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Salvatore Alaimo and the faculty members at FEK resumed a previous collaboration. This year, they submitted a project proposal to the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports’ INTER-EXCELLENCE program, focusing on the professionalization of the nonprofit sector in the Czech Republic and the United States. The proposed project would enable research teams to conduct the first Czech-American comparative study on the level of nonprofit sector professionalization in the Czech Republic, where the development of this sector unfortunately lags behind the growth in the number of nonprofit organizations. A significant factor contributing to this issue is the limited educational offerings in nonprofit management.

If the project is approved, the teams will utilize examples of best practices from the U.S. and the research findings from both countries to recommend measures to enhance the nonprofit sector’s professionalism in the Czech Republic and the U.S. “The American nonprofit sector is likely one of the most formalized, structured, and developed in the world. Despite its relatively young age, it has a 40-year head start compared to the Czech Republic. However, both countries have faced similar challenges on their developmental paths, including pressures and demands from various governmental authorities, a general lack of understanding of the nonprofit sector, and limited capacity to fulfill goals and missions,” stated Dita Hommerová from FEK. “During our collaboration, we discovered that despite the geographical distance, we share much in common in our work and academic environment. We are planning additional projects and publications in the future,” she added.

This was not Professor Alaimo’s first visit to the Czech Republic; in 2022, thanks to a Fulbright scholarship, he spent six months at the University of Ostrava. During that time, he also visited Plzeň, where he lectured at the American Center at the University of West Bohemia and gave a guest lecture for FEK students on marketing in the nonprofit sector. Later, he collaborated with FEK faculty members Dita Hommerová (Department of Marketing, Trade, and Services) and Olga Martinčíková Sojková (Department of Economics and Quantitative Methods). This partnership resulted in a co-authored article on brand value in Czech nonprofit organizations.

With 20 years of experience in the field, Salvatore Alaimo is also writing a book for nonprofit leaders, which aims to help ensure their programs and services are impactful and effective.

Professor Salvatore Alaimo’s week-long stay at the University of West Bohemia was supported by the ZČU 2024 Development System (DKRVO). Reflecting on his first visit to the Czech Republic in 2022, he said: “The Czech Republic was initially a somewhat accidental choice for me, as only one of the over 300 Fulbright scholarships worldwide in 2022 focused on the nonprofit sector! I certainly don’t regret my decision, though, and I continue to benefit from my stay and the new colleagues and friends I met,” he remarked.