My name is Katja Sofie Tolstrup and I am a project-development and fundraising consultant, based on Bornholm. I founded my consultancy based on a wish to partner with and assist CEOs, executives and solo-preneurs of SME's to grow their business at the same time as the on-going green transition. I work with all kinds of stakeholders and actors who are engaged in developing our Baltic Sea community.

This small society of ca 40.000 inhabitants represents a substantial number of entrepreneurial ideas and opportunities in an often highly challenging setting. I am passionate about helping local entrepreneurs find their right partners among private and public foundations to realise the potential of their ideas.

After spending nearly a decade working with the EU-framework of calls, project-assistance and programmes as well as state-run programs – and lately, the world of private foundations through the lens of the local council on Bornholm, I understand what drives a successful project, how to hands-on handle large quantities of administrative regulations and directives and how to bridge local needs with external support. I have worked with e.g. the INTER-REG programmes, Horizon-2020 and related support-mechanisms as well as Greater Copenhagen EU Office.

My education background is an MA in Social Anthropology from the University of Copenhagen. I have worked for years in an international human rights-organisation-setting, I have been posted abroad – and I know how the local council on Bornholm works, from the inside. In my capacity as fundraiser for the local council, I participated in finalising an application for the so-called RESponsible Island Prize under EUs Horizon 2020 Programme – a prize that has been awarded to Bornholm acknowledging the work done to secure a climate-friendly development on the island, greening the energy production etc. The award is followed by EUR 500.000, which can be spent at the discretion of the municipality.

In June, 2020 I finished my training as Fundraising Manager with Fundraiseren.dk