The Ministry of
Economic Development has heard recommendations for participation in the
competition for the award of state subsidies for socially oriented NGOs

On 13 March, the Ministry of Economic Development held
a seminar on the preparation of applications to participate in a competition for
socially oriented NGOs.  This competition
is for federal budget subsidies for the implementation of programmes of
infrastructural development in the non-profit sector.  The seminar was attended by 196
representatives of public organisations dedicated to assisting the development
of NGOs (informational, consulting and methodological support, assistance in
attracting volunteers, and the synthesis and dissemination of best practice).

From the Ministry, the director of the Department of
Innovative Development, Artyom Shadrin, and his deputy, Ilya Chukalin, both
took part in the seminar.  Ilya Chukalin
set out the principal trends of government policy in the sphere of support for
NGOs and the results of their implementation in the last year.  Thus, in 2012, rates of insurance payments
were lowered for a number of socially oriented NGOs, and NGO accounting was
simplified.  Citizens donating to NGOs
were able to receive a social tax deduction. The first wide-ranging government
programme of professional development was launched for NGO staff and for
officials working with NGOs.  In the last
two years, 83 programmes aimed at developing the non-profit sector have been
financed under the programme of support for socially oriented NGOs.

Chukalin remarked that, recently, not only has there
been a trend towards increased state funding for socially oriented NGOs, but
there has also been a transition from targeted support to competitions. He
particularly emphasised the necessity for close cooperation between the
government departments allocating funding to NGOs – the Ministry of Labour, the
Ministry of Health and Social Development, the Ministry of Education, the
Ministry of Economic Development, and the Ministry of Culture.  In 2013, the state is allotting 8.3 billion roubles
to the support of socially oriented NGOs. 
Most of this is allocated by the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of
Health and Social Development, and the Ministry of Culture.  These ministries will continue to fund NGOs
which they have traditionally supported, but in addition will conduct two
competitions – for the creation of jobs for disabled people, and for the
support of cultural projects.

The competition for presidential grants is expected to
be announced soon; the document is awaiting the president’s signature.  The scale of support available through this
competition will rise to 2 billion 370 million roubles.

630 million roubles have been set aside for regional
programmes carried out by the Ministry of Economic Development within the
programme of support for socially oriented NGOs, and 280 million roubles for
the financing of infrastructural support.

This year, within the framework of the programme, it
will be possible to receive funding of up to 10 million roubles over two years  – up to 3
million roubles for a resource centre developing local projects).

The main priorities of the programme are:

—         
The
prevention of child abandonment; support for mothers and children

—         
Improving
quality of life for the elderly

—         
The
social adaptation of disabled people and their families

—         
The
development of further education, scientific-technical and artistic creativity,
mass sports, and local history and ecology activities for children and young
people

—         
The
development of international cooperation

Apart from these priorities, programmes may be
supported in other areas of work by socially oriented NGOs.

The Ministry of Economic Development will hold the
competition in several stages.  In the
first stage (approximately scheduled for May), NGOs should put forward an
application with concepts, estimates, and information on the experience of the
organisation, as well as a copy of its charter (a photocopy is also
permissible, stamped and signed by the director).  It is necessary to provide the information
both in hard copy and electronically (by filling in the corresponding form on
the NGO support programme’s website. 
After this, a session of the competition commission will be held to
select the best projects.

The most important criteria for appraisal of the
projects are: the correlation of the budget and projected impact, the
experience of the organisation, qualifications, and the amount of co-funding.

Projects which receive more than fifty votes out of a
possible 100 will be admitted to the second stage.

In the second stage, NGOs should submit a complete
programme, prepared in accordance with the conditions of the competition. It is
expected that the winners will be decided in September. Competition
documentation, sample applications for the preparation of concepts, and
programmes may be found in Order No. 465, 8 September 2011, of the Ministry of
Economic Development.

In order to enhance the transparency of competitive
selection, the possibility of publishing organisations’ conceptual applications
on the NGO support programme’s website is being considered.  Information on the progress of the programme
will also be placed here.

A video and
presentation of the meeting may be seen on the website of the Ministry of
Economic Development — http://www.economy.gov.ru/minec/activity/sections/SocOrientNoncomOrg/index

http://www.asi.org.ru/ASI3/rws_asi.nsf/va_WebPages/471FBF5D1EB623EB44257B2E00345A2ARus