HTOS trustee and director of the Russian History Foundation, Archpriest Vladimir vonTsurikov, delivered a speech at the first international conference titled “Fundraising in Russia: Bringing in resources for social and religious projects,” which took place in the High Monastery of St. Peter (Vysokopetrovsky) in Moscow.  Participants at this event included directors of benevolent funds, heads of businesses and universities, lawyers, and clergy.

The organizers of the conference divided it into two parts.  The first was comprised of speeches and discussions about the forms and methods of charitable giving in contemporary Russia, the tendencies and developments, motives of benefactors in their decisions to support a specific project and the conditions of the successful achievement of the anticipated project outcomes.

In the second part of the event, the beneficiaries made presentations.  One such was Archpriest Vladimir Tsurikov, Director of Development and trustee of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville.  Fr. Vladimir remarked that the important “financiers” of the projects of the RHF, just as in all the parishes of the USA, are themselves parishioners. Therefore, work with donors, per se, is work with the flock of the Church.  “Those raised in parishes have a sense of responsibility for their church; this is an aim of a seminary education and its essence” remarked Fr. Vladimir.  He named, as equally important in this work, the annual appeal from the seminary leadership to the Orthodox flock of America, which happens at the beginning of the academic and during the Paschal period. “We place a high value on every dollar, because it is the participation of each believer in this work together.  The exact sum of a particular donation, which is given regularly, is not important.  [Continual support] means that our flock remembers us,” emphasized the priest. In order to put to rest every unfair accusation and suspicion concerning the question of expenditure of resources, strict measures are followed in fundraising and the seminary hires an independent company to conduct financial audits. “Thus, full transparency and reporting are the chief principles ofour work,” concluded Fr. Vladimir.

Source: http://www.e-vestnik.ru/news/fandrayzing_konferenziya_v_rpu_7361/