Through Funds
Systematic assistance through registered NGOs. Suitable if you want regularity, accountability, and a tax deduction. The fund takes on the verification of those in need, legal support, and reporting.
Systemic, or project-based assistance allows scaling one-time support and gradually solving a social problem entirely — helping many at once, changing the system.
Source: miloserdie.ruWhat you gain and what changes
- The fund will verify the recipient, process documents, and monitor targeted use — this removes risk and fraud.
- A regular small donation is more effective than a one-time large one: it allows planning long-term programs.
- The state returns 13% of your donation through a social tax deduction.
Step-by-step plan
- 1
Formulate what resonates with you
Before choosing a fund — choose a theme. Children, palliative care, science, culture, ecology, human rights, animal welfare. If you try to support everything, you burn out and lose connection with the result.
What to check- Identified 1-2 directions
- Understood whether you value targeted assistance («one child») or systemic assistance («all children with a diagnosis»)
Documents- Personal values map (for yourself)
- 2
Check the fund against 5 criteria
Registration, annual report, share of administrative expenses (norm up to 20%), presence of a board of trustees, reputation in the professional community. The check takes 15 minutes and protects against 90% of fraudsters.
What to check- TIN/OGRN in the FTS register (egrul.nalog.ru)
- Annual report for the last year published
- Administrative expenses not exceeding 20-25%
- Has a board of trustees with real names
- Accreditation in «Vse Vmeste» — wse-vmeste.ru
Documents- Screenshots of Unified State Register of Legal Entities extract
- PDF of annual report
- 3
Make your first donation and observe
Start with a small amount — 300-1000 ₽. Within a month, evaluate: how the fund reports, whether it thanks formally or substantively, are there publications about the results of your money.
What to check- Received payment confirmation
- Received a thank-you letter/email
- Saw a public report on expenditures
Documents- Payment receipt
- Email confirmation from the fund
- 4
Transition to regular support
Subscribe to a monthly deduction of any affordable amount. For the fund, this is the basis for planning. One regular donor is worth more than ten one-time donors.
What to check- Regular deduction set up
- Payment details saved by the fund (with consent)
- Subscribed to email reports
Documents- Offer agreement for regular donation (on the fund's website)
- 5
Get a tax deduction
At the end of the year, request a donation certificate from the fund. Through your personal FTS account or employer, apply for a social deduction — the state will return 13% of the amount.
What to check- Requested a certificate of payments for the year from the fund
- Submitted 3-NDFL or an application to the employer
- Received a refund to the card
Documents- Fund certificate (letter with seal / electronic document)
- 3-NDFL declaration
- Payment documents
Flow diagram
A visual map of how your support turns into real outcomes and who is responsible for each step.
Legal basis
- Federal Law-135 of 11.08.1995On Charitable Activities and Volunteering
The main law of the sector. Defines what charity is, who a beneficiary and a volunteer are.
- Federal Law-7 of 12.01.1996On Non-Commercial Organizations
Regulates the status of NGOs, their registration with the Ministry of Justice, mandatory annual reporting.
- Tax Code of the Russian FederationArt. 219, para. 1, subpara. 1 — social tax deduction
A citizen can get back 13% of the donation amount to an NGO, but not more than 25% of annual income. The deduction is processed based on the results of the calendar year.
- Order of the Ministry of Justice No. 170NGO Report Form
Every NGO is obliged to annually publish a report on its activities and expenditure of funds — by April 15 for the past year.
Beware of scammers
- Check TIN and OGRN in open registers of the Federal Tax Service.
- Verify the details on the fund's website — fraudsters replace them in copies of mailings.
- Do not trust «funds» that do not have public reports or an office address.
- Accreditation in the «Vse Vmeste» (wse-vmeste.ru) register is a good sign.
Stories that inspire
Systemic scholarships and grants to students and museums since 1999 — an example of how a corporate donor works through its own fund with an independent board of trustees.
One of the first private foundations in Russia to support fundamental science and enlightenment. Regular donors formed a stable budget for programs.