Phase one of the project from fundraising think tank Rogare and Kingston University Business School has just been completed with the launch of a white paper, Death by a thousand cuts: How other actors are displacing charities from giving, asking for support, and providing help.

The paper, out now, examines the threat of disintermediation to charities, and expands the typology of disintermediation (first published in the now Journal of Philanthropy in 2023) with more examples of how other actors, especially companies, are assuming ‘doing good’ roles.

It also introduces two new ideas, exploring how who controls relationships with donors is a marker of whether disintermediation is occurring, and the concept of ‘citizen fundraisers’ – people who carry out fundraising on their own initiative outside the remit of reach of charity fundraising departments.

It considers too how philanthropy advisors, along with donor advised funds and giving cycles, can displace fundraisers from stewarding relationships with donors.

Commenting, Ceri Edwards, EFA president and executive director of engagement at the UK’s Chartered Institute of Fundraising, said:

“The concept of the ‘citizen fundraiser’ is helpful precisely because it describes something distinct from a traditional volunteer role. The evidence on peer-to-peer giving illustrates how much activity now takes place through individual fundraising pages rather than charities’ own channels. That creates opportunity, but it can also leave charities with limited visibility of, or influence over, the supporter experience.

“The answer is not to constrain people’s initiative. It is to build better routes into a charity’s mission: clear and proportionate onboarding, accessible tools and advice, appropriate safeguards, and stewardship that recognises citizen fundraisers as valued partners. If charities make engagement slow, difficult or controlling, people will go around them. But if they offer support and a compelling sense of shared purpose, they have a much stronger chance of building lasting relationships.”

Next steps

The three remaining phases of the project are as follows:

Phase 2 will explore the reasons why people might prefer to help directly, and identify the motivations and reasons that stakeholders cut charities out of philanthropic processes, with a paper expected to be published towards the end of the Northern hemisphere autumn/fall of 2026.

Phase 3 will examine the regulatory and ethical issues that emerge as disintermediation of giving, asking and service delivery becomes more widespread, with a discussion paper to be published before the end of 2026.

Phase 4 will enlist the input of the fundraising profession in identifying the ways that charities could reintermediate. Throughout 2027, this will include a series of webinars, seminars and roundtables – based on ideas from the first three phases – to gather the input of practitioners. The Chartered Institute of Fundraising in the UK will work with Rogare and Kingston University Business School on this phase and other partners will be sought in Europe.

The aim is to produce a toolkit for reintermediation towards the end of 2027 or early in 2028.

Ian MacQuillin, director of Rogare – The Fundraising Think Tank, said:

“We are all looking to grow giving and reverse what seems to be a decline in donations to charities. But what the move towards a ‘democratised’ disintermediation of charities tells us is that giving could be substantially grown, without any of that growth ever going near a charity bank account.

“Looking ahead a decade, if the majority of giving were disintermediated in a way that provided money directly to beneficiaries, would this be in the best interests of people who currently rely on the services provided by charities?

“While fully recognising that charities have no right to claim this space – that it has to be demonstrated and earned – and that in some, possibly many, cases, alternative ways of helping might indeed be the best ways, it might still be that charities are the most effective and efficient channels though which people who want to help can provide that help for those who need. If that is the case, then we need to find ways to reintermediate into the relationship and processes from which we are currently being cut out.”

Dr Rita Kottasz, associate professor at Kingston Business School, added:

“Should we accept a shrinking third sector when nonprofit mission and expertise still have so much to offer? Or is the right response to welcome more providers, precisely because the demand for help has never been greater? We need the map before we can begin to answer them.

“The beneficiaries we care most about are not donors but the people at the end of the pipeline – those who depend on well-coordinated, professionally-managed help. If charities are displaced by actors who cannot match charities’ expertise or safeguards, the risk to those people is real. If charities can understand where they have been cut out, and why, they can think far more clearly about what must change. 

“This expanded typology is the necessary first step. You cannot plan a route until you have a map.”

The whitepaper Death by a thousand cuts: How other actors are displacing charities from giving, asking for support, and providing help can be downloaded from the project page of the Rogare site.

Ali Walker Davies from Forward Action in the UK will present Hours, Not Days: How To Turn Breaking News Into Movement And Money, sharing a practical playbook for getting organisations ready, and drawing on real campaigns that mobilised thousands of supporters at speed.

In his session, Building Community-Driven Meta Ads Campaigns, Ján Plišnák from Slovakia’s PS:Digital will use real campaign case studies to show how to work strategically with Meta Ads audiences and scale crowdfunding or donation-based campaigns more effectively.

In addition, Larissa Probst, from the German Fundraising Association (Deutscher Fundraising Verband), will present Stronger Together: How A Civil Society Network Defused A Disinformation Campaign. Sharing how civil society responded when an AI-generated “exposé platform” launched by Germany’s far-right party, the AfD, sought to discredit civil society organisations, the session will also provide practical insights on rapid response, donor communication, resource sharing, and building resilient networks before the next attack occurs.

The European Fundraising4Democracy Tour will showcase campaigns defending democracy and civic space, through fundraising, crowdfunding, civic mobilisation and more. It takes place online on Tuesday 29 September, at 14.00-15.30 CEST, with a programme of speakers from across the continent.

Walker Davies, Plišnák and Probst are the latest speaker additions to the programme, which also includes:

• Gvantsa Kakauridze, Orbeliani Foundation — From Charity To Resistance: How Crowdfunding Becomes A Tool For Democracy In Georgia.
• Oriane Penny-Lepastier, Institut de l’Engagement — Funding Democratic Resilience: What Young People Taught Us About Trust And Engagement In The Age Of AI.
• Sara Tokina, Belarus Outside Sound System — Turning Music Into Solidarity: How Belarus Outside Sound System Fundraises For Democracy In Exile.
• Martina Turola, The Good Lobby Italia — Funding Democracy From The Ground Up: Lessons From A Grassroots Voting Rights Campaign.
• Antonio Vega, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre / Technological University Dublin — Pride And Prejudice: Pro-Social Preferences, Charitable Donations, And The LGBTQ+ Community.

Registration for the European Fundraising4Democracy Tour is open. Full event information here.

With civic freedoms under pressure across Europe, this event will bring together leading voices from the worlds of fundraising, crowdfunding, advocacy, and activism to present short, powerful stories of campaigns that made a difference. From grassroots mobilisation to innovative donor strategies, we’ll explore how fundraising, crowdfunding, and civic engagement can help defend democratic values.

Why attend?

• Discover real-world campaign case studies from across Europe
• Learn new tactics to mobilise supporters and raise funds for democratic causes
• Connect with peers working at the intersection of fundraising and activism

Speakers include:

• Gvantsa Kakauridze, Orbeliani Foundation — From Charity To Resistance: How Crowdfunding Becomes A Tool For Democracy In Georgia.
• Oriane Penny-Lepastier, Institut de l’Engagement — Funding Democratic Resilience: What Young People Taught Us About Trust And Engagement In The Age Of AI.
• Sara Tokina, Belarus Outside Sound System — Turning Music Into Solidarity: How Belarus Outside Sound System Fundraises For Democracy In Exile.
• Martina Turola, The Good Lobby Italia — Funding Democracy From The Ground Up: Lessons From A Grassroots Voting Rights Campaign.
• Antonio Vega, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre / Technological University Dublin — Pride And Prejudice: Pro-Social Preferences, Charitable Donations, And The LGBTQ+ Community.

More to be announced!

When and where?

This year’s Fundraising4Democracy European Tour takes place online at 14:00-15:30 CEST, on Tuesday 29 September 2026.

How to register

The EFA European Fundraising4Democracy Tour is part of a continent-wide push to mobilise the public and defend fundamental rights through the power of fundraising. Join the Tour to gain fresh strategies, real-world examples, and the inspiration you need to mobilise support where it matters most. Tickets are €49 and registration is now open.

The Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising regulation (TTPA) came into force on 10 October 2025. To assess its impact, earlier this year EFA surveyed 170 organizations across 12 EU countries. The findings are published in the report When mission messages are blocked, causes lose reach, voice and income.

Out of the 170 organizations:

• 57.6% reported an impact on online advertising
• Among follow-up respondents, 47.0% reported a decline in online donation revenue, with 18.4% experiencing a sharp decline
• Most notably, 87.8% said the main impact concerned their freedom of expression and ability to act as NGOs

The survey indicates that these effects are interconnected, simultaneously impacting fundraising performance, supporter growth, and civic voice. Four key areas are particularly affected: fundraising, reach, advocacy and public education, and organizational behaviour.

Commenting on the findings, Laurence Lepetit, EFA vice president / EFA public affairs, said:

“The report documents a clear and damaging pattern: that enforcement mainly by META platforms linked to TTPA is not only filtering political advertising, but also suppressing legitimate nonprofit communication, fundraising and public-interest advocacy across Europe.”

Also included in the report are concrete examples from across Europe. These include a Finnish Red Cross appeal featuring a Ukrainian refugee that was blocked as political content, and a family reunification message by Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR) in Spain that was rejected on the grounds that it addressed a “social issue.”

The report brings together data, cross-country trends, and real-world cases of blocked or misclassified content. This strengthens EFA’s position in discussions with EU institutions and regulators to restore full freedom of expression and action for European public-interest organisations, in line with the European strategy for civil society.

When mission messages are blocked, causes lose reach, voice and income is available here.

This year’s programme brings together leading experts, researchers, consultants, and practitioners to discuss how we build a stronger, more effective fundraising profession in Europe.

The symposium opens with a keynote from Bill Stanczykiewicz of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. In “Philanthropy, Passion & Resilience,” Stanczykiewicz will explore how philanthropy continues to strengthen communities, improve lives, and promote justice during challenging times, while highlighting the latest findings of the Global Philanthropy Environment Index, with a special focus on Europe

A strong focus throughout the symposium is the future of fundraising education and capacity building. Giedrė Šopaitė of Baltic Fundraising Hub will present a structured, competency-based approach to assessing and developing fundraising capacity in her session “Assessing Fundraising Competencies: From Intuition to Strategic Team Development.” Drawing on Lithuania’s national programme, participants will gain practical tools for identifying strengths, addressing gaps, and aligning teams with strategic goals.

Questions around learning and professional development continue in sessions led by Nele Theuer of BIBB and Heike Kraack-Tichy of emcra. Theuer’s workshop, “Challenges And Potentials Of Education In Fundraising” will explore findings from the study “Education and Training in the German Fundraising Sector”, encouraging participants to reflect on how educational needs are changing across the profession and the developments required to meet them. Kraack-Tichy’s interactive session, “Should I Forget What I Know? Rethinking How Fundraisers Learn,” will explore the evolving demands on fundraisers and the skills, mindsets, and formats needed to stay effective in a rapidly changing world. It will also challenge traditional approaches to professional development, asking what still works — and what doesn’t.

Leadership and recruitment are also key themes. In “Who Is Leading Fundraising In A Charity? Who Is Delivering Service To Charity Clients? Recruiting Insights” Jeanette Eesmann-Foster, Zoe Oldham, and moderator Pia Tornikoski will share recruitment insights into the skills and knowledge fundraising leaders need to succeed in today’s evolving nonprofit landscape.

Finally, Mary O’Kennedy and Martin Georgi will present findings from a Europe-wide EUConsult study in “Bridging The Gap Through Learning: Aligning Consultant Skills With Nonprofit Needs,” examining how consultancy skills and training can better support nonprofit organisations in a rapidly changing environment.

If you influence fundraising talent, strategy, or professional development, this Symposium is for you, offering valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and shape the future of the sector.

Find out more and register here.

Taking place in Berlin, Germany on 31 May – 1 June and hosted by Deutscher Fundraising Verband (DFRV), this year’s symposium will combine expert presentations and structured discussions to help fundraisers turn knowledge into real-world impact. Speakers include: Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. (Indiana University), Giedrė Šopaitė (Baltic Fundraising Hub), Jeanette Eesmann-Foster (Mindwize), Heike Kraack-Tichy (DFRV), and Pia Tornikoski (VaLa).

Topics under discussion include:

• The skills and knowledge future fundraising leaders need
• The impact of professional fundraisers on organizational income
• Why education drives performance
• Barriers to professional education

Whether you’re focused on leadership, performance, or the future of learning in fundraising, this is your chance to connect, learn, and shape what comes next.

Find out more and register here.

Picture by Getty Images for Unsplash+

Advanced Competence Framework – revised & restructured

EFA Certification is a European framework for national fundraising qualifications that supports fundraising associations across the continent to develop qualifications that share a common core syllabus and competencies, while reflecting their own cultural, economic and geographic contexts.

The Advanced Competence Framework launched in 2022 to guide training providers in equipping fundraisers with the advanced knowledge, skills, and strategic capabilities required for leadership and management roles within fundraising organisations.

It has now been revised and updated to reflect the changes that have taken place in fundraising since its launch, including the increased awareness of equity and diversity (and power and privilege) in philanthropy and fundraising, developments in fundraising ethics, and the emergence of artificial intelligence. The Framework has also been substantially restructured to provide clearer differentiation between ‘leadership’ and ‘management’.

New supplementary material

In addition, EFA has launched Developing Learning Outcomes: A Practical Guide Aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) . Developed to support the delivery of Advanced level professional fundraising education, it provides guidance on how to draft, review, and document learning outcomes in a consistent, auditable, and learner-centred way, aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Eduard Marček, EFA executive director says:

“In today’s increasingly complex and demanding environment, fundraising has never been more critical to organisational success, with the need for high-quality professional development and strong leadership more pressing than ever as a result.

“Together, the updated Advanced Competence Framework and the new supplementary guide provide a robust foundation for training providers to design and deliver leadership programmes that equip fundraisers with the skills, confidence, and strategic insight they need to lead effectively, now and into the future, whilst sitting within the shared European framework of the EQF. This is essential for strengthening both the fundraising profession and fundraising standards, across national contexts and Europe as a whole.”

Webinar launch

EFA officially launched the Advanced Framework during an EFA Certification Webinar on Thursday, 19 March.

During the session, Ian MacQuillin, director of international fundraising think tank Rogare and member of the EFA Certification Committee, outlined the key updates and new components of the Framework, including alternative pathways adapted to different educational levels.

Victoria McQuaid, qualifications manager at the UK’s Chartered Institute of Fundraising and EFA Certification committee member, introduced the new guidance: Developing Learning Outcomes: A Practical Guide Aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Learning Symposium

For those influencing fundraising talent, strategy, or professional development, the EFA Learning Symposium 2026 takes place on 31 May – 1 June, in Berlin. Organised by EFA and hosted by the Deutscher Fundraising Verband (DFRV), the event will bring together Europe’s leading thinkers, educators, certification experts, and senior practitioners to address one central question: why professional fundraising education is no longer optional — but strategic. More information here.

The event is particularly relevant for organisations delivering, developing, or accrediting fundraising education programmes across Europe.

What’s new

EFA’s certification scheme – the first European qualification framework for fundraising when launched in 2007 – enables fundraising associations to develop qualifications that share a common core syllabus and competencies, while reflecting their own cultural, economic and geographic contexts. The Advanced Competence Framework was launched in 2022 and has been revised to reflect the changes that have taken place in fundraising since then, including the increased awareness of equity and diversity (and power and privilege) in philanthropy and fundraising, developments in fundraising ethics, and the emergence of artificial intelligence.

As well as being updated with new competencies and content, the Framework has been substantially restructured. A central focus is fundraising leadership with clear differentiation between ‘leadership’ and ‘management’. The Framework is intended to support existing fundraising leaders and managers, and to identify and develop the next generation – especially leaders – across all the European fundraising professions.

In addition to the updated Advanced Competence Framework, EFA is also launching “Developing Learning Outcomes: A Practical Guide Aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)”. Developed to support members in creating new fundraising qualifications, it provides guidance on how to draft, review, and document learning outcomes in a consistent, auditable, and learner-centred way, aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

During the session, Ian MacQuillin will outline the key updates and new components of the Framework, including alternative pathways adapted to different educational levels, and Victoria McQuaid will introduce “Developing Learning Outcomes: A Practical Guide Aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)”.

Get familiar with the webinar recording and materials:

• Presentation Ian MacQuillin
• Presentation Victoria McQuaid
• Presentation Pia Tornikoski
• EFA Advanced Competence Framework
• Developing Learning Outcomes: A Practical Guide Aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
• Applying for EFA Certification

EFA is conducting the EU-wide survey to collect evidence on how the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation and platforms’ interpretation of the regulation have affected the digital advertising activities of nonprofit organisations across Europe.

As such, the survey explores:

• Whether and where organisations observe changes in their digital advertising activities since the TTPA entered into force
• How platforms apply rules related to political or issue-based advertising
• And whether these developments have any implications for fundraising organisations

Responses will be analysed at national and European level, with results aggregated by country and sector. This will enable EFA to identify patterns and quantify impacts, and provide evidence for structured dialogue with EU institutions and digital platforms. The aim is to ensure that civil society fundraising is not unintentionally constrained, and future adjustments are informed by real operational data from across Europe.

The deadline to respond is the end of this month. Broad participation is critical to ensuring that any EU-level advocacy is grounded in robust, cross-country evidence so EFA encourages as many organisations as possible to take part. One response per organisation is sufficient, preferably completed by someone with hands-on knowledge of digital advertising.

Take part

More information can be found here, with the survey here.

Picture by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

EFA now invites fundraisers, campaigners, activists, and nonprofit professionals to share their success stories in advancing civic space and democracy. As part of our upcoming online tour, we are looking for short, engaging presentations that showcase innovative, impactful campaigns.

What we’re looking for:

• Short case studies (7–10 minutes) of successful campaigns that address shrinking civic space,
• Fundraising strategies that empower citizen-led change or defend democratic freedoms,
• Community organizing tactics, advocacy campaigns, or donor engagement efforts with civic impact.

Call for presentations is open until 30 April. Submit your idea now through this form.

EFA European Fundraising4Democracy Tour is a fast-paced showcase of 7–10 minute campaigns designed to inspire and motivate.

With civic freedoms under pressure across Europe, this event brings together leading voices from the worlds of fundraising, crowdfunding, advocacy, and activism to present short, powerful stories of campaigns that made a difference. From grassroots mobilisation to innovative donor strategies, we’ll explore how fundraising, crowdfunding, and civic engagement can help defend democratic values.

Help us spotlight the power of fundraising to protect democracy and drive civic engagement across Europe.

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL BY 30 APRIL HERE

#Fundraising4Democracy