2006

State Support for Nonprofit Organizations

The idea of creating a system of grant support for NPOs in Russia was voiced in July 2005 at a meeting of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights. The expert community proposed establishing special budgetary funds to allocate grants among nonprofit organizations. The President of Russia supported the initiative, and by 2006 the new funding system was operational. The Civic Chamber became the first operator of the presidential grants competition. The competition immediately garnered significant interest. In 2006, applications were submitted by 2,035 organizations, of which 545 received state support. The total funding amounted to 472.7 million rubles, distributed across 1,054 projects. On December 15, 2006, the President of Russia signed an order approving the list of NPOs and the allocation of funds for their state support.

In subsequent years, the model of state support for the nonprofit sector continued to evolve. As early as 2007, the functions of the sole operator of presidential grants, previously performed by the Civic Chamber, were transferred to several specialized NPOs. Six thematic competitions were held with a total funding pool of 1.25 billion rubles, attracting nearly 4,200 applications; support was granted to 1,225 organizations.

A significant milestone was reached in 2017, when, by Decree of the President of Russia, the Presidential Grants Foundation was designated as the unified operator for grant competitions.

Today, the Foundation stands as the largest institution supporting the social sphere in Russia, fostering a sustainable funding system for tens of thousands of NPOs across the country. Moreover, in recent years, new development institutions have emerged: the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, the Internet Development Institute, the Presidential Foundation for Nature, among others. Regions and socially responsible businesses have also begun implementing their own grant programs.

Improvement of Legislation in the Sphere of Charity

An equally important focus of work in 2006 was the improvement of the regulatory and legal framework for the development of charitable activities. During the first plenary session of the Civic Chamber, the President of Russia emphasized that patronage and charity in the country were undervalued and in need of substantial support.

In this regard, the Civic Chamber identified the preparation of a draft law on endowment (target capital) as one of its priorities. As early as June 2006, a round table was held at the Civic Chamber's platform, where the concept of the future law was publicly discussed for the first time. In the autumn, the discussions continued in the format of public hearings and expert consultations. To involve as many participants as possible in the dialog, a broad information campaign was organized, and, in collaboration with the "Donors Forum" Association, a series of working meetings were held between representatives of NPOs, businesses, and the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.

The result of this work was the adoption in December 2006 of Federal Law No. 275-FZ "On the Procedure for the Formation and Use of Endowment Capital of Nonprofit Organizations." This law, for the first time, established a comprehensive mechanism for managing endowment funds, allowing nonprofit organizations to utilize the generated income to finance their core statutory activities.

Public debates of the Draft Law on the Procedure for Considering Citizens' Appeals

A landmark step in the development of state-society relations was the establishment of legal regulation governing the consideration of citizens' appeals.

During the draft law's review stage in the State Duma, the Civic Chamber conducted wide-ranging public debates. Materials were disseminated to various nonprofit organizations across the country, primarily those directly working with citizens' appeals, assisting in problem-solving, and interacting with state authorities.

The collected comments and proposals formed the basis of a conclusion prepared by the Civic Chamber and submitted to the State Duma. Practically all amendments proposed by the Civic Chamber were taken into account by the deputies during the adoption of the law.

As a result, on May 2, 2006, the President of Russia signed Federal Law No. 59-FZ "On the Procedure for Considering Appeals of Citizens of the Russian Federation." This law became a crucial instrument for protecting citizens' rights and enshrining the procedure for official dialog between society and the state.

Membership in the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS)

From its very first years, the Civic Chamber has sought to develop international cooperation and exchange experience with foreign civil society institutions.

Thus, in 2006, the Civic Chamber joined the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS), founded in 1999 on the initiative of the presidents of the Economic and Social Councils of France and Côte d'Ivoire. Russia became part of a global civil society structure united by a common mission: to develop democratic institutions, strengthen peace, protect human rights, and promote public diplomacy. As part of its activities within the AICESIS, the Civic Chamber participated in establishing and supporting national economic and social councils in other countries, sharing experience based on the principles of the Charters of the United Nations and the International Labor Organization, their key documents, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Relocation of the Oil Pipeline Route Away from Lake Baikal

In 2006, the construction of the Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean oil pipeline became a highly resonant issue, as the initial plan was to lay it just 800 meters from Lake Baikal, in a seismically hazardous zone. The Civic Chamber, together with environmental organizations and the expert community, opposed this route.

In its statement of March 28, 2006, the Civic Chamber acknowledged the project's strategic importance for the country but simultaneously insisted on an objective assessment of environmental risks and the search for alternative solutions that would eliminate the threat to Baikal.

On April 26, 2006, the President of Russia, at a meeting in Tomsk, supported the Civic Chamber's position. He stated the impermissibility of routing the pipeline near the lake and ordered the route to be moved outside its watershed basin. The President's decision was perceived by the members of the Civic Chamber as evidence that the state is prepared to consider public opinion and treat it as a priority in key decision-making.

Protection of the Rights of Equity Construction Participants

In 2006, the protection of the rights of equity participants in shared-construction housing projects, who had suffered from unscrupulous developers, emerged as one of the most pressing social issues. The Civic Chamber engaged in addressing this problem by organizing consultations with the State Duma, the Russian Ministry of Regional Development, and civil initiative groups.

Following this work, a concept for a draft law on the restructuring of construction organizations was prepared, developed by a corresponding working group of the Civic Chamber. This document outlined measures to protect the rights of defrauded equity holders and undoubtedly became an important step in establishing legislative guarantees for upholding the rights of co-investors in residential construction.

A Game Under New Rules

In 2006, the Civic Chamber conducted a public examination of a draft law on regulating the gambling business. It should be noted that the initial version of the draft law essentially only squeezed small gambling establishments out of the market, failing to address the broader problem of gambling addiction and merely strengthening the positions of large gambling operators.

In September 2006, members of the Civic Chamber proposed relocating gambling facilities outside city limits. This position formed the basis of a draft law submitted to parliament by the President of Russia in October 2006.

Federal Law No. 244-FZ of December 29, 2006, "On State Regulation of Activities Related to the Organization and Conduct of Gambling and on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation," established the rule of creating special gambling zones. By 2009, the entire country's gambling business was relocated to these zones.

Thus, the proposals of the Civic Chamber effectively defined the strategy for legal regulation in this sphere. Across the country, casinos and gaming machines of "easy access" ceased to exist. This helped prevent, and subsequently completely eradicate, the phenomenon of gambling addiction—a cause of hundreds and thousands of human tragedies.