This free, English-language workshop was designed for NGO members seeking to strengthen their capacity in private fundraising, building partnerships with the private sector, and enhancing their organization’s financial autonomy. Participants explored how private funding can help cover operational and administrative costs, support staff, provide flexibility beyond grant deadlines, and foster innovation through pilot projects.
Through a series of interactive sessions, practical exercises, and personalized feedback, participants developed concrete fundraising skills — from creating persuasive pitch decks and designing corporate fundraising strategies, to confidently presenting ideas to donors and partners.
The workshop was led by Marija Mažić, Senior Project Manager at Reach for Change, who has extensive international experience supporting social entrepreneurs across Europe and Africa. Alongside her NGO work, Marija is also a resilience coach and shared inspiring examples and practical tools for fundraising with confidence and impact.
Organized by HUKI, the workshop served as a pre-summit event to the internationally recognized LEAP Summit (October 15–16), which gathers over 2,000 participants, speakers, and professionals from both the NGO and private sectors. Workshop participants also joined the LEAP Summit, gaining additional opportunities to network, exchange ideas, and explore cross-sector collaborations.
For participants coming from outside Zagreb, accommodation was provided from October 13th to 16th, while a total of 34 representatives from various organizations took part in the workshop.
The “Empowering NGOs for Impactful Fundraising” workshop, supported by NGO Academy, encouraged participants to explore new models of sustainability, build meaningful partnerships, and adopt a more strategic approach to fundraising — essential steps toward lasting impact and stronger civil society organizations.
