Caroline Athanasiadis and Martin Vierkötter (left) as well as Magdalena Lechhab and Nina Mies from Caritas Vienna (right) at the award ceremony of the GRÜN Fundraising Awards. (Photos: Ludwig Schedl)
The 31th Austrian Fundraising Congress took place from 14 to 16 October 2024 in the Europahaus Vienna. Under the motto "Stronger together – together today for tomorrow" This year's congress was all about community and cooperation in order to successfully meet the challenges of today and tomorrow in fundraising.
As in previous years, the Fundraising Awards ceremony was a highlight of the Austrian Fundraising Congress. Non-profit organisations and agencies were honoured in seven different categories for their outstanding achievements in fundraising. The GRÜN Fundraising Award, which is given annually for the best “Online Campaign of the Year”, was presented this year for the 14th time by the GRÜN Software Group GmbH and the GRÜN Fundraising Services GmbH Martin Vierkötter, Managing Director of the fundraising agency GRÜN alpha, was responsible for presenting the award this year.
Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna wins with the online campaign “New Soup Bus”
The Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna This year, with her online campaign "New Soup Bus" convince the jury. The campaign was launched after one of the soup buses that distribute hot meals to the needy in Vienna had unexpectedly broken down. With prominent support from Voodoo Jürgens and a wide media response, it was possible to mobilize numerous new donors. Every year, 150 volunteers in two “Canisibusses” provide around 90.000 people in need with hot meals – an indispensable service for homeless and needy people in Vienna. The successful campaign secured the purchase of a new bus, which is why it was rightly awarded the GRÜN Fundraising Award: Online Campaign of the Year.