Bellona faces bankruptcy without €720,000 by Monday deadline

The Norwegian environmental organisation Bellona must raise 8 million kroner (€720,000) by Monday to avoid bankruptcy, but by Saturday evening had secured just over half that amount, Dagbladet reports.

As of Saturday night, donations from private individuals and businesses had reached 3.5 million kroner (€315,000), according to Bellona’s managing director, Sveinung Rotevatn. The organisation launched a public appeal for funds earlier this week after announcing its financial crisis.

“We’re in a race against the clock,” Rotevatn told Dagbladet. “It’s going to be a very tense final push.”

The board will meet on Monday to assess whether the fundraising target has been met and decide the organisation’s future. Rotevatn, a former deputy leader of the Liberal Party, acknowledged the goal was ambitious but stressed it was necessary for Bellona’s survival.

“We wouldn’t have set this target if we didn’t believe it was achievable,” he said. Staff have spent the week contacting potential donors and providing updates on the organisation’s work to secure further contributions.

Rotevatn described the public response as “enormous,” with support coming from both individuals and companies. Still, he warned that without a final surge in donations, Bellona’s operations could collapse.

“This is make or break,” he said.