In his Federal Address, Putin called for support for NGOs and volunteer movements

During his annual address to the Federal Assembly, President Vladimir Putin stated the need for meaningful support for volunteer, charitable movements and non-profit organizations, Channel One broadcasts live.

The President highly appreciated the participation of students and schoolchildren in volunteer movements to help elderly and sick people, care for nature and animals, as well as in local history and sports.

“A special sign of our time is the widespread involvement of citizens in a variety of charitable events. Calls on social networks and the media to raise funds for the treatment of patients and to help children quickly receive a response. Sometimes you’re even surprised how people with little income quickly respond to their inner needs to help those who need it,” Putin commented.

In his message, the President asked the Public Chamber and the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) to substantively engage in supporting volunteer and charitable non-profit organizations, emphasizing that the will and generosity of citizens who participate in such projects form “the much-needed atmosphere of common affairs in Russia and create colossal social potential "

“It is necessary to remove all barriers to the development of volunteerism and provide comprehensive assistance to socially oriented NGOs,” the message emphasizes. — The main decisions have already been made: starting next year, NGOs with relevant experience will have access to the provision of social services, which are financed from the budget.

The President instructed the government, together with legislators, to complete the formation of a clear legal framework for the activities of NPOs, establish requirements and competencies, “without adding additional bureaucratic barriers.”

“I ask you not to be greedy, not to habitually give preference to state-owned structures, but to involve social services and non-profit organizations to the maximum in the execution,” he conveyed to the regional authorities. “Let’s be honest, they still have a lot of eyes open right now.” This is very important - a cordial attitude towards people. Let us together keep these issues under special control.”

As Kommersant clarifies , previously non-profit organizations, providers of social services, asked the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to increase tariffs for work and not delay payments, otherwise they would not be able to compete with government organizations. The department promised to solve the problem, but currently the regions have received only recommendations on improving work with NPOs.

The day before, on November 30, the State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill on measures to support state and local government bodies for socially oriented non-profit organizations that provide socially useful services. The draft law provides organizations that have been operating for more than a year with the right to property or financial support, support for staff development, as well as free airtime in the media.

In early November, Vladimir Putin stated that it was necessary to provide additional preferences to socially oriented NPOs. “Our task is to create a favorable, friendly, friendly environment for the development of socially oriented NPOs. Perhaps it makes sense to provide them with some additional preferences, for example, those that small businesses already have,” the president said at the opening of the “Community” forum in Moscow. Putin expects that the mechanism of special legal status for socially oriented non-profit organizations will be implemented from January 1, 2017.

According to PWC statistics , only 13% of NPOs in Russia are socially oriented, while in Europe this figure is 60-70%.

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