Learning from the American Fundraising Model: A European Perspective March 2014 | Page 3

“a shortage in skills emerged as
the biggest obstacle to fundraising”
percent of its budget – and to incorporate more
corporate and individual donations.
In adapting to this new funding landscape, the
challenges institutions face are both organizational and cultural. First, many lack fundraising
departments or rely on teams of just a few individuals. Part of this stems from a reluctance to
invest in fundraising – something some study
visit participants argue needs to change.
However, another challenge is one of skills.
Unlike the United States, where professional
fundraising is a well-established industry, European institutions sometimes struggle to find
qualified people. In fact, in a recent survey by

the European Fundraising Association (EFA), a
shortage in skills emerged as the biggest obstacle to fundraising, with more than 40 percent of
respondents citing this as a barrier.
Another barrier is a cultural one. In countries
that have long seen government as responsible for culture and education, citizens are only
slowly waking up to the need to make philanthropic donations to these causes. This state
of affairs is reflected within institutions, too.
Some study visit participants suggested that
the mindset of those working in their organization needed to change to accommodate a
world where private donors could play a more
supportive role.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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