During 2020, Catalyst Balkans tracked media reports on domestic individual, corporate and diaspora philanthropy in Albania. This brochure presents key key statistics on the findings of this research.

1. ANNUAL REPORT ON THE
STATE OF PHILANTHROPY
2020

2. Contents
General Overview ........................................................................................
Donors ............................................................................................................
Themes ...........................................................................................................
Recipients ......................................................................................................
· Non-Profit Organizations as Recipients ...........................................
· State as Recipient ..................................................................................
Final Beneficiaries .......................................................................................
Effects of Giving ...........................................................................................
Media Coverage of Giving ..........................................................................
Overview of the Methodology ..................................................................
Annex: Comparative Giving Trends Unrelated to COVID-19 ..............
1
6
13
16
20
25
29
35
39
41
42

3. General Overview
For the past two consecutive years, philanthropic giving in Albania has
been shaped by two catastrophes: the earthquake in November 2019 and
the COVID-19 pandemic. These events profoundly changed donor activity
regarding donor type, size, and focus of giving. Due to this abrupt shift,
comparisons of philanthropy in 2020 with previous years might be mislea-
ding. Subsequently, we decided to change and adapt our data gathering
and analysis process to separate data into two categories: giving related
and giving unrelated to COVID-19. Because it was not possible to present
the data in our standard way, this report on the state of philanthropy in
Albania is unique. Instead of focusing on the trends, this report focuses on
specificities of giving in 2020 and the ratio between instances related and
instances unrelated to COVID-19.1
To fully understand this report, it is important to mention that we obser-
ved the level of philanthropic giving based on two basic indicators: the
number of instances and the donated amount. An instance represents a
unique event, i.e., an example of a donation collection. It can consist of a
single donation or multiple donations (e.g., a campaign in which citizens
collect mass individual contributions for medical treatment). Each instan-
ce can have a value of donation associated with it if there is available data
on the value. Therefore, it should not confuse the reader if a certain type
of donor or recipient made a high share of instances but collected a low
share of donated amounts and vice versa.
Based on the available data and our statistical calculations, we have
estimated that the philanthropic community in Albania collected an
amount of 7.7 million euros through 174 instances, which is far more than
the previous year (4 million euros donated through 39 instances). Even
though these figures indicate an improved Albanian philanthropic
ecosystem, the intensity of giving is still quite low. Comparing the donated
amount per capita in Albania with the regional average, Albania still
stands as the country with the least amount donated (2.7 euros versus
14.5 euros).
Recorded Amount
2,508,658.0€
Estimated Value
of Donations
7,725,124.8€
# of Recorded
Instances
174
Donated Amount
per Capita
2.7€
1
We have prepared the annex with comparisons of giving unrelated to the pandemic in 2020 with
previous years, as those data and trends might be significant for some philanthropy actors.
1

4. From the total recorded amount of 2.5 million euros, 43.0% was related to
COVID-19, with the rest going to other purposes unrelated to the pande-
mic. We see that the share of giving related to COVID-19 is smaller than
the share for other purposes; however, the number of instances for
COVID-19 relief exceeds the number of instances for other unrelated
purposes. There are two possible reasons for such a discrepancy. First,
most of the campaigns for COVID-19 relief were organized to collect
supplies and consumables, which are of less value than donations
collected in campaigns for medical treatments. Regarding medical
treatments, we have not recorded them as giving related to COVID-19.
Second, media reports on giving unrelated to the pandemic were more
transparent about the value of donations than reports on giving related to
COVID-19.
The most present types of donors in 2020 were the corporate sector and
citizens. Companies had the largest number of initiated actions (37.9% of
the total), and citizens had the highest donated amount (48.9%). Further-
more, donors from the diaspora had a vital role in giving; they are far
more important donors in Albania when compared to the diaspora of
other countries in the region. More precisely, diaspora donors participa-
ted in almost one-quarter of all donations. In total, most of the donations
in 2020 were intended to help individuals and families, while the largest
share of the donated amount was given to local and national govern-
ments. Regarding the final beneficiaries, donors focused most actively on
the support of people in economic need, directing more than one-third of
instances and more than one-quarter of the amount to them. The reason
for this is that the support during COVID-19 was mostly directed toward
municipalities that redistributed mainly food and hygiene packages to
families in economic need. As might be expected, the nature of philant-
hropy during this year of crisis was less strategic and more ad-hoc in
nature. Three out of four donations in 2020 were short-term support,
which is much more than in the previous year when we recorded slightly
more than one-half of instances as one-off giving.
Number of Instances
76
98
Recorded Amounts
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
1,430,115.7€
1,078,542.3€
Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy
2

5. How much the pandemic impacted philanthropy illustrates the fact that
more than half of all instances were directed toward COVID-19 relief. The
state of Albania had the primary role in redistributing support for
COVID-19. Through more than half of all instances, slightly less than
two-thirds of the total amount related to the pandemic were donated to
the state. When considering donations for purposes unrelated to the
pandemic, more than half of the amount was directed toward non-profit
organizations.
Tirana, the capital city of Albania, received the most donations - more than
half of all instances - which does not come as a surprise as it is the admini-
strative and business center of the country as well as its most populated
city. Nevertheless, the scope of giving during the pandemic was even
more centralized than before because most health institutions are in
Tirana. The Elbasan region had a share of 5.7% of all instances, which
increased from the previous year. However, this is still a small share
regarding the size and population of the region. There has been a decline
in donors’ activity in the Fier region (7.7% in 2019 versus 3.4% in 2020),
which, in correspondence with the population size, indicates low philant-
hropic activity. During the pandemic year, philanthropy was less directed
toward causes outside of the country. More precisely, while 15.4% of
donations were directed abroad in 2019, the share of instances in 2020 is
much lower: 6.3%.
Compared to the previous year, the share of instances oriented toward
institutions has declined, while the share of instances toward local and
national governments has risen. The non-profit sector received an increa-
se both in the frequency of support and the donated amount, which
suggests a higher prevalence of donor trust in the work of the non-profit
sector. The philanthropic community paid less attention to people with
disabilities compared to the previous year, which is probably due to the
alarming circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 crisis. It remains to be
observed in the following years whether this presents a temporary change
or a trend.
3

6. Several Regions Throughout the Country
8.6%
Tirana Region
54.0%
Outside of the Country
6.3%
Elbasan Region
5.7%
Durrës Region
4.0%
Kukës Region
3.5%
Shkodër Region
4.0%
Dibër Region
3.5%
Fier Region
3.5%
Korçë Region
2.3%
Vlorë Region
1.7%
Lezhë Region
1.7%
Berat Region
0.6%
Gjirokastër Region
0.6%
Map - Percentage of Instances for Regions
Total Giving
4 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

7. Tirana Region
Several Regions
Throughout the
Country
Outside of the
Country
Elbasan Region
Durrës Region
54.3%
45.7%
73.3%
26.7%
72.7%
27.3%
60.0%
40.0%
14.3%
85.7%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Shkodër Region
Kukës Region
Dibër Region
Fier Region
71.4%
28.6%
83.3%
16.7%
33.3%
66.7%
33.3%
66.7%
Korçë Region
Vlorë Region
Lezhë Region
Berat Region
50.0%
50.0%
66.7%
33.3%
100.0%
0.0%
0.0%
100.0%
Gjirokastër Region
0.0%
100.0%
5

8. Donors
In 2020, the corporate sector was the most active, while citizens were the
most generous type of donor. The corporate sector initiated as many as
37.9% of all instances, which outnumbered instances in the previous year.
This increase is in line with similar increases noted in other countries in
the Western Balkans. It seems that the COVID-19 crisis especially mobili-
zed corporate giving, as around two-thirds of all corporate instances were
aimed at mitigating the adverse pandemic effects. In accordance with this,
most donations were given in the form of supplies and consumables, such
as food, hygiene packages, protective masks, and gloves. However, as
most of these were low-value donations, the corporate sector participated
in just 18.8% of the total amount donated, which is far less than other
countries in the region (45.1% on average).
Even though business entities were the most frequent donors, most of the
funds - almost one-half - were given by citizens. In contrast with busines-
ses, citizens focused on themes unrelated to COVID-19, directing more
than three-quarters of all instances for those purposes. Out of the total
amount from mass individual donations, more than half was directed
toward healthcare. Next to mass individual giving, the Albanian diaspora
crucially contributed to beneficiaries not directly affected by COVID-19. In
total, the Albanian diaspora participated in almost one-quarter of donati-
ons (23.0% of instances and 26.9% of the amount), which is significantly
more compared to the diaspora of other countries in the region (12.9% of
instances and 8.2% of the amount, on average). Moreover, they participa-
ted in more than half of the entire amount donated for themes unrelated
to COVID-19.
6 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

9. Giving in which several types of donors participated had generated 16.4% of
the total amount through only one instance: a call for donations initiated by
Blendi Fevziu, the host of the show “Opinion”, for the support of vulnerable
families during the pandemic. Besides this instance, prominent individuals
initiated one-quarter of all instances, and most of the amount donated by
them was intended to help overcome the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. It
seems they considered the state as the most trusted actor in redistributing
the COVID-19 support, as more than half of the amount they donated was
given to local and national governments.
7

10. Individuals
23.6%
Corporate Sector
37.9%
Mass Individual
20.7%
Private Foundations
Mixed Donors
Other
11.5%
CSO / Association
4.0%
0.6%
1.7%
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Mass Individual
Private Foundations
CSO / Association
Mixed Donors
Other
63.6%
36.4%
70.7%
29.3%
22.2%
77.8%
50.0%
50.0%
71.4%
28.6%
100.0%
0.0%
100.0%
0.0%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Total Giving
% of Instances
8 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

11. Corporate Sector
18.8%
Mass Individual
48.9%
Mixed Donors
16.4%
Individuals
Private Foundations
Other
15.9%
CSO / Association
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Mass Individual
Corporate Sector
Mixed Donors
Individuals
CSO / Association
Private Foundations
Other
34.7%
65.3%
46.1%
53.9%
100.0%
0.0%
99.1%
0.9%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Total Giving
% of the Recorded Sum
9

12. COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Private Foundations
Mass Individual
CSO / Association
42.9%
31.6%
29.6%
15.8%
10.2%
13.2%
8.2%
36.8%
5.1%
2.6%
Mixed Donors
Other
1.0%
0.0%
3.0%
0.0%
% of Instances
10 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

13. Mass Individual
Mixed Donors
Individuals
Corporate Sector
CSO / Association
29.4%
75.7%
28.3%
0.0%
27.3%
0.3%
15.0%
24.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Private Foundations
Other
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
% of the Recorded Sum
11

14. Through the TV show “Albanians for Albanians,” funds were raised to
support a mother and son living in poor conditions. Albanian Women, a
diaspora association from Michigan, responded to the call and donated
around 8,100 euros. The funds raised through the call were intended to
purchase a new furnished flat for the family. Another example of help from
the diaspora through “Albanians for Albanians” is the contribution of Hilmi
Hidri, an Albanian living in the USA, who donated around 6,700 euros to the
Hope for Life Association, helping acquire prostheses for people with disabi-
lities.
Confindustria Albania, an association of Italian industrialists in Albania,
donated 11,000 masks to students from families living in economic need and
to those in other vulnerable categories. The donated masks were distributed
by the Albanian Ministry of Education.
The Firdeus Foundation provided lunch every day throughout the year for
72 people who use the services of the private asylum Shelter and Hope. The
users of the shelter are usually homeless elderly people and families living in
poverty. During Eid al-Adha, the Firdeus Foundation delivered food packages
to thousands of families in economic need across Albania.
Albanian Diaspora Supported Marginalized Groups
Confindustria Albania Donated to Students
Firdeus Foundation Provided Food Packages
Three companies - Telekom Albania, ALBtelecom, and Vodafone
Albania - donated 40 respiratory devices valued at 30,000 euros to the
healthcare system of Albania. The equipment, which is supposed to help the
treatment of patients with COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, was
handed over ceremonially to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
Telecommunication Companies Donated Respiratory Devices
12 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

15. In 2020, the philanthropy community focused most of its attention on the
COVID-19 crisis. More than half of all donations were directed to
COVID-19, in which over one million euros were collected. In most cases,
these donations were given through the provision of supplies, such as
food packages, disinfectants, and disposable masks. Besides COVID-19,
the most frequently supported theme was poverty relief, mainly through
fundraising campaigns for individual housing, while healthcare received
the largest share of the amount.
The emergence of COVID-19 as a unique theme for giving resulted in a
smaller representation of other themes. Therefore, only 2.9% of instances
were recorded as being related to education. This figure should be taken
with specific consideration; a considerable share of the conventional
support of education was redirected to donations for online education
(i.e., donations of tablets and other equipment during the pandemic),
which we recorded as giving related to COVID-19. Similarly, a decreased
share of instances recorded for general healthcare purposes does not
imply lesser support. In contrast, looking at the absolute numbers, it turns
out that more instances were recorded in 2020 than in the previous year.
Apart from the key themes, seasonal giving2
remained the most frequen-
tly supported cause, comprising 5.2% of all instances. It is important to
note that certain themes that did not receive any support in the previous
year, such as emergency management and public infrastructure, were
present in the pandemic year. Due to the need for reconstruction and aid
provision after the devastating earthquake that occurred in November
2019, 4% of instances were directed toward the purpose of emergency
management and public infrastructure.
Themes
2
Seasonal giving includes donations that are given during the holiday season.
13

16. Poverty Reduction
12.6%
5-10%
0-1%
Seasonal Giving
3-5% -
1–3% Natural Disaster / Emergency Management, Public Infrastructure
-
Support to Marginalized Groups
10.9%
9.2% Other
56.3% COVID-19
8.1% Healthcare
2.9% Education
Key Themes - Instances (%)
Other Themes - Instances (%)
14 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

17. In October 2020, which was Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Alpha Bank
Albania supported the Jonathan Center with a donation of protective equip-
ment and tablet devices. The donated devices are supposed to provide
access to online therapeutic services for 20 children during the COVID-19
pandemic. The bank also donated funds to support therapeutic services
offered by the Pro Pak Center of the Down Syndrome Albania Foundation. To
raise awareness of the rights of people with Down syndrome, the bank
created a video under the motto “I have an extra chromosome, but I am like
you”.
In April 2020, Vodafone Albania Foundation and the Albanian Ministry of
Education launched the RedForKids initiative. This campaign aimed to
provide access to online learning tools for children from socially
disadvantaged families and ensure that all children continue to receive an
education during the lockdown period. Kus, an elementary school located in
Kashar, received 10,000 smart devices (mobile phones and tablets). The
donation was presented under the motto “Digitalization for more access to
education”. The total contribution of this initiative was 15,000 smart devices.
A Bank Provided Help to Children with Down Syndrome
The RedForKids Campaign Supported Online Education
After the call for support of the Municipality of Memaliaj, IuteCredit
Albania responded with a donation of working tools, including concrete
mixers, chainsaws, carts, and shovels. The donated equipment is worth
around 3,600 euros and is intended to help team members of the
Directorate of Public Services during their daily work for the community.
IuteCredit Albania Donated Working Equipment
The laboratory Intermedica provided one month of free testing for patients
at the Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Shefqet Ndroqi University
Hospital. Free testing included the following diagnostics: procalcitonin (PCT),
D-dimer, ferritin, and C-reactive protein.
Intermedica Performed Free Tests
15

18. Individuals and families were the most frequently supported recipients in
2020. Considering the donated amount, local and national governments
had the largest share: slightly higher than individuals and families. Almost
every other instance in total, and even more instances solely related to
COVID-19, were directed toward individuals and families. Despite this,
one-third of the total amount, and even more than half of the amount for
COVID-19, was donated to local and national governments. An instance
that contributed the most was initiated by the members of the parlia-
ment, who donated a portion of their salaries for three consecutive
months to the government of Albania.
It is expected that institutions remained the most frequently supported
recipient during the pandemic due to the need for medical equipment
and supplies for healthcare professionals that were at the forefront of the
fight against COVID-19. However, even though the number of actions
toward institutions was larger compared to the year before (11 instances
in 2019 versus 27 instances in 2020) due to the overall rise of giving in the
pandemic year, the share of institutions as recipients declined (from
28.2% in 2019 to 15.5% in 2020). The reason behind this is the increased
share of actions toward local and national governments compared to the
previous year. This implies that the philanthropic community in Albania
focused its support on COVID-19 more directly to the state.
Non-profit organizations were the second most frequently supported
recipient: one in five instances were directed to them. Regarding giving for
other purposes not associated with the pandemic, the share of non-profit
organizations as recipients was even higher: almost one-third of all instan-
ces. Out of all philanthropic actions organized as support to the non-profit
sector, more than two-thirds were unrelated to the pandemic, and as
expected, most commonly for support to marginalized groups. Conside-
ring the total amount donated to non-profit organizations, the largest
share was directed toward healthcare (88.0%).
Recipients
16 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

19. Hence, donations to the state, including institutions and local/national
governments, were mainly related to COVID-19, while most donations to
non-profit organizations, individuals, and their families were for purposes
unrelated to COVID-19. What this implies is that the state was the main
channel of assistance in times of crisis, while NPOs are still perceived as a key
support channel for other purposes.
17

20. Non-Profit Organizations
Individual/Families
21.3%
43.1%
Local/National Governments
19.5%
Institutions
15.5%
Other
0.6%
Individual/Families
Non-Profit
Organizations
Local/National
Governments
Institutions
Other
44.0%
56.0%
32.4%
67.6%
91.2%
8.8%
77.8%
22.2%
100.0%
0.0%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Total Giving
Instances (%)
18 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

21. COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Individual/Families
Local/National
Governments
Institutions
Non-Profit
Organizations
Other
33.7%
55.3%
31.6%
3.9%
21.4%
7.9%
12.2%
32.9%
1.1%
0.0%
Instances (%)
19

22. The state3
and non-profit organizations serve as channels for redistribu-
ting assistance to a range of beneficiaries. Besides individuals and
families, who receive donations directly, we recognize the state (instituti-
ons and local/national governments) and the non-profit sector as the
main recipient types. It is particularly important to track giving toward
these two entities, which is why we have presented it in specific sections
in the report.
The non-profit sector4
had an important role in allocating aid to socially
disadvantaged groups, especially for purposes unrelated to the pande-
mic. Regarding total giving in 2020, 21.3% of all philanthropic actions and
27.9% of the total donated amount were directed toward non-profit
organizations, which is more than in 2019. From all the philanthropic
actions to NPOs, the largest share (almost one-third) was initiated for the
sake of COVID-19, most frequently for the support of marginalized
groups. Regarding the total amount donated, the highest share was
directed toward healthcare (somewhat less than three-quarters of the
total amount).
Non-profits gained the most support from citizens, as they were both the
most active and the most generous donor to NPOs. In total, mass individu-
al donations initiated more than half of all instances and gathered more
than three-quarters of all donated funds. A small percentage of mass
individual giving toward NPOs was related to COVID-19 (4.8%), while a
much larger percentage of giving to healthcare unrelated to COVID-19
transpired: 38.1%. Support from citizens is followed by support given by
the corporate sector, which participated in around one-third of all instan-
ces (35.1%). Unlike mass giving, corporate donations were commonly
initiated for the sake of easing the COVID-19 crisis. However, companies
participated in a small percentage of the total donated amount given to
NPOs (only 3.9%).
Non-Profit Organizations as Recipients
3
In the term “state” we include donations toward institutions (such as health, educational, social,
culture, sport, and science institutions) as well as local and national governments.
4
In the term “non-profit sector” we include the following types of associations and initiatives:
domestic civil society organizations, private foundations, diaspora organizations, foreign civil
society organizations, corporate foundations, and informal groups.
20 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

23. Among non-profit organizations, the largest percentage of instances and
donated amount was directed to the private foundations: Albanians for
Albanians and its central foundation - the Firdeus Foundation, and the
Different Weekend Foundation. The importance of the diaspora for philant-
hropy in Albania is noted here as well; Albanians for Albanians, a diaspora
foundation, received the largest percentage of the total amount donated to
NPOs. Based on these donations, more than 367,000 euros were collected
for medical treatments.
In collaboration with donors, non-profit organizations supported their
communities through various initiatives to create positive change in several
areas and assist numerous vulnerable beneficiaries. The beneficiary group
most frequently supported in 2020 through non-profit organizations' work
was people in economic need (43.2% of all instances). People with health
issues were the second most actively supported beneficiary despite
receiving the most of the donated amounts: slightly more than two-thirds.
21

24. Donor Profile for Non-Profit Organizations as Recipients
Corporate Sector
35.1%
Mass Individual
56.8%
Individuals
5.4%
Private Foundation
2.7%
Instances (%)
Mass Individual
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Private Foundation
4.8%
95.2%
69.2%
30.8%
50.0%
50.0%
100.0%
0.0%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Total Giving
22 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

25. COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Mass Individual
Private Foundation
75.0%
16.0%
8.4%
4.0%
8.3%
80.0%
8.3%
0.0%
23
Donor Profile for Non-Profit Organizations as Recipients
Instances (%)

26. The You are a Sunflower Foundation, established in 2017, has been
providing help to families with children suffering from cancer and blood
diseases. In 2020, the foundation created the mobile application game You
are a Sunflower, which had a humanitarian aspect and could be downloaded
by users from across the world for the price of four euros. The funds
collected through the application were donated to the Newborn Babies
campaign initiated by the Kukës Regional Hospital. The campaign aimed
to improve conditions for newborn babies in hospitals throughout Albania by
purchasing equipment like incubators, inhalators, monitors, and aspirators.
The Sigma Interalbanian Vienna Insurance Group received the Günther
Geyer Award for Social Conscience for their project supporting the transpor-
tation of children from the village of Mamël to their school. Along with the
award, the insurance company received 20,000 euros, which they decided to
donate to the Different Weekend Foundation to complete construction of
the Solidarity Center Library. The library is one of the largest in Tirana and
contains 85,000 books.
Nehemiah Gateway Albania has been providing social and medical help
for people in economic need and those in marginalized groups since 1991. In
2020, the foundation initiated a crowdfunding campaign on the GlobalGiving
platform to raise funds for providing food and medicine to Albanians
affected by the pandemic. The total amount raised through this campaign
was around 5,000 euros.
Insurance Group Contributed to Completing a Library
Nehemiah Gateway Albania Helped People Affected by the Pandemic
Foundation Donated for Newborn Babies in Hospitals
24 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

27. Donors still have the most trust in the government, relying on its ability to
map out the beneficiaries who are most in need of help. During the global
health crisis, the Government of Albania, along with municipal bodies, had
a primary role in distributing donated medical equipment and supplies to
health institutions and communities affected by the crisis.
During the pandemic year, 42.6% of the donated amount and 35.1% of
instances were directed to the state (institutions and local/national gover-
nments). When considering only donations intended for COVID-19 relief,
the share is even higher: 61.7% of the amount and 53.1% of instances.
Therefore, we can conclude that the high support of the state in 2020 was
mainly due to donations related to COVID-19. In line with this is the fact
that 85.2% of all instances for the state were organized for overcoming the
COVID-19 crisis.
The most active donor to the state in 2020 was the corporate sector. Out
of all philanthropic activities, every other was initiated by the corporate
sector, mainly large companies. However, the largest share of the amount
was provided by citizens (39.8%). Regarding merely the actions related to
COVID-19, the share of mass individual contribution was almost half of the
total amount donated to the state.
Regarding themes supported through giving to the state, the largest share
of the amount unrelated to the pandemic (around two-thirds) was for
education, mainly recorded as capital investments. Most of this amount
was contributed by the company Bankers Petroleum Albania, which
donated around 84,200 euros for the reconstruction of the school Koli
Dimo in Frashër. This corresponds with the fact that the population from
local communities benefited the most from donations given to the state.
More precisely, in every other case, a donation that was directed toward
the state was redirected for the support of the population from local
communities. Moreover, when it comes to giving unrelated to the pande-
mic, the population from local communities had a share of more than
two-thirds of actions. The second most frequently supported theme
through donations to the state was healthcare unrelated to COVID-19
relief; however, this received a far smaller share (1.6% of instances).
State as Recipient
25

28. Donor Profile for State as Recipients
Individuals
24.6%
Corporate Sector
50.8%
Private Foundation
9.8%
Mass Individual
Other
6.6%
CSO / Association
4.9%
3.3%
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Private Foundation
Mass Individual
CSO / Association
Other
80.6%
19.4%
86.7%
13.3%
83.3%
16.7%
100.0%
0.0%
100.0%
0.0%
100.0%
0.0%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Instances (%)
Total Giving
26 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

29. COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Private Foundation
Mass Individual
48.1%
66.7%
25.0%
22.2%
9.6%
11.1%
7.7%
0.0%
5.8%
0.0%
CSO / Association
Other
3.8%
0.0%
Donor Profile for State as Recipients
Instances (%)
27

30. The Municipality of Bulqizë requested help from the president of the BALFIN
Group for the furnishing of Kindergarten Number Two in Bulqizë, which is
attended by 60 children ages one to three years old. The company AlbChrome,
part of the BALFIN Group, responded to the request and donated necessary
equipment, including new furniture, beds, and dining tables. Thanks to this
contribution, the children are supposed to enjoy a more comfortable environ-
ment and better learning conditions.
AlbChrome Helped Improve the Conditions of a Kindergarten
Tirana Bank invested in the construction of a new playground in Sauk,
Veliaj. This project was initiated after the reconstruction of seven streets in
the Enver Preza block in Sauk. The 520 square meter park for children was
constructed in a joint project with the Municipality of Tirana and included
various playground equipment, benches, and lighting.
Tirana Bank and the Municipality of Tirana Opened a New Playground
On behalf of its employees, the manufacturing company Coca-Cola
Bottling Shqipëria donated around 50,000 euros to the Center for Infectio-
us Diseases at the Mother Teresa University Hospital Center in Tirana. This
donation served to help out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another intere-
sting example of corporate support during the pandemic is the donation of
the United Bank of Albania; which donated 15,000 euros to the Govern-
ment of Albania to help medical staff in Tirana and surrounding districts.
Companies Helped Mitigate the Effects of the Pandemic
28 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

31. In 2020, the most frequently supported beneficiaries were people in
economic need, receiving more than one-third of all instances. This group
also benefitted from most of the donations directed toward COVID-19
relief, since those campaigns mainly targeted socially disadvantaged
families and local communities through calls for food and hygiene packa-
ges.
Populations from local communities were the second most frequently
supported beneficiary, receiving almost one-quarter of all instances.
Donors focused on assisting this beneficiary most frequently for
COVID-19 relief. Almost one-third of all instances related to COVID-19
were directed toward them, mainly through institutions and govern-
ments.
Even though the largest share of instances was aimed at supporting
people in economic need, the largest share of the amount—almost
one-third—was directed toward people with health issues, mainly in the
form of medical treatments. The possible explanation for such a contradi-
ctory finding lies in the value of donations. Donations directed toward
people with health issues were most frequently in the form of equipment
and medical treatments. These are more expensive than donations in the
form of supplies and consumables, which are the most frequent type of
donation received by people in economic need. In line with this argument,
the discrepancy between the number of instances and the donated
amount related to people with health issues is even higher when it comes
to giving unrelated to COVID-19 (14.5% of instances versus 53.6% of the
amount).
Besides the key beneficiary groups, people living in other countries were
most frequently supported, receiving 8% of all instances. Most of these
instances were organized through the work of the Firdeus Foundation,
unlike in 2019 when there were no recorded instances for beneficiaries
outside of Albania.
Final Beneficiaries
29

32. The largest change in 2020 compared to 2019 was the decreased share of
instances toward people with disabilities (12.8% in 2019 versus 2.9% in
2020). This decline was not a result of reduced donor support; rather, it
resulted from an increase in support toward other beneficiaries (absolute
values remained the same). Negative consequences of the COVID-19 crisis
included the spread of disease and economic hardship along with less
attention being dedicated to people who needed support regardless of the
crisis. We will carefully track this change in the upcoming years with the
expectation that it is not a permanent deviation.
30 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

33. Local Communities
23.6%
People in Economic Need
37.4%
People with Health Issues
16.7%
People with Disabilities
2.9%
Other
19.4%
People in Economic
Need
Local Communities
People with Health
Issues
People with
Disabilities
Other
55.4%
44.6%
73.2%
26.8%
62.1%
37.9%
0.0%
100.0%
41.2%
58.8%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Total Giving
Instances (%)
31

34. COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
People in Economic
Need
Local Communities
People with Health
Issues
People with
Disabilities
36.7%
38.2%
30.6%
14.5%
18.4%
14.5%
0.0%
6.6%
14.3%
26.2%
Other
Instances (%)
32 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

35. Other: Instances (%)
11.8%
0-1%
Total Giving
single parents
people living in other
countries, single parents
elderly, children and
youth without parental
care, general population
migrants, mixed
beneficiaries
mixed beneficiaries
elderly, children and
youth without parental
care, migrants
general population
people living in other
countries
elderly
people living in other
countries
Giving Unrelated to
COVID-19
COVID-19
5-10%
3-5% - -
-
-
-
1-3%
33

36. Big Market, an Albanian supermarket chain, invested 40,000 euros to
purchase medical equipment for cardiac interventions at the Mother Teresa
University Hospital Center. This investment was made at the request of
surgeon Altin Veshti. The donated equipment is supposed to help facilitate
the process of heart surgeries.
Supermarket Chain Invested in Healthcare
Blendi Fevziu, author and host of the TV show “Opinion”, invited companies
and individuals to donate for families in need during the COVID-19 pande-
mic. As we recorded, a total of 300,000 euros was raised through the
program and distributed to families in economic need throughout Albania by
the Different Weekend Foundation and the staff of the “Opinion” show.
Companies and Prominent Individuals Supported Families in Need
Neptun Albania, a chain of consumer electronics, donated laptops to the
Jonathan Center. The center offers therapy, education, and advocacy for
children with Down syndrome in Albania with ages ranging from four
months to 36 years old. The donated devices are supposed to help continue
online therapy and counseling for 85 families who have children with Down
syndrome.
Neptun Albania Helped Equip the Jonathan Center
34 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

37. When it comes to the effect of donations, we differentiate donations
based on the kind of support they provide. In this sense, donations can
provide short-term (one-off) support or long-term5
(strategic) support.
Short-term support is intended to benefit particular individuals or groups
of individuals for a specific cause. In contrast, long-term donations serve
as investments in education, healthcare, culture, infrastructure, social
welfare, and other support that is expected to recreate a positive outco-
me in the future.
In 2020, short-term donations were the most prominent type of donation,
with a share of 77.6% of instances and 61.2% of the donated amount.
Compared to the previous year, the share of short-term instances increa-
sed while the share of the donated amount for short-term giving declined.
More than half of all short-term instances were for COVID-19 relief, mainly
in the form of supplies and consumables like food and hygiene packages
along with masks.
Strategic support consisted of 18.4% of instances and 12.3% of the total
amount. When compared to 2019, strategic support decreased in both
the share of instances and the amount. Regarding the purpose of strate-
gic donations in 2020, 59.4% were for overcoming the COVID-19 crisis.
Equipment was the primary form of strategic giving (donated in more
than three-quarters of all instances) and was most often directed toward
health institutions. Most of the equipment donated for the pandemic was
medical equipment, such as respirators and hospital beds, and tablets for
the support of online education. In the previous year, we were able to
identify the kind of support for all recorded instances. However, for 4% of
instances recorded in 2020, there was no exact available information on
the effect of a donation, i.e., whether donations provided short-term or
long-term support.
Effects of Giving
5
Long-term investments (strategic support) include capital investments, equipment, services,
scholarships (investing in personnel), research and development, and raising social awareness.
Short-term instances include humanitarian support, seasonal giving, medical treatments for
individuals/families, and supplies and consumables. The purpose of giving cannot always be
determined. For example, the available data can indicate that support has been provided to a
particular institution/organization but does not indicate what that support has been provided for.
35

38. Use of Donations Instances (%)
Long-Term Support
18.4%
One-Off Support
77.6%
Unknown
4.0%
One-Off Support
Long-Term Support
Unknown
54.8%
45.2%
59.4%
40.6%
71.4%
28.6%
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
Total Giving
36 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

39. Use of Donations Instances (%)
COVID-19
Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
One-Off Support
Long-Term Support
Unknown
75.5%
80.3%
19.4%
17.1%
5.1%
2.6%
37

40. With the aim to help health institutions cope with the pandemic, Raiffeisen
Bank donated 40,000 euros to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
This contribution is supposed to help purchase medical equipment
necessary to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Residents of Thumanë have been living in poor conditions after the devasta-
ting earthquake in November 2019 and have been further affected by the
situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Two dairy companies, Lufra and
Dukat, decided to support families in need with a donation of tens of tons of
food products. The companies donated to the Firdeus Foundation and
assisted their team during the delivery of food packages. A total of 600 food
packages were prepared and distributed.
An elderly woman from Vlorë donated a respirator worth around 20,000
euros to the Regional Hospital of Vlorë. The device has never been used
before and is equipped with all the necessary parts. The respirator was
bought by the Idrizaj family for their ill son a few years ago. Their son
unfortunately passed away. Another interesting example of the elderly
helping people in need during the pandemic is the contribution of Tixhe, an
83-year-old woman from Farka. Tixhe decided to donate her entire pension
to other pensioners that live alone. Through the show “Albania Live”, she
stated that the total amount donated would be around 117 euros.
Companies Assisted in Distributing Food
Elderly People Supported the Fight Against the Pandemic
Raiffeisen Bank Helped Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic
38 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

41. During 2020, we recorded a total of 357 media reports on philanthropic
activities in Albania. This is a slight decrease compared to 2019 (436
reports). Out of all reports in 2020, 162 were related to COVID-19 giving.
Almost all philanthropic activities in Albania were covered by online media
(98% of reports), out of which most were covered by: panorama.com,
newsbomb.al, and kohajone.com. Electronic media had a share of
1.4%, while the share of printed reports was marginal. From the total
number of reports, national media had the largest coverage (73.4%),
followed by regional media. In contrast, almost no philanthropy was
recorded by local and sub-regional media.
Regarding the monthly time frame of media reporting, we recorded a
sharp increase in the number of reports in March. This increasing trend
continued and peaked in April, the month with most reports (16.2%). The
peak in media reporting on philanthropy corresponds with the time when
the government declared a “state of emergency” due to the pandemic. A
high number of reports was also noted in December (13.7%), most likely
as a result of donations for the holiday season.
Philanthropy was not mentioned in a negative context in any of the
published reports throughout the entire year. In other words, the media’s
approach toward philanthropy was positive in all news, which we believe
offers a solid basis for the further prospering of giving in Albania.
Media Coverage of Giving
39

42. Media Coverage
162 195
Reports (%)
Media Type
Reports (%)
73.4% National Media
26.3% Regional (Western Balkans)
98.0% Online Media
0.3% Local
0.0% Sub-Regional Media (Counties/Districts)
1.4% Electronic Media (Radio and TV)
0.6% Print Media
0.0% Other
Total Giving
COVID-19 Giving Unrelated to COVID-19
357
Media Reports
40 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

43. This report was prepared using the Giving Balkans database, which
remains the most reliable database on philanthropic giving in the region.
Due to the absence of official data (e.g., the Ministries of Finance or Tax
Administration), Catalyst Balkans uses alternative ways to collect data,
primarily media reports and other available resources, including donor
and recipient reports. From January 1st
to December 31st
, 2020, media
reports were collected through monitoring printed, electronic (radio and
TV), and online media at the local, regional, and national level in Albania.
In this period, a total of 357 records of philanthropic giving were proces-
sed in the Giving Balkans database, out of which 174 figure as unique
instances.
This methodology has limitations, the most crucial being that the media
do not record all philanthropic giving. Nonetheless, we believe that our
research provides a sufficiently reliable insight into the essential aspects
of philanthropic giving, because figures, although not comprehensive,
offer a minimum value for relevant indicators. If, for example, we discuss
the number of philanthropic instances, we can state with certainty that
the number that we show is the minimum number of instances that have
taken place. The same is true for the amounts, actors, and other variables.
Hence, this data may be used to indicate the minimal degree of philant-
hropy development in Albania.
We usually present trends in the development of giving without outliers6
because these data points do not represent the giving renewed by local
actors each year, resulting in the need to be presented separately. Due to
the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on giving during 2020, we
have observed all dimensions relevant to philanthropy by distinguishing
giving related to COVID-19 and giving related to all other purposes. In the
appendix of the main report findings, we kept tracking and analyzing the
total yearly giving timelines unrelated to COVID-19 in order to maintain
general comparability of 2020 data with records obtained in previous
years.
Overview of the Methodology
6
I.e., disasters or one-off donations, which surpass a significant part of the total recorded amount
and are not renewable.
41

44. Total Giving
Donors
Amounts (€) 375,678.7
80 346 102 39 76
417,913.8 4,759,883.9 3,408,975.4 1,430,115.7
Number of
Instances
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Mass Individual
38.2%
25.5% 35.9% 15.8%
35.9% 31.6%
16.7% 20.5% 36.8%
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Instances (%) 2018 2019 2020
The donated amounts have declined since 2018, the year when Albania
reached its highest donated amount. In contrast, the number of instances
is higher than in the previous year but still not higher than in 2016.
Regarding frequency and size of donations, mass individual giving has
been on the rise since 2018. On the other hand, corporate giving has been
decreasing.
Mass Individual
22.7%
0.8% 6.6% 0.3%
55.4% 24.0%
0.2% 37.0% 75.7%
Corporate Sector
Individuals
Amount (%) 2018 2019 2020
Annex: Comparative Giving
Trends Unrelated to COVID-19
42 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

45. Themes
Poverty Relief
23.5%
12.7% 33.3% 18.4%
10.3% 25.0%
36.3% 28.2% 28.9%
Support to Marginalized Groups
Healthcare
Instances (%) 2018 2019 2020
12.7% 25.6% 6.6%
Education
In 2019, there was a decrease in the frequency of giving toward marginali-
zed groups. In 2020, the share of instances for this theme increased, while
education and healthcare experienced a drop in percentage.
Recipients
Individual / Families
15.7%
29.4% 28.2% 7.9%
5.1% 32.9%
49.0% 64.1% 55.3%
Non-Profit Organizations
Institutions
Instances (%) 2018 2019 2020
4.9% 0.0% 3.9%
Local / National Governments
After a year of increase, the share of philanthropic actions aimed at
individuals and families has decreased, while the share of NPOs has
increased. Nevertheless, the downward trend is observed only when it
comes to institutions, which received support to a significantly lesser
extent than before.
43

46. Final Beneficiaries
People in Economic Need
23.5%
7.8% 20.5% 14.5%
15.4% 14.5%
37.3% 23.1% 38.2%
Local Communities
People with Health Issues
Instances (%) 2018 2019 2020
2.9% 10.3% 6.6%
People with Disabilities
In 2020, donor attention to beneficiaries in economic need increased,
mostly through individual housing, reaching a similar level as in 2018.
Use of Donations
One-Off Support
23.5%
4.9% 0.0% 2.6%
38.5% 17.1%
71.6% 61.5% 80.3%
Long-Term Support
Unknown
Use of Donations 2018 2019 2020
When it comes to the use of donations, no clear trends are observed.
After a year of decrease, the share of short-term support has increased,
while strategic support has decreased.
44 Giving Albania 2020 – Report on the State of Philanthropy

47. Research conducted by:
Research supported by:
Study “Giving Albania 2020: Annual Report on the State of Philanthropy” is part of a
broader initiative to promote and stimulate philanthropy in the region carried out by
the Catalyst Foundation. The underlying research and this publication were created
by Catalyst Foundation (Catalyst Balkans) with the generous support of the C. S. Mott
Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the C. S. Mott
Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, or their partners.

48. Catalyst Balkans
38 Takovska, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
catalystbalkans.org
givingbalkans.org
Design
Dragana Pavlović
Prepared by
Maja Gligorić
Miloš Antić
Edited by
Vuk Vuković
Belgrade, 2021
Data collected by
Adelina Ajdari Abdiu
Data quality
Jelena Bekčić
Proofreading
Ajla Dizdarević