The Fifth National Conference on Philanthropy: How Is the Approach to Giving Changing, and Where Do Women’s Rights Fit In?
The National Conference on Philanthropy serves as a bridge between the civil and business sectors, offering participants the opportunity to connect more deeply and learn about the latest trends in philanthropy. This event also highlights relevant topics that attract donors and explores effective techniques for building long-term cross-sectoral partnerships. Over the course of two days, donors and organizations exchanged insights, conclusions, and recommendations, all aimed at strengthening long-term cooperation.
The first day of the conference followed a more traditional approach, with a series of panels on topics such as giving trends in Serbia, youth participation in philanthropy, fundraising for women’s rights, and the role of media in promoting giving for common good. The second day provided organizations with the opportunity to present themselves directly to companies, practicing concise presentations for maximum impact.
One of the key conclusions of the conference was that corporate donations have declined since the pandemic, further impacted by the current economic situation. However, long-term partnerships between the civil and profit sectors, though rarer, remain invaluable for creating effective and much-needed support in various fields.
Stana Božović, State Secretary at the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, highlighted the government’s commitment to supporting philanthropy development, primarily through legal and fiscal frameworks. She emphasized the state’s determination to continue improving conditions for philanthropy in partnership with the civil sector.
Sean MacLeay, Deputy Director of the Office for Democratic and Economic Growth at USAID Serbia, commended Serbia’s progress in philanthropy, noting its high ranking of 29th place on the World Giving Index despite economic challenges.
Milka Damjanović, Executive Director of the Trag Foundation, emphasized one of the foundation’s most concrete achievements: over the years, civil society organizations and community foundations in Serbia and the region, through Trag’s fundraising programs, have managed to raise 1.3 million Euros from citizens and companies that the Trag Foundation matched, which they gave back to their communities through various projects.
The conference also presented findings from research conducted by the Trag Foundation titled “Corporate Social Responsibility in the Service of Women’s Empowerment in Montenegro”. The results indicate an increase in donations to organizations working to combat violence against women, with significant participation from the business sector. Jovana Hajduković from the Safe Women’s House Podgorica stated that Montenegro’s business sector recognizes gender equality and women’s empowerment as key areas of their philanthropic activities, with prominent topics including equal pay, support for women in rural areas, women’s health, girls’ empowerment, and support for mothers.
A special guest at the conference was Andrijana Vešović Zombijana, a renowned Montenegrin visual artist who has supported the work of Podgorica’s Safe Women’s House for many years as both a citizen and an artist. “Through my work with the Safe Women’s House, I have learned a lot about violence and, specifically, about how to communicate sensitively on this topic. This approach is part of my work, through which I aim to impact public awareness,” Zombijana said.
The conference was a dynamic blend of insights, networking, and collaboration, all aiming to create a more favorable framework for the development of philanthropy and the creation of a resilient civil society.
The National Conference on Philanthropy is organized within the „Inspire 2 Action“ project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and implemented by Trag Foundation in partnership with CRTA, the National Youth Council of Serbia, BeFem, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, and the Serbian Philanthropy Forum.