About us
We live here. That is the whole idea.
We are building a Montenegrin charitable movement that turns joyful, physical, public events into direct support for our neighbours — and shows every euro on its way there.
How it started
Tivat is small enough that when a family is in trouble, you know them, or you know someone who does. In December 2025 a group of us decided to stop feeling bad about it and organise something instead. Santamore 25 began as a simple idea for festive fun: a run and a walk through town in red suits, bar to bar, with friends and local businesses behind us. Every cent we raised was split between two places that look after children in the bay: Dnevni Centar Tivat and the Dječji dom “Mladost” in Bijela.
It worked better than we expected, and it taught us the thing we didn't know: our community will show up. What was missing wasn't generosity. It was structure.
So this year we're building the structure — and turning one festive party into a Montenegrin tradition.
Why Santamore
Santamore is a blend of two ideas: Santa, the symbol of festive giving, and More — our word for the sea that surrounds us. We are the “Santas of the Sea”: a tidal wave of red suits and good cheer on the shores of Montenegro.
The sea isn't a coincidence we stumbled into — it's the whole strategy. Santa is a brand with six weeks a year. Water is a brand with twelve months. December carries the season: the run, the crawl, the giving month — our loudest weeks. Water carries the rest: swims, regattas, water polo, a coastal relay. Our bay is the venue. So we never go quiet — there is always a next thing to invite someone to.
St. Nicholas — the original Santa — is the patron saint of sailors and of children. In a bay that has been sailing for twelve centuries, we could not have asked for a better name.
Who decides what
We are registering as an independent, legally recognised non-governmental association in Montenegro, with its own Montenegrin bank account — small, real, and independent where it counts. In year one, while the registration ran, our founding sponsor Lotta covered every operational cost and held the funds raised in a dedicated account; everything passes to Santamore the moment the registration completes. Tivat is the first step — we picture chapters carrying the same celebration and the same support to towns across Montenegro.
Assembly
All of us
Volunteers, runners, chapter leads. Meets annually. Elects the board.
Board · 5–7
Strategy, budget, hiring
An accountant, a lawyer, a business figure, a community voice, an event professional. Independent majority.
Director
Runs the thing
Events, chapters, partnerships. Cannot decide who receives funds.
Chapters
Local teams
Lead, treasurer, volunteer coordinator. One charter, one standard.
The 100% plan
Every euro donated goes to beneficiaries. Nothing is deducted — not for salaries, not for equipment, not for the party. Operating costs are paid by sponsors, entry fees and grants, from a separate fund we publish beside the first.
Transparency doesn't end with fundraising. We hand funds over within two to three weeks of an event, so they arrive where they are needed while they are still needed — and we publish every hand-over in the public ledger, with the paperwork.
The Grants Committee is deliberately outside our control
Three to five people, majority not employed by Santamore, deciding who gets money against published criteria. Conflicts declared and recused. A third of the seats rotate every year. Not the founder. Not the director.
When someone asks “how do I know this doesn't go to your friends?”, this is the answer — and it has to be structural, not a promise.
The team
The people who carried Santamore 25 and carry it forward. In their own words.
Dragana
“Bringing people together is my passion. Santamore is the perfect recipe: a dash of festive fun, a generous scoop of community spirit, and a whole lot of heart. I'm thrilled to help bake this new tradition from the ground up!”
Ksenija
“I'm here for the good vibes and the great cause! Combining my love for this town with a festive party that gives back? Count me in. Let's make this coast the merriest!”
Elena
“I believe the best parties are the ones that leave the world a little brighter. Getting to dress up as an elf while supporting our community? That's my kind of holiday magic!”
Stasha
“The sea connects us all, and so does the spirit of giving. I volunteered to help weave that spirit into a fun, unforgettable event. Plus, I look great in a Santa hat!”
[[PLACEHOLDER: team photos, and the names of the board and grants committee — published with consent once the bodies are constituted.]]