The traditional belief is that there are very few Russians who give money to NGOs. Charities Aid Foundation's (CAF's) World Giving Index10 reports that the share of Russians who make donations to NGOs has been somewhere between 5% and 7% for the past 4 years (2009 to 2012). However, the Index only considers those donations made within the month prior to the survey, so it is more likely to capture those that are giving regularly — giving which is triggered by unexpected or disruptive events, such as natural disasters, or seasonal giving may therefore be missed.
Within the current research, the respondents had to answer two sets of questions: the first about their giving experience in general (at any point during their lives) and the second about their experience over the twelve months prior to the survey. The answers provide a picture that differs a lot from the common perception: 59% of Russians had given money to NGOs during their lifetimes, while 41% had given money to NGOs over the previous twelve months. Moreover, 50% had given clothes, food, and other goods to NGOs and foundations, and 27% had done so in the last twelve months. Only 20% of Russians had never been involved in charitable giving.
Thus, the majority of the population have made donations to NGOs, but, according to the research data, they do not give regularly. A significant proportion of Russians who give money to NGOs do so quarterly (28%), or monthly (13%), but only 5% give more than once a month.
The majority of donors give to NGOs less than once every six months (51%).
Three quarters (76%) of those who had not given money to NGOs during the twelve months prior to the survey had previously made donations to NGOs or directly to those in need. This section of the Russian population represents a vast number of potential donors for NGOs, who have yet to connect with this audience.
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