BCause Foundation is celebrating 30 years! Oh, what incredible years they have been! Years spent tracking and encouraging the pulse of philanthropy and the civil society sector through our research and campaigns. We’ve built a toolbox full of instrument for giving, and connected donors with organisations. We constantly looked for ways to sustain and persevere, and generate more and more resources for public issues while engaging donors and social investors for the long haul.

We are not alone on this journey. We share it with the people, organisations, and donors in Bulgaria with whom we build roads, change the oil, and keep generosity running. We are inspired by them, and by the international network we call our CAF family.

At our 30th-anniversary conference, we will look in the rearview mirror without losing sight of what lies ahead. Let’s do even more in the next 30!

Official opening of the conference

From helping only people in desperate need to donations for "difficult causes". From the Law on Persons and Family to the current "Lobbying" Act. From collecting donations on the street and door-to-door to giving via SMS, instant Blink payments, or just two clicks online. From corporates donating waffles to a baby orphanage to the pursuit of social impact. And the ever-present questions: "Where to now?" and "How do we want Bulgarians to donate?"

With the participation of:

• Boryana Dimitrova, Owner and Managing Director of "Alpha Research" Marketing and Social Research Agency
• Krasimira Velichkova, Civic Activist
• Georgi Pavlov, Shareholder in real estate companies and agencies, Founder of Proptech.bg
• Iva Petrova, Director of "Donor Programs" at the BCause Foundation

Moderator: Dr. Venelin L. Stoychev, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Voices from the Audience

Is there life between two grants? Are we coping with the fear that we are constantly running on empty, and very close to shutting down?

Building charity sector resilience over the years – from capacity building programs and activities to encourage local fundraising, from challenge funds to regular donations, business activities, social entrepreneurship, and core grants.

With the participation of:

• Georgi Stoytchev, Executive Director of Open Society Institute 
• Ekaterina Veleva, Chairwoman of the P.U.L.S. Foundation 
• Elitsa Barakova, Executive Director of the BCause Foundation

Moderator: Nadezhda Tsekulova, Director of Campaigns and Communications of Bulgarian Helsinki Committee

Voices from the audience

Grants are decreasing and donations are not enough. Who isn't afraid to take out a loan to work for a cause?

In the UK, the social finance ecosystem includes well-developed capacity building programmes for entrepreneurs, plenty of social investors, and an enabling environment. How different is it in Bulgaria? Who are the best social entrepreneurs, and what do the people with the money think? What a journey we have made – from the first mention of social entrepreneurship to the initial efforts toward Bulgarian social impact funds.

With the participation of:

• Ashling Cashmore, Head of Impact at Charities Aid Foundation
• Victoria Tsenova, Marketing Expert and CSR Champion at Pluxee Bulgaria
• Yavor Gochev,  Program Director of the Rinker Center at the BCause Foundation

Moderator: Penka Tsvetkova, Entrepreneurship and Social Innovations Director, BCause Foundation

State of giving around the world and back at home.

For the very first time, the data from the CAF global survey will be officially launched from Bulgaria. Leaders of global philanthropic organisations from all continents will come together to share their lessons and insights into how and why people around the world donated throughout 2025.

With the participation of:

• Elitsa Barakova, Executive Director, BCause
• Shazia Amjad, Executive Director, Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP)
• Maree Sidey, CEO, Philanthropy Australia
• Gill Bates, CEO, Southern Africa Philanthropy Foundations (SAPF)

Moderator: Jessie Krafft, President and CEO, CAF America

Today, we are fortunate to live in a world that is wide open to us and our endeavours. Bulgarian businesses sell globally, and Bulgarian civil society organisations engage donors from all over the world. Typically, these donors come from countries where giving habits and tax systems actively encourage philanthropy so people give more and more frequently compared to the volumes in Bulgaria.

This session will help you navigate these philanthropic markets with the insights of the special guests from Giving Europe – a network where donations overcome legal, fiscal, and administrative barriers – and from the CAF Group, a global leader in cross-border giving that channels over €1.3 billion annually to organisations worldwide.

Best of all, this session marks the launch of a special programme. Learn more in the full invitation.

With the participation of:

• Anne-Laure Paquot, Network Manager at Giving Europe
• Ana María Sánchez Rodríguez, Philanthropy Director, Mexican Center for Philanthropy (Cemefi) North America
• Jessie Krafft, CEO of CAF America

Moderator: Lyudmila Atanasova, Programmes for NPOs Director, BCause Foundation

Workshop in English (no translation)
By invitation only

Since 2002, CAF Social Investment has been investing in social enterprises, NGOs, and community groups across the UK, providing over £65 million in loans to more than 500 organisations.

Aisling Cashmore will present the UK’s experience in developing social finance, highlighting the crucial role of private investors in the sector. During the session, she will share practical insights into deal flow, impact verification methodologies, and the specific due diligence processes applied by one of Europe’s most successful social investors.

This exclusive session is aimed at Bulgarian business angels, investors, and philanthropists looking to exchange ideas and learn from the extensive expertise of CAF Social Investment.

Featuring: Ashling Cashmore, Head of Impact at Charities Aid Foundation

Moderator: Yavor Gochev, Program Director of the Rinker Center at the BCause Foundation

We thank everyone who has joined us on this journey.

Organizer & Host

Partner

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Gold Sponsors
of products and services

Silver Sponsors

Bronze sponsors

Raffle and gifts

Address: Event Space 2020, 1 Bulgaria Blvd., 1463 Sofia
(Landmark: next to Lumiere Cinema)

How to get there:

Metro: Lines M2 / M3, National Palace of Culture Station, Exit towards Vitosha Blvd.

Trams: 1, 6, 7 - National Palace of Culture Stop

Buses: 72, 76, 94, 204 - National Palace of Culture Stop

By car: paid parking around National Palace of Culture

For the coffee break - coffee, tea, water and soft drinks from Coca Cola.
For the lunch break - sandwiches, water and soft drinks from Coca Cola.