ABOUT ME

My name is Bence [Ben-tse] Tordai. I'm a Vienna-based nonprofit consultant and trainer with a background in community development, social innovation, and nonprofit management. After working for an educational grassroots organization, I moved to an international NGO in 2015 to kickstart a nonprofit hub in Budapest. From 2019 until early 2025, I served as the director of this professional platform. Over the last decade, I have worked with more than 100 nonprofit organizations, informal groups, and social businesses from diverse backgrounds, areas of work, sizes, cultures, and levels of knowledge.

I believe in a strong civil society built on thriving organizations and initiatives. I truly think social change most often comes from committed individuals taking responsibility – something we need today more than ever. Throughout my career, I’ve seen many powerful examples of grassroots participation and small communities driving real social impact. At the same time, having spent 10 years in an international NGO myself, I also know how important large organizations can be in a social change process.

Ister is the Latin name for the Danube. I was born in Budapest and have spent most of my life along this river. Today I live in Vienna, another city where the Danube flows through daily life. For me, it creates an enduring connection between my home of origin and my home of choice.  

The Danube is one of the greatest ecological presences in Europe, weaving together cultures, languages, and lands. Less visibly, it also carries thoughts and ideas as a messenger for millenia. The river is not only a physical landmark, but also a shared space of belonging and identity for numerous people across Central and Eastern Europe.   

In my view, Ister represents the duality of being both constant and ever-changing; a tension that also characterizes impact-driven work and the lives of organizations. And if you’ve ever watched a wide river as a ship crosses, you’ll know how waves emerge only later and not always in predictable ways.