# Fundraising in Russia

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/11/28/fundraising-russia/
- Published: 2010-11-28T18:08:35+00:00
- Author: John Baguley

![](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/files/images/news/SDC10177.JPG)

Speaking in Moscow a couple of weeks ago at the NGO School Fundraising Masterclass
I was fascinated to see how fundraising has evolved from the last time I was there
some 20 years ago. Then there were no non-governmental organisations fundraising(
and Yeltsin was still to rise to power), but there were street stalls raising funds
for the miners, a concert for young musicians and an auction.

Now hundreds of organisations raise funds often still through events, but also from
companies (who avidly use CSR to promote their products, and often run their own
charities), philanthropists and foundation grants etc. It seems individual donations
are more complex tax-wise and along with membership of organisations much less promoted
than in the UK.

## CAF survey on giving in Russia

A CAF survey has found that Russians are not inclined to share their money (only
6% of the population makes regular donations), but they are more willing to donate
time (20%), or to help a stranger in need (29%).

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Partly this is because of the poverty outside the Moscow and St Petersburg zones
of affluence, and because people fear individual generosity can attract interest
from both the authorities and possibly criminals, but also because people do not
trust charities to look after and spend the money properly. They feel that their
donations can easily be stolen.

## Russian tax system doesn’t promote charitable giving

A further complication is the Russian tax system (on which I confess I’m not an 
expert) which seems to incorporate the worst of both the US and UK systems, taxing
both the donor and the recipient. Despite all these difficulties it is really heartening
to see so many Russians devoting their time and energy to improving the life of 
others, and building very effective and well managed institutions.

This appears as a third wave of NGO development, from the early days of the 1990s
where people saw a problem and tried themselves or with a small group to help. To
the more organised period as overseas organisations flooded in to set up ex-pat 
offices, giving free training and funding both projects and embryonic local NGOs,
to the current situation where organisations are largely owned and managed by Russian
nationals and meet national needs directly.

John Baguley

[www.InternationalFundraisingConsultancy.com](http://www.InternationalFundraisingConsultancy.com)