Impact Technology for
Private Capital Mobilization
A Practical Guide
ABOUT THE WHITE PAPER
This White Paper explores how technology can help unlock the potential of individual giving across Central and Eastern Europe, which, according to the research, can double – from EUR 2.7 billion to EUR 5.5 billion. Through desk research and interviews with CEE and global experts, we examined the region’s impact tech ecosystem, identified key barriers to growth, and developed practical recommendations for strengthening its potential. We looked at how existing giving platforms and marketplaces can make giving easier, more informed, and more trusted – helping people turn their willingness to give into action.
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A strong civil society needs mission-driven, financially resilient organizations. Strengthening the infrastructure around giving can help them thrive and strengthen their financial health and independence.
Florian Bauer
Executive Director Social Finance and Impact Investment, ERSTE Foundation
This initiative is a great example of how the knowledge we already hold, when shared, can open up new possibilities for giving across CEE.
Birce Altay
Director, GivingTuesday Europe
Buying impact should be as easy as buying shoes. People with the resources and willingness but little time should be able to give fast. We need to remove friction points for them.
Anna Korzeniewska
Founder, CEO, Social Impact Alliance for CEE
Technology can make it easier to support causes we care about, turn one-off gifts into lasting habits, and see the impact we create. Giving platforms can help make this happen.
Tomasz Rudolf
Impact Tech Expert, Venture Builder
At Allegro we believe that effective philanthropic impact happens when giving becomes part of everyday digital habits. Technology must make doing good as intuitive as buying online.
Marta Mikliszańska
Director of Public Policy, Allegro
The conclusions are well-grounded in the realities of the CEE giving ecosystem. Fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and infrastructure development is the right strategic direction.
Zuzana Behríková
Manager, DARUJME.sk, Center for Philanthropy
Many valuable impact tech solutions are already in place in Poland and across CEE, but a lack of stable R&D funding limits their potential to scale. Consolidating knowledge is key.
Norbert Wierbiłowicz
President of the Board, FaniMani.pl
Existing CEE platforms are unique and specialized, built on different foundations. Each has strengths that should be preserved and developed. Each deserves a chance to grow.
Andrea Sczígel
Senior Program Manager, NIOK
Poland has already digitalized public data needed to support impact tech infrastructure, making data access less of a barrier. The opportunity now is to encourage platforms to share data and collaborate.
Adela Gąsiorowska
Deputy Director, The National Freedom Institute (NIW)
Poland has one of the world’s most competitive crowdfunding markets, with three platforms in the global top 10. Building an alliance will require trust.
Dobrosława Gogłoza
Managing Director, Pomagam.pl
Better collaboration and mutual support are the most important and underused resources we have. This requires trust and a common goal: growing individual giving across CEE.
Vesna Bajšanski-Agić
VP of Strategic Alliances & Global Development, TechSoup
Technology can come as an enabler for innovation and greater giving, but we need to start from culture and system incentives and then top them with tech and funding.
Jacek Siadkowski
CEO, Tech To The Rescue
Relationships and personal engagement are at the heart of giving. Technology can help build and sustain these relationships, making stewardship more meaningful.
Piotr Karwatka
Co-Founder, Open Mercato and Catch the Tornado
Reliable data is an essential foundation for all giving platforms. Collecting and curating financial, governance and impact data can help build trust and unlock more funding.
Ann Mei Chang
Former CEO, Candid
To double giving in CEE, we need to make philanthropy part of everyday life – through education, stronger civil society, and private-sector engagement.
Kristýna Mezníková
Senior manager, Darujme.cz
Reliable data is an essential foundation for all giving platforms. Collecting and curating financial, governance and impact data can help build trust and unlock more funding.
Ann Mei Chang
Former CEO, Candid
To double giving in CEE, we need to make philanthropy part of everyday life – through education, stronger civil society, and private-sector engagement.
Kristýna Mezníková
Senior manager, Darujme.cz
WHY THE WHITE PAPER
At its heart, this project is about people – individuals who, after covering their living and lifestyle expenses, still have something left to share. People who seek greater meaning and purpose in their lives and would be willing to contribute to causes they care about, but often lack the time, knowledge, or trusted pathways to turn that intention into action. Technology can help remove these barriers. The opportunity is not simply to move more money, but to help CEE move toward higher-quality, more intentional engagement, thus strengthening the region’s economy and social impact ecosystem.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Tech Alliance
Bring together leading platforms
Create a dedicated innovation fund
Stack
Develop open-source components
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
This White Paper was prepared by the Social Impact Alliance for Central & Eastern Europe with generous financial support from the ERSTE Foundation and the partnership of GivingTuesday. We are deeply grateful for their trust and for giving us the opportunity to explore this area in depth. We look forward to continuing this work together!
SEE WHAT’S INSIDE THE PAPER
CONTRIBUTORS AND REVIEWERS
Allegro Charytatywnie (Poland): Marta Byra, Marta Mikliszańska
Candid (USA): Ann Mei Chang
Darujme.cz / Nadace Via (Czech Rep.): Kristýna Mezníková
DARUJME.sk / Centrum pre filantropiu n.o. (Slovakia): Zuzana Behríková
FaniMani (Poland): Norbert Wierbiłowicz
GivingTuesday (global): Chris Worman
NGO.pl / Stowarzyszenie Klon/Jawor (Poland): Renata Niecikowska, Ula Krasnodębska-Macioła
NIOK / Adjukössze.hu (Hungary): Andrea Sczígel
NIW: The National Freedom Institute – Centre for Civil Society Development (Poland):
Adela Gąsiorowska, Michał Braun
Polish Donors Forum (Poland): Julia Kluczyńska
Pomagam.pl (Poland): Dobrosława Gogłoza
Tech To The Rescue (Poland): Jacek Siadkowski
TechSoup Global (USA): Vesna Bajšanski-Agić
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