spectrum of topics out there, in collecting materials for this work, we decided to concentrate on four areas that we believed are of significance to conditions in Central Europe:

• Examples illustrating various aspects of fundraising for humanitarian assistance and development cooperation using both traditional and innovative methods;
• Examples of support mechanisms and strategies to aid giving;
• New methods of fundraising in digital and networked society;
• Building organisation’s trustworthiness and effectiveness through transparency and ethical behavior.

On the last topic, we offer case studies but also sample transparency guidelines and some thoughts on ethical aspects of fundraising. The transparency guidelines are based on experience from the United Kingdom and are meant as a starting point for discussion and eventual adaptation in the Central European countries. As our focus is on fundraising, we deal mostly with transparency towards donors. The thoughts on ethical aspects expand this narrow view of transparency to broaden the issue to relationship between an organisation raising funds and recipients of its help, and the responsibility connected to it. In conclusion, we offer an overview of sources – bibliography and online sources – for a more in-depth study.

Among examples from Central Europe are five case studies from Great Britain – a country with a long-standing tradition of philanthropy and the home of organisations with extensive experience with development and humanitarian assistance. The examples highlight new possibilities how to raise funds from private sources. This book covers wide-ranging experience of a number of people. At times, it is more analytical; at other times it makes references to specific examples. Also at times it describes past experience, whereas in other places it leaves an open end for the future. We hope that the book motivates and inspires its readers in presenting some useful ideas on how to approach fundraising for development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

This book was published as a part of the program Strengthening Fundraising Capacities of NGDOs in Central Europe project financed by European Union and realized with the financial help of SlovakAid.

How to quote us

MIHÁLIK, Ján (ed.) 2012. Hearts and Money Beyond Borders. Bratislava: PDCS, 2012. 355 p. ISBN 978-80-89563-02-9.