Fundraising as a modern tool for financing entrepreneurial activities

The article examines the theoretical and practical foundations of fundraising as a modern instrument for financing entrepreneurial activity amid economic instability, limited access to traditional financial resources, and increasing uncertainty. The purpose of the article is to systematize the main types and instruments of fundraising, determine their role in the financial support of entrepreneurial activity, and specifics of their application. The study employed general scientific research methods, including theoretical generalization, comparative analysis, systematization, and logical abstraction. As a result of the study, the essence of fundraising as a process of attracting financial and non-financial resources from external sources for the implementation of entrepreneurial, innovative, social, and public projects was clarified. The main types of fundraising were systematized, including grant-based, crowdfunding, corporate (sponsorship), charitable, and venture fundraising. Their comparative characteristics were determined according to funding sources, forms of resource provision, key instruments, and target beneficiaries. The study generalized modern fundraising instruments, including grant proposals, crowdfunding platforms, e-mail campaigns, social media marketing, charitable events, venture pitch presentations, QR code fundraising, and corporate partnerships. Current trends in fundraising development in Ukraine were analyzed. In addition, a system of indicators for assessing fundraising effectiveness was proposed. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the systematization of fundraising types and instruments as components of entrepreneurial financing. The practical significance of the results lies in the potential to use the proposed approaches to diversify financing sources and improve financial sustainability. Prospects for further research include developing systematic approaches to integrating fundraising into enterprise financial management systems and improving analytical tools for evaluating the effectiveness of fundraising activities. Keywords: fundraising, entrepreneurship, grant funding, crowdfunding, digital technologies, tools, financial resources, risks.