The system of foreign funding for the “development of democracy” in the Russian Federation. Grants for Russian politicians and officials
What is a grant?
Today, a grant is not only finance for scientific research, a free trip to Europe or just an increased scholarship for a botanist student, it is a real opportunity to start or expand your business using attracted and, most importantly, non-refundable funds. Tempting? – Then let’s figure out what a grant is.
According to the modern and generally accepted definition, grant– this is a free subsidy to enterprises, organizations and individuals in cash or in kind for the implementation of any activity with subsequent reporting on their use. In our case - this is the start-up capital of an entrepreneur, i.e. solving the main problem at the stage of creating a business.
I should note that finding and receiving a grant is a rather difficult task, however, money does not fall from the sky, so if you have an interesting, non-standard, and most importantly economically sound idea, then you can try to get sponsorship money for its implementation.
Let us stipulate right away that the money is not given to you personally, but to your organization for specific purposes, so you are responsible for the misuse of the funds allocated to you. That is why searching for a grant (receiving money) should not be an end in itself; perceive sponsorship as an aid in the development of your favorite business, only then will success await you.
Rules for "granting"
- Money is allocated not to the entrepreneur personally, but to his organization to carry out the task specified in the application.
- Purpose and amount of the grant are indicated at the stage of creating a business plan and not subject to revision.
- It so happened that sponsors' preferences are given to the most realistic or most original projects.
- Don’t jump at the first grant that comes your way, like a dog at a bone, be selective. Carefully read all the information about the grant, what it will be awarded for, and how much you can receive. Most refusals occur precisely because applications do not correspond to the subject of the grant..
- If you really want it, then you can simply adjust your goals to the goals of the fund, but be prepared for the refusal of an organization created to develop and support agricultural producers if you have previously been involved in the retail sale of Chinese toys.
- Be prepared for what the money is not allocated all at once, but comes in tranches. Moreover, where this is possible, for example, when purchasing org. equipment, you will receive equipment, not money. For each stage of your project, a certain amount is provided.
- It is better to be late in repaying a loan to the bank than to allow sponsorship funds to be spent inappropriately. One wrong step and you will have a negative reputation in this environment forever.
- The same goes for timeliness and correctness. filling out all reports. They must be completed exactly according to the instructions given to you and strictly on time.
- As a rule, they won’t give you a lot of money the first time, so ask for the minimum, only for objectively necessary things. Such an application has a much higher chance of being selected than those who ask not only for basic labor tools, but also for stationery, a cooler for the office and recruitment of a manager.
- I think that all entrepreneurs are ready for the fact that nothing is absolutely free, and the need to pay income tax the amount of the grant will not upset you much.
What are they asking?
Completing the package of documents is not that difficult, you just need to be careful. As a rule, you will be required to provide the name of the project, its purpose, what you expect to receive in the end, indicate the timing and stages of the project and its approximate cost.
To receive a grant from the state, you must submit for consideration within the established time frame:
Private, especially foreign funds, may request additional and sometimes seemingly absurd documentation, so be mentally prepared for this.
Who do they give it to?
Foreign sponsors and government funds have diametrically opposed views on who to give the grand, if the former are based on necessity targeted and complete expenditure of allocated funds in strict accordance with the business plan, then the state sets the task as a priority employment and social protection.
Therefore, foreign investors are more willing to finance those who have already participated in similar programs, and government funds, as a rule, support those who have registered their enterprise more recently.
The state allocates funds to young entrepreneurs “to get started.” Please note that other things being equal preferences will be given to socially disadvantaged groups of the population: university graduates and the unemployed, those who are on administrative leave or facing staff reductions, single mothers with children, disabled people or retired military personnel.
What are they giving for?
About 30% of entrepreneurs who received a grant in the field of small business are engaged in the provision of services, 20% are engaged in production and only 12% are in trade.
It is most realistic to receive a grant for renting premises, purchasing fixed assets, and purchasing raw materials. A huge advantage for the grant recipient will be his willingness to pay for some of the necessary equipment from one’s own funds. This approach will convince the commission of the seriousness of the entrepreneur’s intentions and his faith in the success of the enterprise.
There is also this peculiarity: domestic funds often refuse to pay employees’ salaries, while in foreign funds such an expense item in the business plan does not raise any complaints.
Usually, state finances more applied projects, including manufacturing and agriculture, science (mostly natural sciences) and education, and foreign funds– for research in the field of ecology, economics and democracy, as well as culture and society. Private domestic foundations aimed at supporting innovation, economy and business.
If you wish and have a sufficient degree of persistence, you can find a fund for the implementation of any project, even the most extravagant, but if you are not sick of any specific idea, then it is better and easier for beginners to navigate the services.
With the help of a grant, you can easily open a cleaning company (by the way, the leader in receiving grants), any repair shop: auto, household appliances, shoes, any training courses - a completely realistic idea, this can also include a marketing agency or design bureau. The arithmetic is simple - the product of the activity of such an enterprise is the mental/creative efforts of your employees, their cost is wages, so no money is needed for the purchase, delivery and storage of goods.
Who gives?
Naturally, state represented by ministries such as the Committee for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, the Committee for Economic Development, Industrial Policy and Trade, advanced local government bodies, also known as municipalities. Such grants can be financed from the budget of the city, region, or partially from local and federal budgets. Announcements of grants do not hang on every post, like “let” or “buy,” so the first priority of an entrepreneur concerned about the problem of obtaining a grant is to check with the local administration where and how he can find out about ongoing competitions.
Despite the small amounts compared to foreign grants, the state can provide bonuses such as benefits, ranging from the rental of municipal premises and land plots, to advertising and legal assistance. Agree, this is already half the battle!
The best that can happen is participation in targeted financing programs, it is in them that you will be provided with comprehensive assistance.
Next on the list are entrepreneurs' unions. These organizations certainly know what a businessman needs money for and the requirements for the projects they finance are as realistic as possible. Current grants can be viewed, for example, on the website
Image commercial banks, working in the field of small and medium-sized businesses, also act as sponsors, establishing grants with very decent amounts, offering winners also preferential lending conditions.
The tidbit of the sponsorship pie is, of course, foreign grants, but getting them is not so easy. Foreign funds are extremely reluctant to finance domestic businessmen, but there is always a chance. Let's start with the classification of international grant-giving organizations.
First of all this international organizations, such as the UN, European Union (EU), UNESCO, US AID, USIA. Many of them have representative offices in Russia.
National organizations For example, Finland and Norway finance business activities in Russia, among other things. The Barents Secretariat (Norway) provides grants for industrial and commercial development of private companies.
The undisputed leader of presence in the “grant” market of Russia is the USA, but the maximum you can count on in commercial terms is “civic education”; all the efforts of American philanthropists are thrown, as you might guess, into supporting democratic initiatives. The American authorities will not spare even 750,000 rubles for these purposes, so for a whole year you can easily afford to maintain a staff of three people, pay them a decent salary, distribute leaflets, at least you will definitely be able to purchase a fax, printer and scanner. If you are ready, then go to the official website of the embassy of a friendly state.
The non-profit New Eurasia Foundation, again, with the support of the US Agency for International Development, provides assistance to the development of small businesses in Russia, so it would be a good idea to visit this foundation in person or using web resources.
The most promising in terms of receiving real money for business purposes seems to be the help of individual investors, large businessmen and philanthropists who invest their own funds in projects that interest them.
Where to look?
As you know, water does not flow under a lying stone, so you will have to search long and hard, or maybe quickly - depending on your luck. If you are committed to permanent work with funds, then I advise you to contact all ministries, embassies, local administration asking about the existence of grants and contacts with organizations. All foundations operating in Russia, domestic or foreign, are required to register with the relevant government agencies for their topics.
You can visit the centers of the funds you are interested in, if there are any in your region. If not, you can mail order the Foundation Directory, which brings together more than 100,000 U.S. foundations and corporate donors. There is a similar fund in Europe, it is called the European Foundation Center, its mission is to finance projects in Europe and beyond. The EFC can be contacted in English and French.
You can find the same information in on the Internet, both on the websites of the foundations themselves: Foundation Directory or European Foundation Center, and in online catalogues, for example, on such portals.
Summary:
Don’t expect freebies, sponsorship money will have to be worked out in full. What will give you strength is the fact that you will work, no matter how you look at it, in your own interests. Be patient and, if necessary, a dictionary, and you will find a grant suitable for your specific project.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which operates with American taxpayer money, awarded more than $10 million to 108 projects in Russia last year. This amount has doubled compared to 2015: then NED sent $4.7 million to Russian activists, human rights defenders and anti-corruption fighters for 77 projects.
As noted in the fund's report, in 2016 NED allocated more than $53 thousand for a project to support an anti-corruption website, the name of which is not indicated in the list of grant recipients.
It was assumed that with this money, grant recipients were required to perform the following actions:
“Strengthen public control over government officials and more actively involve citizens in anti-corruption activities. Maintain a website dedicated to the fight against corruption. Activities include publishing on the website information about specific examples of corruption among local officials and disseminating information about the fight against corruption,” the foundation’s website says.
It is noteworthy that a separate grant was allocated for the publication of facts about corruption (almost $40 thousand). The money was supposed to go to “increasing awareness of Russian society about the problem of corruption.”
“A series of events will be held to bring to the attention of the public information about examples of corruption in Russia,” the foundation documents say.
NED allocated about $45 thousand for a certain anti-corruption website in 2014. In 2015, the initiative also took place in the fund’s report - then more than $53 thousand were spent on the site.
In total, the fund allocated almost $240 thousand for anti-corruption projects in 2016.
In Russia, a number of NGOs, the Transparency International Foundation and other activists are engaged in the fight against corruption on a voluntary basis. One of the most mentioned anti-corruption projects recently is the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which is headed by oppositionist Alexei Navalny.
In 2015, FBK released a film about the business of the children of Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika. Then the Prosecutor General of the publication accused the investor William Browder, convicted in Russia, of financing the film.
Earlier this year, FBK posted a film about Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who was accused of corruption. On March 26, rallies were held in Russian cities, including an unauthorized protest in Moscow, where, according to official estimates, about 8 thousand people came out.
FBK did not respond to RT’s request.
Minority grants and human rights website
According to a 2016 report, NED allocated $3.7 million to develop civil society in Russia, promote and strengthen NGOs, and support minorities, including ethnic and LGBT communities.
“A series of classes will be held for volunteers, social activists and local residents on the topic of social activities and ways to respond to crimes committed on the basis of intolerance,” the fund’s document specified.
The grant for the protection of ethnic minorities was to "provide legal assistance and advice to members of ethnic minorities in cases of need."
Almost $13 thousand were allocated for the creation of a website for the fight for human rights, which will provide information support and legal assistance to minorities and activists.
$56 thousand from NED was also allocated to reduce the number of cases of human rights violations by law enforcement agencies.
“Activities under the project will include public advocacy of the interests of victims of human rights violations and coordination of activities to combat the persecution of public organizations by the state,” notes the NED website.
Top secret
It is curious that the NED reports only provide information about the grants awarded and the purposes for which they were used. The names of the grant recipients are not disclosed.
- Reuters
NED emphasizes that it is interested in cooperation with non-profit organizations from more than 90 countries. The foundation's website states that NED administers hundreds of grants through four organizations: the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and the American Solidarity center.
IRI and NDI, as well as NED, are recognized as “undesirable” organizations in Russia.
Legally, NED does not operate in any way on Russian territory, explains political scientist Alexander Asafov.
“But nevertheless, through a number of other smaller funds, including joint ones with Russian citizens, it works. It was precisely to stop this that the law on foreign agents was adopted. But they, of course, find ways and schemes to continue their activities,” the expert noted in an interview with RT.
NED did not provide an immediate comment on RT’s request about financing the opposition in Russia.
Unwanted Elements
The Prosecutor General's Office of Russia included NED in 2015.
The agency announced that, using the capabilities of controlled Russian commercial and non-profit organizations, the foundation “participated in work to recognize the results of election campaigns as illegitimate, organize political actions with the aim of influencing decisions made by authorities, and discrediting service in the Russian Armed Forces.”
Officially, the National Endowment for Democracy allocates money for programs “to develop and protect human rights and the rule of law, support freedom of information and independent media resources, strengthen democratic formations and values, ensure accountability and transparency, support public civil organizations, support civic literacy” and other projects.
The organization provides grants to activists not only in Russia; organizations in Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS countries receive support.
Approved by order of the State Committee for Science and Technology of Russia dated November 5, 1996 No. 56SCROLL
international and foreign institutions, international and foreign non-profit and charitable organizations (foundations), whose grants (gratuitous assistance) provided to support Russian science are exempt from income tax for individuals (grant recipients)
1. International non-profit organizations and institutions
1.1. UN organizations and agencies.
1.2. Commission of the European Communities (CEC).
1.3. International Association for the Promotion of Cooperation with Scientists from Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (INTAS).
1.4. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
1.5. European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
1.6. International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste. Italy (ICTP).
1.7. International Diffraction Data Center.
1.8. Academy of Sciences of the Third World.
1.9. International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study.
1.10. Union of International Organizations (CIO).
1.11. International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Research.
1.12. European Physical Society (ETS).
1.13. International Council of Scientific Unions (ISU).
1.14. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
1.15. Pacific Scientific Association.
1.16. Council of European Academies.
1.17. World Academy of Sciences and Arts (WANI).
1.18. European Academy of Sciences and Arts (BASI).
1.19. European Center for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere.
1.20. International Social Science Council (ISSC)
2. International and foreign charitable organizations (foundations)
2.1.John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (USA).
2.2 Carnegie Foundation (USA).
2.3. American Civil Research and Development Foundation for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (FGID), (USA).
2.4. Fulbright Foundation (USA).
2.5. Ford Foundation (USA).
2.6. International Science Foundation (ISF) (USA).
2.7. Eurasia Foundation (USA).
2.8. Rockefeller Brothers Foundation (USA).
2.9. Rockefeller Foundation (USA).
2.10. Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany).
2.11. Volkswagen Foundation (Germany).
2.12. Foundation "CAESAR" (Germany).
1.13. World Wildlife Fund (Switzerland).
2.14. Swiss National Science Foundation (Switzerland).
2.15. International Fund for Animal Welfare (UK).
2.16. Society for Global Social and Economic Integration. (Great Britain).
2.17. P. Kapitsa Foundation (Great Britain).
2.18. Fissin Foundation (France).
2.19. Mergier-Bourdieu Foundation (France).
2.20. Charles-Leopold Mayer Foundation (France).
2.21. Leon Veluz Foundation (France).
2.22. Korea Science and Technology Foundation (Republic of Korea).
2.23. King Baudouin Foundation (Belgium).
2.24. Foundation for Support of Young Scientists (Netherlands).
2.25. Cariplo Foundation for Scientific Research (Italy).
2.26. International Foundation for Science (IFS).
2.27. European Science Foundation (ESF).
3. Foreign non-profit institutions
3.1. US State Department (as part of the Global Climate Change program).
3.2. National Science Foundation (NSF) USA
3.3. US Geological Survey (in terms of the Seismology and Subsoil programs).
3.4. US Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) (as part of the Environmental Protection program).
3.5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) (USA). (in terms of the “Global Climate Change” and “Environmental Protection” programs).
3.6. National Space Agency (NASA) (USA). (as part of the "Fundamental Space Research" program).
3.7. American news agency USA.
3.8. US National Academy of Sciences.
3.9. National Institutes of Health (USA).
3.10. American Association for the Advancement of Science (USA).
3.11. American Council on International Research and Scientific Exchanges (IREX) (USA).
3.12. American Council of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (ACPRAL) (USA).
3.13. Arizona State University (USA).
3.14. University of California (USA).
3.15. Duke University (USA).
3.16. National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA).
3.17. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (USA).
3.18. Sandia National Laboratory (USA).
3.19. Virginia Biotechnology Research Park (USA).
3.20. Johns Hopkins University (USA).
3.21. Open Society Institute (USA).
3.22. Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany.
3.23. German Space Agency (as part of the Fundamental Space Research (Germany) program.
3.24. Association of German research centers of Hermann von Helmholtz (Germany).
3.25. Institute of Planetology (Germany).
3.26. Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Germany).
3.27. Technical University (Berlin, Germany).
3.28. University of Kaiserslautern (Germany).
3.29. Institute of Radiation Equipment, University of Stuttgart (Germany).
3.30. University of Wurzburg (Germany).
3.31. Max Planck Society (Germany).
3.32. Institute of Applied Physics of the University of Thiessen (Germany).
3.33. Friedrich Schiller University, Jena (Germany).
3.34. Physico-Technical Institute of Metrological Service of Germany.
3.35. Institute of Thin Films and Ion Technology, Center for Nuclear Research, Jülich (Germany).
3.36. University of Cologne (Germany).
3.37. Medical Center of Marburg (Germany).
3.38. German Aerospace Research Organization (Germany).
3.39. Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research (Germany).
3.40. Association of Industrial Research Associations O. von Guericke (Germany).
3.41. German Research Society (Germany).
3.42. German Academic Exchange Service (Germany).
3.43. Research Institute of Philosophy (Hannover, Germany).
3.44. Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (regarding the Nuclear Safety program).
3.45. Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs (regarding the Nuclear Safety program).
3.46. Royal Society of London (UK)
3.47. British Academy (UK).
3.48. Academy of Sciences (France).
3.49. House of Human Sciences (France).
3.50. National Center for Scientific Research (France).
3.51. Austrian Academy of Sciences (Austria).
3.52. Atomic Institute of the Austrian University (Austria).
3.53. Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (Netherlands).
3.54. University of Amsterdam (Netherlands).
3.55. Technical University of Twente (Netherlands).
3.56. Netherlands Organization for Paired Studies (Netherlands).
3.57. Institute of Plasma Physics FOM Euroatom Association (Netherlands).
3.58. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Sweden).
3.59. Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (Sweden).
3.60. Swedish International Development Agency (Sweden).
3.61. Royal Danish Academy of Sciences (Denmark).
3.62. Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (Denmark).
3.63. Belgian Royal Academy of Sciences. literature and arts (Belgium).
3.64. Institute of Space Aeronomy of Belgium (ISAB).
3.65. Royal Spanish Academy (Spain).
3.66. Higher Council of Scientific Research of Spain.
3.67. National Italian Academy of Sciences (Italy).
3.68. Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (Italy).
3.69. Institute of Acoustics of Italy.
3.70. Ministry of Science and Technology of India.
3.71. Indian National Academy (India).
3.72. Royal Society of Canada (Canada).
3.73. Institute of Resource Law of the University of Calgary (Canada).
3.74. Science and Technology Administration of the Government of Japan.
3.75. Scientific and Technical Research Organization of Turkey (TUBITAK).
3.76. Academy of Athens (Greece).
3.77. Irish Academy (Ireland).
3.78. Norwegian Academy of Technical Sciences (Norway).
3.79. Academy of Sciences in Lisbon (Portugal).
3.80. Finnish Academy of Sciences (Finland).
3.81. National Natural Science Foundation of China (PRC).
3.82. Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Republic of Korea).
VICE-CHAIRMAN
STATE COMMITTEE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Z.A.Yakobashvili
In Russia, funding for NPOs mainly refers to grants. After the adoption of the law on “foreign agents,” the choice of grantmakers narrowed. On the one hand, in order to compensate for the withdrawal of foreign donors, more money is now allocated from the Russian budget for grants. On the other hand, getting them is still quite difficult. "Mercy" studied the largest government grantmakers and the rules for working with them.
Photo: Alexander Miridonov/Kommersant /http://www.gazeta.ru/
“Of all forms of support for NGOs in Russia, only grant competitions are mainly developed,” complains Elena Alshanskaya, head of the charity foundation “Volunteers to Help Orphans.” – Although traditionally for NPOs in other countries, a grant is a way to do something new, beyond the scope of current work, which is supported by subsidies, government orders or taxpayer support. In Russia, many NGOs do not have enough money to carry out their current main work: after all, they need to have a stable staff and premises. Grants become the only means of livelihood.”
Before the ban on foreign funding, many Russian NPOs were supported by foreign donors, who allocated long-term grants, including for current activities, and did not set restrictions on staff costs (Russian grant givers, as a rule, allow no more than 30% of the grant to be spent on salaries).
When the law on NGOs—“foreign agents”—was signed in 2012, it was assumed that foreign support would at least partially be replaced by funds from the Russian budget.
More money has actually begun to be allocated to support NGOs. But the distribution mechanisms are far from ideal.
Presidential grants
In 2014, the state allocated almost 4 billion rubles. to support NPOs. Of these, 2.7 billion rubles. - presidential grants. RUB 926 million – grants from the Ministry of Economic Development. Presidential grants and Mineko grants are distributed differently.
Presidential grants are issued in a chain: first, grant operators - non-profit non-governmental organizations - receive the money. Each of these organizations has its own specialization and organizes its own project competition.
The topics of presidential grants vary - from civil rights and freedoms to support for youth initiatives. “The choice of grant-giving organizations is unclear,” says Alshanskaya. – Some of them have no experience in grant work. It is not clear whether they have any expertise on the stated topics; no one knows who the experts are.”
Initially, presidential grants were distributed by the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. But since 2010, there have been more operators. In 2014, grants are distributed by 7 organizations: “Civic Dignity”, “National Charitable Foundation”, “Knowledge” Society of Russia, “Institute of Civil Society Problems”, “Russian Youth Union”, “National Health League” and the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political research. In particular, the National Health League allocates money for the protection of orphans and adaptation of disabled people. This year it must distribute 474 million rubles.
According to the latest study by Transparency International, the distribution of presidential grants is extremely opaque.
Transparency experts analyzed data on government grants for 2011 and 2012 - the implementation cycle for them had already completed, and reporting should have appeared.
It turned out that out of 69 NGOs that received presidential grants of more than 3 million rubles, only 7 organizations posted reports on the funds spent on their websites. 17 out of 69 NPOs did not even have their own website. 29 NPOs lack information about management.
In more than 40% of cases, the NPO that received a grant is associated with government agencies and is headed by a deputy or member of the Public Chamber.
“The specificity of presidential grants is such that they are allocated mainly for actions and one-time events, and not for any systematic work,” says Alshanskaya.
Applications for presidential grants are usually accepted in April. It's already finished now. Competition website.
Grants from the Ministry of Economic Development
The Ministry of Economy distributes grants to support NPOs in the most transparent, professional and efficient manner, Transparency experts, Alshanskaya and Maria Chertok, director of CAF Russia unanimously say.
The Ministry of Energy does not have any intermediary grant operators. The winners are determined by a competition commission formed immediately before the competition.
“Last year’s study showed that grant recipients from the Ministry of Economic Development have a much better situation with reporting and the availability of information on websites than recipients of presidential grants,” says the Transparency report. Thus, out of 32 SO NPOs, only one organization, the Moscow House of Mercy, does not have its own website. More than half of the organizations that received money from the Ministry of Economy in 2012 provided reporting.
But at the same time, the competition of the Ministry of Economic Development is quite strong - for example, in 2013, the department supported 42 programs out of 606 applications.
Another important specific feature of this competition is that the Ministry of Energy gives money for “dissemination of best practices,” that is, for training other NGOs. According to a representative of the department, in the first two years of the competition, a significant part of applications were not accepted at all due to the fact that organizations asked for money for current activities. “For example, there is an application from a sports club: they say, we want to work with children. This is not the topic of the competition. The Ministry of Economy develops institutional conditions, and does not provide social security services,” says a ministry official.
It is not for nothing that Transparency notes the transparency of the Ministry of Economic Development competition: representatives of the department every year hold seminars for NPOs, where they talk, for example, about the main errors in drawing up applications.
Each application is assessed according to 5 criteria, each being assigned a certain number of points. The criteria are as follows: the number of regions in which the NPO conducted projects, the ratio of the costs of the program and its effect, the presence of success in methodological support of other NPOs, human resources and the availability of co-financing from other sources.
“There is a myth that you need to ask for more - ask for 10 million so that they give you 5 million,” says an employee of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade at the seminar. - It doesn't work here. We do not have the ability to edit every application, so those applications where the amount exceeds our recommended limits are automatically rejected. Timing: The program for which the grant is being requested must begin no earlier than December 1, 2014. And real funding will arrive in November 2014. The program must end no later than November 2016.”
According to the seminar presenter, the most common mistake in applications from NGOs is the lack of a logical connection between the goals, objectives and results of the program. “The Ministry of Economic Development is assessing the final effect of the program,” says the presenter. – And based on the application materials, it is not clear to us how the situation will change after everything is implemented. For example, the expected results say: 3 seminars and a forum were held. All this without indicating the number of participants. We cannot evaluate the effect based on the seminars and forum. And if they ask for 3 million rubles for this, then we have questions.”
Often errors are found in the description of human resources, that is, the people who will implement the program. “We receive many applications from the category “there are 10 academicians, 20 professors and 3 major generals on the board of trustees,” says the seminar leader. – This is the wrong focus, because board members often do not implement the project. We have little interest in who is on the board. We are interested in the team that will implement the project and their experience in the non-profit sector.”
Another mistake is the NPO’s desire to show itself in the best possible light at every point of the application. For example, in order to get the maximum score for a criterion that takes into account the number of regions in which the NPO worked, even if the manager simply went to a seminar somewhere, this is included in the application. But the Ministry of Economy checks such information, and if work in the region is not confirmed, it reduces the assessment.
Organizations that score more than 50 points for their application proceed to the second round of the competition. Next, they must present a detailed program of their events.
More detailed information about the competition can be found.
Moscow Public Relations Committee
The Moscow Public Relations Committee also distributes grants - 25 million rubles were allocated from the city budget to support NGOs this year. The priority areas of the program are “Children of Moscow” (in particular, the prevention of negative phenomena among teenagers, protecting children’s rights; working with children in the community, protecting children from abuse, helping to improve the quality of life of children) and “Consent and interaction” (promoting interethnic, interfaith and intercultural communication, peace and harmony).
From applicants, the Committee requires, among other things, experience in similar activities for at least one year and the presence in the previous two years of income (grants, donations, subsidies) that would be no less than 20% of the requested grant (if it is more than 300 thousand . rub.).
“Previously, this distribution of grants was also not particularly transparent and understandable criteria,” says Alshanskaya. – Now the situation has changed. Applications are selected by a competent expert commission.”
Applications for the Committee's competition will be accepted until June 11.
More detailed information -
Here is a common situation: you have a great idea for starting your own business, you also have enthusiasm and a lot of energy for work, but there is no serious money to start a new business. For some reason, you don’t want to consider the option of a bank loan or a loan from friends. Well, there is another way - getting a grant. What is a grant? We are talking about targeted sponsorship. If you want to know how to get a grant, read on.
Please know: many business projects have found fruition precisely thanks to this form of financial support. If you decide to follow the same path, be patient and prepare to expend considerable effort. But believe me, the result is worth it.
And yet - what is a grant?
This word is thrown around a lot in the media these days. Before we figure out how to get a grant, let's clarify the essence of the concept itself. A grant is a type of targeted assistance, expressed in money or in kind and aimed at specific goals, one of which may be the expansion or opening of a new business. Its main distinguishing feature compared to a loan is that it is a free subsidy. The grant does not require repayment.
It can be issued by the state and private foundations or foreign organizations. And, as you understand, each of the listed sources has the right to put forward its own demands. That is why you should not “throw” your application everywhere where there is at least some chance. Focus and choose the source that best suits your industry. And then figure out what conditions you have to meet.
Where exactly should I go?
To make the right choice among the three main categories of organizations listed above, you should clearly understand what goals each of them pursues.
Government organizations are most willing to issue grants for business development to representatives of those categories of the population that are commonly called socially vulnerable. We are talking about university graduates, citizens registered with employment centers or laid off, military retirees, disabled people, single mothers and young professionals.
You will not receive the full amount needed to open your own business from the state. Here, preference is given to those entrepreneurs who have their own funds (at least partially) and who are ready to invest them in this business.
The preferred area for the implementation of public money is social or industrial. It is also quite possible to receive a grant for agricultural development here. The state willingly finances the purchase of raw materials or equipment, but the future entrepreneur will most likely have to bear the costs of paying employees on his own. Also in this case, the period of existence and operation of the enterprise is important. According to the terms of grants, it should not exceed a year or two. They also consider the entrepreneur’s ability to hire additional personnel.
How private and foreign foundations issue grants
Such organizations have many reporting requirements. It is important for them to see that the money given by a businessman is spent in a strictly defined way, and does not end up in their pocket. Unlike the state, these sponsors also finance the payment of wages to hired personnel.
When it comes to financing innovations in business or the economy, it is best to turn to one of the private domestic funds. It makes sense to request help from a foreign fund in the case of the option of opening or developing a business in the field of art, ecology, society, culture or the IT sector. Most often, grants in such funds are issued in the form of tranches, that is, each specific stage is implemented separately.
What documents are needed
The list of these will be individual for each organization that finances and supports the business, but their list is often very similar. So what might they ask of you?
1. A duly completed application for participation in the selection, which is held among those wishing to receive a grant.
2. Copies of all identification documents and (most often) the participant’s application form.
3. Copies of documents that can confirm your competence in the economic field. We can talk about both a diploma and certificates of completion of various specialized courses.
4. Copies of registration and constituent documents for your business, as well as papers on tax registration and entry into the register. If applying for business development, copies of documents confirming the availability of jobs or the creation of new ones.
5. Business plan. This item is mandatory.
The list above is approximate. It can always be supplemented and expanded. Therefore, treat it carefully. If any papers are missing or are prepared incorrectly, the fund has the right to refuse to consider your application.
Let's look at a little step-by-step instructions on this issue:
1. Choosing an organization that is right for you.
2. Studying the history of its issuance of money - what projects were financed and in what amount.
3. Study of the requirements put forward by the fund and the rules for drawing up an application for those wishing to participate in the selection.
4. Preparation of a complete package of necessary documents.
5. Drawing up a real business plan with a clear definition of your goals, existing problems and ways to solve them. Place the main emphasis on the financial side of the issue.
6. Preparing a detailed and as convincing as possible presentation of your own future project.
What's next?
By submitting your application for consideration, you go into “waiting mode.” Most often, within three months after the deadline for submitting applications, funds review them and make a decision. The first few days of this period are devoted to checking the correctness of their preparation and the availability of a complete set of necessary documents. The fund then begins to study and compare the business plans provided to it.
They are most often assessed according to the foundation’s own point scale, which is used when forming the rating of participants. Particular attention at this stage is paid to the proposed options for solving the set goals and identified problems.
In addition, the reliability of the calculations provided is checked very carefully. If we are talking about a state fund, those entrepreneurs who have a certain amount to start their own business or develop it are especially noted. Business plans that require full funding are usually rejected.
When it comes to an existing business, serious attention is paid to the dynamics of its development. In case of issuing low indicators for the period of existence of the enterprise, it will most likely be refused. Those projects that the fund has already financed can receive additional points from the fund.
After the final rating of participants is formed, the commission decides who exactly can count on receiving a grant. Notifications are sent to the winners with simultaneous posting of the results on the official website of the foundation.
How to use the received grant?
What is a grant from a legal point of view? It should be viewed as an agreement between a businessman in need of funds and the investor who issued them. That is why the first is now bound by a number of specific obligations that require fulfillment:
1. The funds received should be spent exclusively for the intended purpose, that is, only for what they were issued for.
2. Reports must be submitted in strict compliance with the agreed deadline.
3. In the event of force majeure or the impossibility of carrying out specific actions on the project, the businessman is obliged to immediately contact the fund with corrective proposals.
4. It is prohibited to interfere with the commission during the inspection and it is required to report in detail on the entire amount of funds received.
If facts of misuse of an issued grant or violation of other terms of the contract are revealed, the organization or fund has the right to demand its termination and return all allocated funds in court. This issue should be approached with full responsibility. Think about whether you are able to fulfill all the conditions set by the fund.
If the answer is negative, you will lose an excellent chance to receive additional financing for your business. The financial assistance provided by sponsoring organizations contributes not only to the development and support of individual entrepreneurs, but also to the improvement of the economy of the entire region.
Grants for training
Now let's talk about another type of grant - subsidies issued for research, educational and other non-profit purposes. This could be getting an education or completing an internship, etc. The point of training grants is to finance projects that can benefit society in the future. Their addressees are young, talented, ambitious people.
Such grants are most often issued by non-profit organizations. There is a whole list of detailed requirements for participants. As a rule, a considerable number of applicants fight for the privilege of receiving such a grant. After all, what is a grant in this case? This is an impressive amount that allows us to continue research or achieve other important goals that may remain unrealized without such funding.
Selection criteria
The requirements may vary. Applicants are most often selected according to the following criteria: the leader of the research team is not yet forty years old, the entire composition of the participants is undergraduate and graduate students or employees of a particular university or research institute. Participants must publish a number of scientific papers.
Most often, when reporting basic data about all competitors, it is required to provide information about the participation rate of each of them.
In addition, in this case there is the concept of an additional grant. This is the name given to the subsidy received by the winner in multi-stage competitions. At the first stage, the commission selects a number of participants who demonstrate the most obvious successes and achievements. But the competition does not end with them receiving grants. In the second phase, a reporting conference is held to summarize the interim results of the work of teams of young managers. The one whose story turns out to be the most convincing can count on second prize.
How to get a training grant?
Young talented students and graduates of Russian universities who do not have sufficient funds should think about this. This applies to persistent and inquisitive people. Presidential grants are provided for the most talented. If enough effort is made, everyone has a chance to receive a subsidy for further education within the walls of a foreign university.
Having received an international grant, you will have the opportunity not only to study at a prestigious Western institution, but also to radically improve your own knowledge of a foreign language. These subsidies are issued by universities, scientific foundations and public organizations. Moreover, the grant issued for training can be either full or partial.
In the first case, the amount of money is intended to cover the entire range of expenses, including travel, food and accommodation. This is a rather rare option. The issuance of partial subsidies is more common.
Who can count on him?
For many years, there has been a program under which many capable Russian students are entitled to free education in the United States. It is possible for a high school student to win a similar grant. Having won the competition, he travels to the USA and studies for several months at a local school with accommodation with an American family. All costs are borne by the US government.
Receiving such a subsidy is the dream of almost every schoolchild or student. But winning such a competition is not easy. The chances of receiving an international grant increase for graduate students and young university teachers. The age of the participants is most often no older than 30 years.
Before submitting your application, you should decide on the country in which you would like to continue your education. Then the list of universities offering similar programs is specified. After that, a meaningful, competent letter is drawn up, and the chances increase if it is sent to several different universities. The resume lists your own achievements and describes your plans for the future.
Similar competitions are held in Russia. Victory in them is easier to achieve compared to international ones only at first glance. Grants are awarded to the most promising young scientists or students. If your candidacy is rejected, do not despair. After all, the number of grants is most often limited. The most persistent and hardworking eventually win and it always makes sense to try again next year.