The current public agenda: trust, care for people, social responsibility
1.1
VOLUNTEERING AND MUTUAL AID AS BASIC VALUES OF PUBLIC LIFE
IN RESPONSE TO THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, THERE HAS BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED INCREASE IN THE ACTIVITY OF THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT IN RUSSIA. ACCORDING TO THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF RUSSIA, BY THE MIDDLE OF 2021, MORE THAN 7.5 MILLION RUSSIANS WERE INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES BY VOLUNTEER SUPPORT CENTERS BASED ON NONGOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS.
The pandemic period has become a kind of test for Russian volunteers. And they did not disappoint. During this time, volunteer support was felt by thousands of doctors and ordinary citizens. It is thanks to volunteers that humanity and mutual assistance have become the real values of our life.
Thanks to the attention of the country’s leadership to the development and support of volunteer activities and the efforts of federal authorities on the legal regulation of cooperation in volunteerism in recent years, significant positive results have been achieved in the organization of volunteer cooperation, the development of universal codes of conduct, and their popularization and expansion.
Today there are hundreds of volunteer centers and organizations operating in Russia. They carry out their activities in almost all spheres of public life, playing an important role in civil society
There has been an unprecedented increase in society’s trust in volunteers: according to the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, the majority of Russians (85%) believe that the state should help volunteers, activists of social movements, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).3 Of note, high rates of trust in volunteers from the citizens of our country have been recorded — 90−92%.4
THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT IN RUSSIA*
*Data by December 2021 (www.dobro.ru)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT IN RUSSIA IN 2021
TOP-10 MOST POPULAR FIELDS BY NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN 2021*
*Data by December 2021 (www.dobro.ru)
1 CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
2 HEALTHCARE AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
3 CULTURE AND ART
4 EDUCATION
5 VETERANS AND HISTORICAL MEMORY
6 NATURE
7 SPORT AND ACTIVITIES
8 ANIMALS
9 THE OLDER GENERATION
10 INTELLECTUAL ASSISTANCE
The Civic Chamber recognizes the importance of preserving and developing the accumulated experience of effective cooperation between public authorities, organized civil society institutions, NGOs, and volunteers during the pandemic. In 2021, the Civic Chamber acted as a platform for consolidating and developing a unified position on solving the most significant problems for the country.
One example of this cooperation is the separate work carried out by the Civic Chamber with such socially significant volunteer groups in Russia as the AllRussian Public Movement “Medical Volunteers”, the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps, and the Volunteer Search and Rescue Team “LizaAlert”.
The “Medical Volunteers” movement was founded in 2013 by activists from the civil project “Sklif Volunteers”. In 2016, it received the official status of an AllRussian Public Organization. Today, the “Medical Volunteers” public organization is one of the largest healthcare-related volunteer groups in Europe.5
The Civic Chamber has repeatedly noted the importance and relevance of volunteer activities during the pandemic.
In 2021, due to the increasing refusals of volunteer help by social and medical institutions due to coronavirus restrictions, the Civic Chamber (with the broad participation of representatives of the state authorities, public organizations, scientific and expert communities) considered the main problematic issues on the organization of volunteer work in healthcare. Recommendations on the further coordination of interests and the removal of barriers to the work of volunteers in healthcare institutions were sent to the relevant ministries and departments of the Russian Federation.
The All-Russian Students' Rescue Corps turned 20 years old this year. Today it is the largest volunteer organization, numbering more than eight thousand volunteers who conduct educational projects on safety, engage in patriotic education of young people, and participate in rescue operations and emergency response measures.6
In August 2021, the 11th Report and Election Conference of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps (VKS) was held at the platform of the Civic Chamber, where 56 delegates from 72 regional branches gathered. During the conference, there was a two-day alignment meeting for the heads of regional offices and resource centers on supporting volunteerism in emergency situations. During the conference, participants shared their experiences, discussed the main issues of the organization’s activities, and determined the directions of the Corps' development.
The public association “LizaAlert” is a unique volunteer search and rescue team, which appeared after the tragic story of a little girl who got lost and died of hypothermia in September 2010.7
In 2020−2021, noting the unconditional social significance of the search and rescue movement, the Civic Chamber held a series of events on improving the legislation of the Russian Federation in terms of determining the location of subscribers' phones in order to promptly search for missing people. The Civic Chamber’s proposals to allow the obtaining of information about the location and connections of a subscriber device held by a missing person were taken into account when adopting the relevant federal law.8
In addition, the Civic Chamber has formulated a number of proposals to the responsible agencies to conduct a pilot project, in various regions of the Russian Federation, on the introduction of bracelets with NFC technology and QR code in order to reduce the search time and identification of missing persons.
From the middle of 2021, safety bracelets started being given out for free to citizens in at-risk groups: children, the elderly, and people with mental disorders. The coordinators of the project “LizaAlert” estimate that such bracelets can save about 10 thousand people annually. They are bright orange, do not require charging, and are not damaged by water.9
An important event in the autumn of 2021 was the resumption of work by the headquarters of the nationwide mutual assistance campaign #WeTogether. The volunteers, responding to society’s needs, again took the front line in the fight against the pandemic, providing targeted assistance in the purchasing and delivery of food, medicines, and basic necessities, as well as volunteer assistance in medical organizations and social institutions.
THE ALL-RUSSIAN ACTION OF MUTUAL ASSISTANCE #WETOGETHER
#WETOGETHER IS THE ALL-RUSSIAN ACTION OF MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, UNDER WHICH ANYONE CAN OFFER THEIR HELP OR ASK FOR IT
IN FIGURES
DONATIONS COLLECTED
RECEIVED FREE FOOD PACKAGES
RECEIVED TARGETED STATE ASSISTANCE
DELIVERED TO THOSE IN NEED BY THE RUSSIAN RED CROSS
PIECES OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT GIVEN OUT
DURING ITS COURSE, THE CAMPAIGN HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE FIGHT AGAINST THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS. UNDER #WETOGETHER, ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED TO ORPHANS, VETERANS, AND LARGE FAMILIES, TO EVERYONE WHO NEEDS SUPPORT
Today, at the Civic Chamber’s initiative, activities are underway to develop and coordinate the draft law on mandatory life insurance for volunteers.10
On December 5, 2021, the Volunteer Day, the President of Russia took part in the #WeTogether volunteer award ceremony to support the public initiative to insure volunteers.
1.2
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION: PUBLIC MONITORING OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF “SOCIAL” AMENDMENTS
CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION INITIATED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION VLADIMIR PUTIN HAVE GENERATED CONSIDERABLE INTEREST ACROSS ALL OF RUSSIAN SOCIETY. THE CIVIC CHAMBER, HAVING TAKEN AN ACTIVE PART IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION AS A KEY INSTITUTION OF CIVIL SOCIETY, HAS CONTINUED TO WORK ON PRESENTING ITS POSITION ON DRAFT LAWS DEVELOPED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW.
Since the amendments came into force, the State Duma has adopted more than 200 federal laws in their development. A significant number of the new laws concern social and family topics, the expansion of the powers of the Federal Assembly as a representative body of power in Russia, changing the status of local self-government, and the legislative strengthening of the sovereignty of Russia and the inviolability of existing borders.
The next stage involves changing regional and municipal legislation, improving industry standards, and challenging norms that do not comply with the principles and nature of the updated Constitution.
Following the results of the conference held in July 2021, dedicated to the anniversary of the adoption of the amendments, a decision was made to expand the interaction of the Civic Chamber with the Ministry of Justice of Russia regarding work on the development and adoption of draft laws that directly develop and specify new constitutional norms.
ADOPTED BY THE STATE DUMA ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF RUSSIA
In 2021, the Civic Chamber paid special attention to discussing changes in legislation and the regulatory framework in the following areas:
- Draft resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation on the implementation of educational activities in the Russian Federation.11 The Civic Chamber, having collated the opinions of active citizens, made a number of serious comments and suggestions on finalizing the draft resolution, as well as recommending a comprehensive analysis, coordination, and assessment of the regulatory impact of the resolution with the participation of civil society institutions. Following the results of the Ministry of Education of Russia’s public discussion, the project was withdrawn for revision;
- The practice of applying the Federal Law on the Responsible Treatment of Animals12 and perspectives on its further improvement.
- Having united the dialogue of various public forces acting with diametrically opposed positions, the Civic Chamber has developed a set of recommendations, including proposals for the registration and labeling of animals, ensuring their sterilization, the creation of shelters with the assistance of local authorities, and the establishment of liability for obstructing activities to ensure public control in the field of animal treatment;
- The Civic Chamber created a working group to improve the legal regulation on protecting the rights of citizens with mental disorders. 13 It includes representatives of the Russian Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor, the State Duma, the Federation Council, and scientific medical centers. With the participation of the working group, the substantive structure of the psychiatric care law was determined. It shall help to strengthen the regulations of medical care given to citizens suffering from mental disorders and protect their rights and freedoms when such care is provided. The necessity of further improving legislation on issues of custody and guardianship, the capacity of patients suffering from mental disorders, determining the extent of legal capacity, protecting the rights of patients in hospitals and neuropsychiatric boarding schools is also noted. At the moment, these provisions are being developed;14
- Amendments to legislation to actively fight coronavirus, namely to regulate citizens' access to public catering, transport, cultural and sports institutions, and other places that may become a factor of spreading the disease amid the pandemic.
Every year, the Civic Chamber conducts a public evaluation of the most important financial document that has a decisive impact on all spheres of society’s life: the draft federal budget.15
The Civic Chamber supported the draft budget, recognizing it as generally balanced and meeting the interests of civil society. At the same time, the Chamber members formulated suggestions and comments, which were recommended for consideration when further finalizing the draft law:
- Amid the relatively low GDP growth rates, the need to reduce funding for the “National Economy” and “Social Policy” sections is questionable;
- There is an unjustified decrease in funding for health and education, the most important national projects of the “social block”;
- In 2022, the budget deficit of the Compulsory Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation, in terms of compulsory social insurance in case of temporary disability or maternity leave, is planned to be financed by a surplus of funds from another type of compulsory social insurance — from industrial accidents and occupational diseases. The Civic Chamber considers it necessary to minimize the practice of such cross-subsidization;
- The need to finance individual programs and subprograms of socially significant projects and initiatives implemented under activities by such organizations as the Russian Red Cross, the “Immortal Regiment” of Russia, the Charity Foundation “Old Age in Joy”, the National Monitoring Center for Missing and Injured Children, and others.
1.3
GROWING TRUST IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR AND THE SOCIAL DEMAND FOR TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE
AN EXAMPLE OF THE CULTIVATION OF AN EFFECTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE STATE AT A NEW QUALITATIVE LEVEL IS THE DEVELOPING RELATIONS ESTABLISHED IN THE NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
The active work of nongovernmental organizations during the pandemic resulted in a significant increase in public confidence in the activities of NGOs and volunteers, and the state continued to perceive the nonprofit sector as an equal reliable partner in implementing social policy and solving public problems.
At the same time, nongovernmental organizations, providing support to the population in the restrictive conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, themselves ended up in a difficult situation; they needed the help of the state. The Civic Chamber was one of the first to draw attention to the problems of socially oriented nonprofit organizations, proposing measures to support NGOs. These proposals are reflected in the President of Russia’s proposals.
The unprecedented “anti-pandemic” package of support measures provided by the state to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in 2020 contributed to maintaining the sustainability of the nongovernmental sector.
In 2021, the Civic Chamber, as part of its monitoring of state support measures for nongovernmental organizations, focused on making these measures more systematic and targeted.
With the direct involvement of the Civic Chamber, the following were developed:
-
Federal Law dated
30.04.2021 No.104-FZ “On Amendments to Article 265 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation” in accordance with which the two registers of socially-oriented NPOs receiving state support make up a single one. It means that organizations donating to NPOs included in the specified register will be able to receive an income tax deduction. This law will come into force on January 1, 2022; -
Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated
30.07.2021 No.1290 “On the Register of Socially Oriented Nonprofit Organizations” which approved a single register of socially-oriented NPOs. The Civic Chamber managed to defend the proposal to expand the criteria for the inclusion of socially oriented NPOs with those named register — in addition to those defined last year. The register will also be able to include NPOs that receive state (or municipal) support. In addition, the regional executive authority of the Russian Federation may propose an additional criterion for the inclusion of a regional NPO in this register. The Civic Chamber and regional civic chambers are authorized to request the relevant authorities if, in their opinion, a decision on the inclusion of an NPO in the register appears incorrect. The authority is obliged to consider the request and send a reasoned response. This provides an effective mechanism, thanks to which the civic chambers can continue to monitor the transparency and fairness of the formation of a single register with NPOs.
MAIN AREAS OF STATE SUPPORT FOR THE NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR
THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF STATE SUPPORT FOR THE NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR, AS DEFINED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION DURING THE ANNUAL ADDRESSES TO THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY
In 2021, the topic of developing and supporting the nonprofit sector was also actively worked out by the Civic Chamber in the following areas:
- Rating of regions by the level of development and support for the nongovernmental sector. In 2021, the rating methodology was updated based on proposals received from experts and regional civic chambers. The new rating includes 150 parameters that are processed into 60 indicators combined into 10 groups. The results of the study were presented in November 2021 at the final “Community” forum in Moscow. The rating makes it possible to comprehensively assess how developed the nonprofit sector is in the region, and at the same time presents this assessment in a compact, understandable form;
- The “Participation of NGOs in the Provision of Services in the Social Sphere” project is being implemented. This project demonstrates to the general public and the expert community the experiences and practices of the regions in supporting NPOs, as well as social technologies created with the participation of NGOs or social entrepreneurs. As for representatives of regional NGOs, this forum gives them an opportunity to share their work experience and canvass the barriers that hinder their work;
- Together with the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development, regional civic chambers, and the expert community public monitoring of the implementation of Federal Law 189-FZ “On State (Municipal) Social Order for the Provision of State (Municipal) Services in the Social Sphere” is being carried out. The Civic Chamber has been directly involved in its development since 2016. The regional civic chambers, along with the regional offices of OPORA Russia, act as communication platforms that ensure the participation of all parties interested in piloting the law in various regions;
- Informational and methodological support is provided to civic chambers on the development of the nonprofit sector, charities, and volunteerism under the “Hour with the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia” and “Hour with the Ministry of Finance of Russia” projects;
- Using the platform of the working group under the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation to develop the terms of an algorithm for reporting on the amounts and purposes of spending funds received from donors who may have foreign sources. These procedures are designed to take into account the interests and protect the reputation of scrupulous NGOs when fulfilling legal requirements;
- Developing proposals to improve the legislation on NGOs, in terms of implementing the instructions of Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Russia, given as a result of the “Community” forum. The development bifurcated both public evaluation of draft laws and regulations, developed by the authorities, and the development of independent proposals;
- The Civic Chamber has launched the “I Am Not Afraid of Vaccinations” campaign, aiming to inform and educate about immunization against a novel coronavirus infection with the help of NGOs, their employees, and volunteers, who are an important communication channel for certain categories of citizens.
In October-November 2021, amid the anti-pandemic restrictions, the Russian Government developed and implemented new measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and NPOs, which are provided both at the federal and regional levels. The Civic Chamber notes that the prompt resolution of the issue of supporting NGOs facing forced restrictions indicates that the state fully recognizes the critically important role of NGOs in the development of the economy and social sphere.
In 2022, the Civic Chamber, within its powers, will continue to consistently monitor the consideration of the interests of the nonprofit sector in new legislative initiatives.16
RATING OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION SUBJECTS BY LEVEL AND QUALITY OF THE NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
THE CIVIC CHAMBER’S PROJECT: “RATING OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION SUBJECTS BY LEVEL AND QUALITY OF THE NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT”
RATING MODEL
THE NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR’S DEVELOPMENT IS DETERMINED BY 10 OBJECTIVE FACTORS, 60 INDICATORS, AND MORE THAN 150 METRICS
TOP 10 REGIONS BY LEVEL AND QUALITY OF THE NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
| Rating in 2020 | Position |
Rating number |
Economic importance | NGO Sustainability |
Activeness of NGO operations |
NGO support from the region |
Online-availability of information about support for socially oriented NPOs |
Media activity |
Results of expert consultations |
Social significance |
Importance of regional public receptions for the NGO |
Importance of NPO resource centers |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | ||||||||||||||
| 1. | MOSCOW | 1 | 0 | 66.048 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 2.70 | 3.02 | 4.51 | 5.00 | 2.65 | 4.97 | 4.13 | 4.33 |
| 2. | VOLOGDA REGION | 14 | 12 | 64.436 | 3.39 | 4.42 | 4.96 | 4.51 | 3.59 | 3.67 | 3.07 | 4.55 | 3.08 | 3.13 |
| 3. | REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN | 2 | -1 | 62.348 | 4.29 | 4.22 | 3.70 | 3.33 | 3.29 | 3.46 | 3.77 | 3.34 | 4.88 | 3.35 |
| 4. | KHANTY-MANSI AUTONOMOUS DISTRICT — YUGRA | 4 | 0 | 61.854 | 2.71 | 4.74 | 3.12 | 5.00 | 3.81 | 3.19 | 2.77 | 5.00 | 4.80 | 3.50 |
| 5. | CHELYABINSK REGION | 11 | 6 | 61.709 | 3.61 | 3.96 | 3.91 | 3.98 | 3.72 | 3.52 | 2.68 | 3.89 | 4.89 | 3.45 |
| 6. | TYUMEN REGION | 3 | -3 | 60.445 | 2.54 | 3.99 | 3.26 | 3.65 | 3.02 | 4.09 | 3.36 | 4.96 | 4.12 | 5.00 |
| 7. | TULA REGION | 9 | 2 | 59.046 | 3.50 | 4.00 | 2.60 | 3.20 | 4.07 | 3.10 | 5.00 | 2.83 | 4.68 | 3.43 |
| 8. | SAINT PETERSBURG | 5 | -3 | 58.038 | 3.66 | 4.16 | 2.49 | 3.46 | 3.40 | 4.37 | 2.65 | 4.82 | 3.18 | 3.47 |
| 9. | SAMARA REGION | 10 | 1 | 56.979 | 3.81 | 4.03 | 3.53 | 3.59 | 3.15 | 2.77 | 2.41 | 4.10 | 4.67 | 2.49 |
| 10. | KRASNODAR REGION | 33 | 23 | 56.853 | 2.79 | 3.45 | 4.20 | 4.52 | 2.66 | 3.18 | 2.17 | 3.44 | 3.77 | 3.86 |
RATIO OF THE SCALE OF THE THIRD SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY AND ITS EFFICIENCY RATING
In 2021, an important practical result of a new type of relations between the state, business, and civil society, as well as a sign of the state’s trust in the nonprofit sector, was the creation of the Circle of Kindness Foundation with the active participation of the Civic Chamber.17 The Foundation is a distributor of funds allocated by the government for helping children with severe life-threatening, chronic, and rare illnesses. The Civic Chamber worked on developing the fund’s structure and gave recommendations on its fields of operation. All of the Civic Chamber’s proposals were included in the decree of the Russian Government, as well as the program documents on which the foundation is currently working on.18
The principles of its work are the implementation of a new decision-making model based on medical discussion, which takes into account the opinion of society.
The Foundation is financed using a targeted social tax, with deductions from the personal income tax rate increased from 13 to 15%, which is valid for incomes over 5 million rubles a year.19
Through the work of the Foundation, 1,704 children were provided with medicine for eight diseases in 2021. At the end of 2021, the Foundation’s expert council expanded the age range for the use of Zolgensma drugs for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy and Trikafta for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. An important victory of the Foundation was the official registration of Zolgensma in Russia. In 2022, the Foundation plans to allocate roughly 78.8 billion rubles to continue its activities.
PROVIDED WITH TREATMENT FOR RARE CONDITIONS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CIRCLE OF KINDNESS FOUNDATION
WILL BE SENT IN 2022−2024 TO THE CIRCLE OF KINDNESS FOUNDATION SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH SEVERE LIFETHREATENING AND CHRONIC ILLNESSES
1.4
MEASURES TO PROP UP THE CULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSIFY THE CULTURE FINANCING MODELS
THE LOSS OF INCOME EXPERIENCED BY CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AMID THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC REQUIRED A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF STATE SUPPORT FOR THE CULTURAL SPHERE IN 2020−2021, AND THE STATE DID PROVIDE THIS SUPPORT.
The President of Russia instructed that culture should be taken into account in plans for economic recovery.20 Instructions were also given on the adoption of additional state support measures for organizations carrying out certain types of cultural activities in 2021 and 2022, in terms of subsidies, postponement of tax payment deadlines, tax rate relief, and a number of other measures.21
In April 2021, a plan was approved for implementing the “Development of Culture” state program,22 designed for 2021−2023 and providing for the restoration of museums and cultural heritage sites, the digitization of important historical texts, and the opening of new cultural centers in urban settlements and small towns.
There were also innovations aimed at the development of human resources in the cultural field. A law was passed allowing citizens to receive a second higher education in creative majors for free.23 The Russian Ministry of Culture has prepared rules on granting subsidies to regions for paying compensation to specialists in the cultural sector who have moved to work in small towns and villages. Payments are planned as part of the implementation of the new “Zemstvo Cultural Worker” (County Council Cultural Worker) program. According to the Ministry, this will attract more than nine thousand new specialists to institutions in small towns and villages.24
The idea of attaching the “Zemstvo Cultural Worker” program to state planning documents was supported by the Civic Chamber during a meeting of the Coordinating Council for National Projects and Population Preservation.
Since September 1, 2021, the “Pushkin Card” project, initiated by the President of Russia and developed by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance, and the Post Bank, has been successfully implemented. This has made it possible to strengthen and, in many cases for the first time, establish contact between the younger generation of Russians and cultural institutions, e.g., theaters, museums, philharmonic halls, significantly increasing their attendance.25
CULTURAL SPHERE FINANCING
INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR THE CULTURAL SPHERE OVER THE PAST 7 YEARS
FUNDS FOR THE “CULTURE” NATIONAL PROJECT WILL BE INCREASED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADOPTED FEDERAL BUDGET FOR 2022 AND THE PLANS FOR 2023−2024
The Civic Chamber conceptually supported the project on the Federal Law “On the Introduction of Changes to the Federal Law ‘On State Support for Cinematography in the Russian Federation.'”26 This was aimed at maintaining the complete state financing of the production and distribution of certain categories of films, the public prominence and artistic value of which cannot be measured by their revenue from rollout and screening. At the same time, the Civic Chamber made proposals for more detail in the planned rules in order to reduce the risk of ambiguous interpretation. It was also proposed that members of the Civic Chamber participate in selecting national films which will receive state financing for their production and rollout.
The new Concept for the Development of Creative Industries is expected to be another important tool in developing the cultural sphere, as well as increasing the number of creative industries in all sectors of the economy until 2030. It is aimed at developing the economy, creating new jobs, attracting investment in the cultural sphere, and increasing the proportion of citizens in creative professions from 4.6 to 15%.27
A detailed action plan within the Concept will be developed by the Ministry of Culture by March 1, 2022. Its implementation should lead to a change in the quality of life and attract talents to the national economy.
Over the past few years, one of the most controversial public issues in the cultural sphere has been the question on how much state support is required.
FROM 2022 TO 2024 THE “CULTURE” NATIONAL PROJECT WILL RECEIVE
THE FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT THE “CULTURE DEVELOPMENT” STATE PLAN
IN 2022
IN 2023
IN 2024
There is a common perception that the whole range of problems in funding cultural institutions cannot be solved without the participation of the state. Despite the positive changes in this area as part of the “Culture” national project’s implementation, there are still many unresolved issues. One of the most important problems remains the closure of cultural institutions in small territories due to a wide variety of reasons — from lack of funding to low demand. Today, in many municipalities, houses of culture are the only opportunity for local residents to be creative and get involved in the arts.
In order to identify problems with the availability, equipment, and functioning of such rural institutions, the Civic Chamber launched a hotline in November 2021. As a result of this, concrete proposals for resolving this situation will be developed at the beginning of the next year.
Along with state funding, public-private partnerships in cultural projects must be developed. In line with this, the state has created a basis for private businesses and nongovernmental organizations to support the arts and participate in cultural projects, which forms a flexible approach to the issue of financing cultural projects.
The successful practices of such projects that have emerged in recent years, not only in the capital but also in the provinces of Russia, convincingly show that culture can be one of the significant factors in the investment attractiveness of a territory, and cultural projects can be self-sustaining and attractive for business.
In March 2021, at a meeting of the President of Russia with the business community, nongovernmental cultural institutions asked the President for support, noting that without the help of the state, it would be very difficult for the industry to get out of the situation amid the restrictions of coronavirus infection.28 Expressing civil society’s concerns about the current situation, the Civic Chamber also sent its recommendations to the Government of Russia, the Ministry of Culture of Russia, and Rospotrebnadzor. и Роспотребнадзор.
The creation of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives in May 2021 was an important step in supporting public cultural initiatives. The main purpose of the new structure, created by the Decree of the President of Russia, is to support projects in cultural, artistic, and creative industries, which are implemented by NGOs, as well as commercial organizations and individual entrepreneurs.29
The Civic Chamber supported the idea of creating the Foundation, underscoring that the state is implementing the amendments to the Constitution adopted in 2020, which indicates that the country’s leadership is approaching the cultural sphere based on its fundamental importance for the development of the state.30
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GRANT COMPETITION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL INITIATIVES
AS A RESULT OF THE FIRST GRANT COMPETITION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL INITIATIVES
STATISTICS FROM THE FIRST COMPETITION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL INITIATIVES
MOST APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED FOR
1.5
PROVIDING CONDITIONS FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CREATIVE SELF-REALIZATION
THANKS TO THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF LARGE-SCALE SOCIAL PROJECTS IN 2021, THE CIVIC CHAMBER NOTES A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE COUNTRY.
In September of this year, the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives held its first competition, and as a result, a new sector of the creative economy is being formed today before our very eyes. The state has officially recognized that creativity, imagination, constructive innovation, design, and originality play a major role in a modern economy, and this role will only increase with time.
The Civic Chamber supports the Presidential Grant Foundation and actively participates in its activities. For example, the Civic Chamber provides platforms for seminars teaching NGOs, religious and ethnocultural organizations to apply correctly for grants. In addition, such seminars provide methodological and statistical materials on support measures and reports about the results of the project implementation.31
Another effective mechanism for finding and identifying talented people in creative industries in 2021 was the “ArtMasters” project. The professional backstage competition organized in 2020 received a second wind. It happened in August 2021 during a meeting with representatives of the public, when the president of Russia instructed to allocate funds for the National Open Championship of Creative Competencies, “ArtMasters”, and to support the generally successful Russian championships in professional skills.32
A unique platform for creative self-realization is the Tavrida art cluster. The latter is an ecosystem of projects contributing to the realization of the creative and professional potential of young cultural and artistic individuals. Of note, the Tavrida platform hosts the All-Russian competition of youth projects.
For schoolchildren in grades 8−10, the large-scale all-Russian project “Big Change” is being implemented. The contest is a project of the “Russia is a Country of Opportunities” platform and is organized jointly with the Rospatriotcenter and the AllRussian Movement of Schoolchildren. The aim of the project is to provide an opportunity for each student to prove themselves and find their strengths.33
This year, the finalists and winners of the competition for schoolchildren became participants in the active citizens' forum “Community”, where they presented their projects and shared their impressions of the competition. The President of Russia ordered funding to be provided for the “Big Break” - an all-Russian competition for schoolchildren.
The Civic Chamber will monitor the implementation of this instruction, along with other instructions of the President of Russia, as part of the general monitoring of general education issues. The National Technology Initiative’s Circular Movement is hosting an Olympiad in 28 technological profiles: from artificial intelligence and underwater robotics to genomic editing and VR technologies. The Civic Chamber notes that the Olympiad of the NITI Circle Movement has become the main technological Olympiad in the country and may become the main social ladder for all technologically oriented youth of our state.34 The Civic Chamber has undertaken to consolidate the key positions of education experts and business representatives on the inclusion of interdisciplinary areas in the All-Russian Olympiad of the Circle Movement.35
Personnel competitions play an important role in the improvement and scaling of the social ladder system. More than 660 thousand managers took part in the “Leaders of Russia” project. Of note, in three years, each of 900 finalists received one million rubles for further education, and 270 people received highlevel appointments to the largest state and business organizations. Contest representatives regularly participate in the Civic Chamber events, act as experts at the “Community”, and share their success stories.
THE “LEADERS OF RUSSIA” COMPETITION
IN 3 YEARS, MORE THAN 660 THOUSAND MANAGERS TOOK PART IN THE “LEADERS OF RUSSIA” PROJECT
RECEIVED 1,000,000 RUBLES FOR FURTHER EDUCATION IN 3 YEARS
RECEIVED HIGH-LEVEL APPOINTMENTS TO THE LARGEST STATE AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
AMONG THEM WERE:
2 GOVERNORS
6 DEPUTY FEDERAL MINISTERS
4 MAYORS
AS WELL AS VICE PRESIDENTS OF LARGE COMPANIES, FEDERAL DIRECTORS, HEADS OF HOSPITALS, AND OTHERS
There are also winners of the “Leaders of Russia” competition amongst the members of the Civic Chamber. In order to encourage young professionals who are building a professional career and at the same time conducting broad public activities aimed at solving social problems, the Civic Chamber in 2021 established the national award named “Young Specialist of the Year”. The idea of the award met a wide response in professional communities. The expert council of the award considered 1,136 applications, 97 specialists under the age of 35 became nominees, 16 reached the finals and competed in such nominations as “Innovation and Technological Leadership”, “Volunteering and Corporate Social Responsibility”, “Communication projects”, “Competence for the Labor Market”, “Sport and Healthy Lifestyle”. The presentation and rewarding of the winners took place at the Final “Community” forum in Moscow.
Continuing the topic of public leadership and the development of social ladders in civil society, it is important to note the transition of the civil society leaders from the public figures to the legislators, 11 of whom, members of the Civic Chamber, following the 2021 autumn election campaign results, have become deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the VIII Convocation.
1.6
SYSTEMIC SUPPORT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESSES IN THE PANDEMIC
MEASURES TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN 2020 MADE IT POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY OF THE SME SECTOR AND PREVENT A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN JOBS, WHICH, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS, COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT AND BECOME A SERIOUS FACTOR IN GDP DECLINE.
In 2021, the state continued to support companies in the most affected sectors of the economy. The government has launched a new stage of the preferential loans to businesses program (FOT 3.036), which has become one of the most popular measures for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the coronavirus situation.
In September 2021, the moratorium on scheduled inspections of small and medium-sized businesses for 2022 was extended.37 The moratorium will affect around 100,000 enterprises and will become one of the most important anticrisis economic support measures in the period of new restrictions.
Since September 2021, a new measure of state support for small and medium-sized businesses has also been launched, which is an “umbrella” mechanism for providing sureties.38 Borrowed funds can be obtained by entrepreneurs for whom, due to various reasons, loans were previously unavailable. According to preliminary estimates, at least 35 thousand SMEs will be able to receive support under the new scheme and attract over 600 billion rubles of financing by 2024.
In accordance with the re-introduction of anti-pandemic restrictions in October 2021, aimed at suspending the spread of coronavirus infection, state preferential lending and business grant support programs were resumed in November:
- Under the preferential lending program, from November to December 2021, 30 Russian banks resumed the issuance of preferential loans at a rate of 3% per annum for SMEs and NGOs. They must fulfill the key condition of the program — keeping the number of employees at least 90%. This indicator will be monitored through the Federal Tax Service data; SMEs were provided with grants;
- grant support has been provided to small and medium-sized enterprises.
The recipients of these support measures were legal entities and individual entrepreneurs working in the least recovered sectors of the Russian economy. The Russian government estimates that the support covers around 3 million employees in the SME sector, including individual entrepreneurs.
Comprehensive business support measures provided by the state over the past two years have allowed entrepreneurs and the nonprofit sector to actively engage in the fight against the pandemic.
According to research, many companies have begun developing their own social and corporate volunteer projects; the number of vacancies in which employers mention the presence of volunteer programs and projects increased fivefold in 2020 compared to 2019, and this trend continued in 2021.39
Corporate volunteers help elderly people living in nursing homes to organize joint projects with charitable organizations to help socially vulnerable groups of citizens and to participate in almost all areas of the volunteer movement alongside public volunteers. The Civic Chamber notes that today corporate volunteering has become the most important form of business participation in solving social and environmental problems.
The Civic Chamber has repeatedly noted that modern social problems require an integrated approach and sustainable solutions. One such effective solution can be scaling up social enterprises in addition to the already existing forms of civic participation.
CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING
WHAT DO EMPLOYEES OF RUSSIAN COMPANIES THINK ABOUT CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING?
ANSWERS FROM RESEARCH BY THE RUSSIAN PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH CENTER
DOES THE COMPANY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE, THANKS TO ITS CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMS?
WHAT MOTIVATES COMPANIES TO ENGAGE IN CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING?
Building the potential of social enterprises is impossible without the broad attraction of investment in socially-oriented businesses. World practice shows that, within this approach, so-called impact investments are increasingly being used. This purpose is to simultaneously achieve a positive social or environmental result and obtain financial profit.
In 2021, topical issues of developing impact investment projects were considered in the Civic Chamber. Noting the need to expand the use of such effective mechanisms for the development of socially oriented business in Russia, the Civic Chamber reiterated the need for adjustments to the current legislation, ensuring the development of the impact investment market, as well as further work on the development of measures to stimulate social enterprises and impact investors. The Civic Chamber plans to continue work on this area in 2022.
In mid-2020, the President of Russia signed the law on amendments to the Tax Code, which significantly supported the growth of business interest in the implementation of charitable and social projects. This allowed businesses to take into account and compensate donations to NGOs when taxing profits, which significantly expanded business opportunities to support the nongovernmental sector and became an important additional incentive in the development of cooperation with NGOs.
TAX BENEFITS FOR DONATIONS
THE POSSIBILITY OF RECEIVING PREFERENTIAL TAXES FOR SOCIALLYORIENTED ACTIVITIES HAS BECOME A GOOD STIMULUS FOR DEVELOPING COOPERATION BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND NGOs
IN 2020
HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO NONGOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2021
CLAIMED CHARITY EXPENSES
TOTAL INCOME TAX REDUCTION
TOTAL INCOME TAX REDUCTION
The number of companies indicating charity expenses in their tax returns and receiving an income tax benefit in 2020−2021 serves as evidence of the relevance and effectiveness of this measure.
On October 22, 2021, the Civic Chamber sent appeals to the Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin and the Minister of the Economic Development of Russia Maxim Reshetnikov with a request to take NGOs and SMEs into account when developing support measures amid the new COVID-19 restrictions.
In the Government Decree No.1849 dated October 28, 2021, “On Introducing Amendments to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No.1513 dated September 7, 2021,” NGOs, together with SMEs, are included in the range of entities receiving government support during the pandemic.
1.7
UPDATING INSTITUTIONS OF CIVIL SOCIETY
IN 2021, THE UPDATING PROCESS CONTINUED IN TWO MAJOR PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS- THE “ZNANIE” SOCIETY AND THE RUSSIAN RED CROSS.
The “Znanie” society has endured, without exaggeration, the biggest“relaunch” in its history. On March 26, at a meeting of the Supervisory Board of the ANO “Russia is a Country of Opportunities,” Maxim Dreval, winner of the “Leaders of Russia. Politics” competition, supported by the President of Russia, proposed to create a modern and technological platform for knowledge that could be relied on unique educational experiences and traditions from the Soviet Union. The “Znanie” society was cited as an example of such activity. The Head of State supported the idea.
In May 2021, at the 3rd Congress of the “Znanie” society in Moscow, the organization’s new management structure was approved, and its main areas of activity were defined. More than 5,000 lecturers have joined the “Znanie” Society since its relaunch, and hundreds of Russian companies have become its partners.
The Russian Red Cross (RRC), which is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the oldest Russian public charity organization, also announced its large-scale updating this year.
Taking into account the high social importance of the RRC’s activities, the Civic Chamber conducted a public evaluation of the draft federal law “On the Russian Red Cross” in June 2021.40
During the public hearings, there was uncertainty regarding the legal status of the Russian Red Cross,41 which did not correspond to the established world practices and created additional difficulties for the activities of the national society. The Civic Chamber believes that the adoption of the federal law will serve as an important incentive for the organization’s further development.42
