For the third consecutive year, contributions designated for poverty relief represented the largest proportion of the number of donation instances. In 2023, over 60% of donation instances were directed towards alleviating poverty, marking a 6% increase from the previous year. Other causes garnered notably less attention, each representing approximately 10% or less of the total number of instances, maintaining the levels observed in the preceding year. 

Regarding monetary values, despite experiencing a 16% decrease, poverty relief still maintained the highest share. At the same time, support for marginalized groups saw a noteworthy surge, accounting for a 26.5% value share. These changes stem from a one-off large donation by the “Balkan Orphan's” Association to build a residential center for the elderly in Podujeva.  

While other generally less-supported causes persisted, there was a notable uptick in giving for emergency management. Donors united their efforts to assist those affected by floods in Skënderaj and Mitrovica, contributing to a high support value for this critical cause. 

Graph 1. Trends in Causes of Giving 2019 – 2023 (% of instances)  
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Historically, poverty relief was among the most widely endorsed causes, often taking the lead and fluctuating between 25.9% and this year's remarkable 62.2% of all recorded instances. Notably, this represents the highest number of instances for this cause since the commencement of philanthropic tracking in 2013. A significant portion of the population in Kosovo still is at risk of poverty, prompting nonprofit organizations to intensify their efforts each year and focus on the provision of essential supplies and individual housing. This rise can be attributed to these efforts, but also to a better scope of our database if the media and nonprofit organizations increased their efforts in communicating cases of philanthropy. Seventy-five percent of the recorded donations for poverty relief are contributions such as food packages or clothing, mostly of small value, therefore usually non-reported by the traditional media.  

Support for healthcare, education, and marginalized groups has consistently ranked as other pivotal causes supported in Kosovo. However, their levels of support have experienced fluctuations over the years, particularly amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Paraph 2. Causes of Giving in Kosovo 2023 (% of instances) 
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Causes by Types of Donors 

Nearly half of all the documented donation instances involved nonprofit organizations, including CSOs and private foundations, playing a significant role in contributing to poverty relief. Similarly, almost 50% of donations earmarked for healthcare were sourced from citizens through mass individual giving. The corporate sector emerged as the primary contributor to supporting marginalized groups, while individuals predominantly participated in bolstering education initiatives. 

Examination of the donation values reveals that nearly 89% of the support directed towards marginalized groups originated from a combination of diverse donors. In contrast, citizens' contributions accounted for 86% of the total share dedicated to poverty alleviation. 

 Graph 3. Causes of Giving by Donor Type (% of instances)  
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Causes by Intended Effects of Giving   

Like the previous year, education stands out as the sole cause with strategic, long-term giving. These predominantly encompass scholarships for pupils and students across Kosovo. Conversely, in other areas, donations with short-term effects took precedence, manifesting in the provision of supplies, consumables, individual housing, and medical treatments. 

Graph 4. Causes of Giving by Intended Effect of Giving (% of instances) 
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Examples of Giving ​

1. In 2023, due to an extensive fundraising endeavor, the “Balkan Orphans” Association collected over 2.4 million euros to construct homes for those facing social vulnerability.

2. The American University of Kosovo initiated the "Support Kosova's Next Success Story" fundraising campaign. Proceeds from this event facilitated educational opportunities for financially constrained students from Kosovo and beyond. Regular ticket prices stood at 75 euro per person. Overall, last year’s fundraising event successfully garnered approximately 130,000 euro for the student scholarship fund.  

3. Devolli Corporation donated pillows and mattresses worth 200,000 euro for those affected by recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The corporation joined businesses and nations worldwide in extending aid to Turkey, which suffered from the devastating earthquake. High-quality mattresses and pillows were transported by several trucks from Devolli Corporation to affected areas in Turkey, where many residents were left without shelter due to the earthquake. 

Read more: Solidarity without borders: new support actions for Turkey and Syria | Giving Balkans  

4. The Sunny Hill Foundation provided financial support for the participation of the Siparantum Choir of Peja in the 12th edition of the World Choir Tournament held in South Korea. 

5. Buna Perteshoni from Gjakova secured the 10,000 euro prize in a TV show competition for the best start-up business idea, hosted by ATV in collaboration with the Golden Eagle Foundation. Her winning concept involved launching an online sales platform named "Vesh Desh," expected to serve numerous users engaging in online buying and selling. 

 

This report is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Catalyst Balkans and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.