12.08.2020

Receiving cash grants from international funds. List of organizations providing grants

Examples of activities paid for by grants

Training or internship

Involves training or internship at an educational institution in the country or abroad. It can be designed for a long period - 1-3 years (in this case, funds are issued in installments) or for a short period - weeks or months. Funding can cover all expenses, including travel, room and board (and even provide a stipend) or only partially, the rest must be paid by the student himself.

Tuition grants are quite popular among students. For countries with less developed economies and Russia, more generous funding is often allocated, covering all costs.

Researching

They are provided for a short period of time (months) and involve working with colleagues from other regions and access to the resources of universities and libraries. As a rule, they are issued to graduate students and doctors who are already working on a research or project and can demonstrate the need for scientific work abroad or in another region.

Trips

Cover fare for those who are invited to a conference, seminar or internship in another country or another region.

Low-budget or short-term projects

Rental of premises and rental or purchase of equipment, consumables, payment of invited specialists (scientists, engineers, technicians, translators, administrators), dissemination of information about the project (conferences, exhibitions, publications), travel expenses and expenses for accommodation and meals during travel related to the project. The project can be designed to support a single event (conferences, schools, tests of a technical installation or system, field expedition, survey public opinion etc.) or for long-term support of research or a system of activities. In the latter case, funding is often provided through several grants or other sources.

The role of grants in the development of society

With the help of grants, the necessary support is provided to projects that are not profitable, but play an important role in the development of society, city or educational institution. Activities that do not receive adequate government funding can also be supported through grants. For example, non-profit organizations existing in the country often rely on grants as the main or even the only source of their income (it is necessary to pay for premises and equipment, and the work of employees).

In Russia, grants received by non-profit organizations from foreign charitable organizations are not subject to taxes.

Receipt procedure

To receive a grant, the applicant writes detailed plan, indicating expenses and deadlines, and also describes his contribution - that part of the expenses that he will undertake or can receive from other sources. Applications go through a stage of review by the grant-awarding organization and, often, a competition between applications from different participants. The competition takes into account the weight of the justification for receiving funding, the adequacy of the required expenses, the degree of preparation of the participant, the duration of the result, etc. The grantee reports on expenses by providing receipts, reports and objective results ( scientific works, publications, research, statistics). As a rule, this is an important and large part of the work on the application.

Grants have played a big role in Russia in supporting science, training specialists, and creating a network of non-profit organizations.

Examples of Grant-Providing Organizations

International

Global Fund for Women - An international fund that supports programs for women. Information about the foundation and its programs, application form for receiving a grant.

In Russia

Russian Foundation for Basic Research - State organization, supporting fundamental research in the field of new scientific knowledge about nature, man and society. The website contains information about the foundation, its programs, competitions and grants.
Russian Humanitarian Scientific Foundation RGNF - created by Government Decree Russian Federation dated September 8, 1994 No. 1023 “On the Russian Humanitarian scientific foundation" The main goal of the Foundation is to support humanitarian scientific research and disseminate humanitarian scientific knowledge in society.
StartFellows - grant for Internet startups from the founder social network Vkontakte Pavel Durov and the founder of the investment group DST Yuri Milner.

In the CIS

Eurasia Foundation, Moscow representative office - Information about programs, recommendations for drawing up an application for a grant.

In Europe

German Academic Exchange Service - Organization supports educational programs in different countries: payment of scholarships, exchange of students and teachers.
British Council - Information about the Council and the programs it supports in various fields (arts, economics, education, law, etc.), as well as English language learning.

IN THE USA

The Ford Foundation is the Moscow representative office of the Foundation. Operating principles, description of the application submission procedure.
- USAID - Europe and Eurasia division.
Fulbright Foundation - exchanges of scientists, internships for master's and graduate students, summer schools.
IREX (Moscow office) - Council for International Research and Exchanges. Provides fellowships for research in the humanities and social sciences, mainly for professionals who already have higher education.
American Educational Consulting Center in the USA - Information about exchange programs and center activities, as well as useful information about studying in the USA and the admission process to American universities.
- Information about the institute, its Russian projects, competitions, grants.
NATO Science Program - Programs at various levels, support for scientific research, young scientists and scientific organizations.
Project "Harmony" - The organization conducts training programs and competitions for students and teachers, supports open access points on the Internet, and also carries out student exchanges.
ECA - Provides support to education in various countries, provides scholarships, organizes student exchange programs.
National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) - Council for the Support of Education. On the server there is information about the Council, its projects, contacts, grants.
National Forum Foundation - US national forum dedicated to supporting research in the fields of politics, economics, and education.
American Association of Higher Education for Women - Information about the Association and scholarships.
U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation - the fund supports joint Eurasian-American projects in Russia and the CIS countries.

Additional Information

Scholarships and grants at UBO.RU Scholarships and grants for studying abroad.
All competitions ru The most complete and regularly updated catalog of grants, competitions, conferences and scholarship programs.
Grants in Russia A list of grants updated by grant givers on the SciPeople.ru website.
European grants Opportunities to receive funding from the European Union for organizations from external countries(including Russia and other countries of the former USSR)
Study abroad - information and advisory site on studying and academic education abroad.
Calendar of grants, scholarships and competitions in various areas of science.
Periodic Digest of Grants. Grants are being published with deadlines in the coming weeks.

Notes

Wikimedia Foundation.

2010.:

Synonyms

See what "Grant" is in other dictionaries: Grant, eh...

Russian word stress - (German). Coarse, clean sand; same as gravel. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. GRANT [English. grant gift] 1) gift, donation, official provision Money for charitable purposes... ...

Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Kenneth Grant (Kenneth Grant) born May 23, 1924, is a famous British writer and magician. Student of Aleister Crowley and Austin Osman Spare. Founder of the New Isis Lodge and the Typhonian Order of the Eastern Templars, magical societies working with ... ... Wikipedia - (Civilian Aerodynamic Observer Television) Russian unmanned aerial vehicle aircraft

remote sensing. Designed for aerial reconnaissance and aerial photography. The first flight took place in 2001. Structurally... ... Wikipedia Noun, m., used. infrequently Morphology: (no) what? grant, what? grant, (see) what? grant, what? grant, about what? about the grant; pl. What? grants, (no) what? grants for what? grants, (I see) what? grants, what? grants, about what? about grants Grant is special... ...

Dmitriev's Explanatory Dictionary Grant A. - GRANT (Grant) Alexander (b. 22.2.1925, Wellington, New Zealand), English. artist. Studied with K. O'Brien and J. Horne. In 1946, having moved to the UK, he entered the school of the Sadler's Wells Ballet (later the Royal Ballet, London) and in the same year...

Ballet. Encyclopedia GRANT, huh, husband. One-time grant awarded, scientific institution creative team or to an individual performer no. labor. Grant holder, recipient. Competition for grants. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu.... ...

Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary 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, the Russian budget now allocates more money

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 be at least partially 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 NGOs. Of these, 2.7 billion rubles. - presidential grants. RUB 926 million – grants from the Ministry of Economic Development. Presidential grants and Mineco 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 supporting 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 were distributed by 7 organizations: “Civic Dignity”, “National charitable foundation", Society "Knowledge" of Russia, "Institute of Civil Society Problems", "Russian Youth Union", "League of National Health" 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 the grant is associated with government agencies, 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 Energy 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 ongoing 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 program costs and its effect, the presence of success in methodological support for 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, in the expected results they write: 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 have scored 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. Priority directions programs – “Children of Moscow” (in particular, prevention of negative phenomena among teenagers, protection of children’s rights; work with children in the community, protection of children from abuse, assistance in improving the quality of life of children) and “Concord and interaction” (promotion of 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 -

The 2010 US National Strategy 1 states: “The United States supports the expansion of democracy and human rights abroad because governments that respect these values are more just, peaceful, and lawful. We also provide support because success abroad fosters an environment consistent with America's national interests. Political systems that protect universal rights are ultimately more stable, successful, and secure."

Mechanisms of influence and financing

To “develop democracy” in the Russian Federation, the US government provides funding to beneficial Russian citizens and projects located both on the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad. This vector is adopted within the framework of the approach dual track engagement, that is, the concept of “double pull”, in which there is “simultaneous interaction with both government and non-government actors to promote the ideas of democracy and human rights” 2

The American Governmental Organization for Human Rights 3 identifies several areas of support for democracy and human rights in Russia:

Support for NGOs and foundations. Support for politicians, officials, and activists - citizens of the Russian Federation who, in the opinion of the US Government, contribute to resolving the problems of democracy, freedom of speech and human rights.
Russian-American Bilateral Presidential Commission, initiated in 2009 by the presidents of the two countries. The Commission has 16 working groups1.
The Open Government Initiative, “creating a mechanism for strengthening democracy and human rights, fighting corruption, and using technology in public administration”2, which experts assess exclusively negatively.
Administrative and legislative barriers from the United States.
Ideological conferences and seminars. The “US-Russia Civil Society Partnership Program”, for the “exchange of experience” between NGOs and civil society of the two countries.

Total funding

Since the beginning of the administration of Barack Obama (2009), the United States has allocated more than $200 million for the development of democracy in Russia through USAID1 (see funds), that is, the official portion of transfers through this fund is about $50 million per year.

For USRF projects, $13 million was allocated from the US government in 2011-12, and about $6 million more from Russian and international investors.

US restrictions

At the end of 2012, the Russian authorities took steps to curtail US funding for “development of democracy”1. USAID, IRI and NDI have closed their programs. However, funding has not been completely stopped, but has slightly changed forms in many areas.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland refused to say how the department will continue to provide funding to Russian NGOs, “because this would jeopardize these programs and the organizations receiving funding,” but promised that such support will definitely be available.2

“The Russians have seriously limited our ability to provide direct funding in Russia, especially with their decision to end USAID. However, we provide funding through platforms outside of Russia to those organizations that still want to work with us, with the understanding that they must be accountable to their government for this work,” Ms. Nuland said.

Without disclosing details, V. Nuland noted that the United States this moment are actively working to understand who exactly needs their support, and also to bring to the attention of NGOs how they can provide this financial assistance get. In addition, Nuland added that NPOs registered in the United States remain in Russia.

Funding and influence schemes

Socially - oriented NPOs do not fall within the definition of “political activity”. International organizations/funds identify SONCO as a key partner and invest in the development of NPOs and staff training. Over time, these NPOs are transferred to regional funding and win government grants. It turns out that the system begins to finance organizations associated with the implementation of foreign political will. This will supports SONCO both in an attempt to “monopolize” the “market” and in increasing the degree of influence on government institutions, mechanisms, and legislative activities.

Policies are often pursued that are covertly aimed at separatism: SONCOs purposefully create very different conditions for the implementation of programs in the regions, and also produce other forms of inequality.

It's no secret that the UN is building its international strategic goals in accordance with Western regulations. There is the UN Liaison Service with Non-Governmental Organizations (UNLOS), which “builds relationships” between the UN and civil society “through dynamic partnerships to promote greater alignment with emerging UN issues, as well as to facilitate constructive civil society engagement in UN processes.” The service provides “support to a wide range of stakeholders” and “forms alliances on key UN issues.”

Forms of support

Legislative features in the USA

An interesting fact is that the United States itself has a Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The law requires that foreign agents representing foreign governments in American politics, as well as foreign individuals and legal entities, disclosed their activities and sources of funding. A foreign agent (as of 2013) is considered to be a person (individual or legal entity) who acts “at the order, request, direction or control of a foreign principal” and in doing so is engaged in “ political activity in the interests of a foreign principal." The purpose of the law is to facilitate "the government's and the American people's assessment of the statements and actions of such individuals." Political activism is defined as activity aimed at changing the position of the U.S. federal government or “any portion of the public” regarding U.S. domestic or foreign policy or toward a foreign government or political party.

The law, in particular, prohibits the distribution of any information materials for the benefit of the foreign principal without placing a “conspicuously visible” statement that the materials are “distributed by an agent on behalf of the foreign principal.” A special unit within the Counterintelligence Section of the National Security Division of the US Department of Justice is responsible for implementing the law. As of 2007, approximately 1,700 lobbyists from more than 100 countries registered with the Department of Justice. Violation of this law is punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

I. Those who completed their activities in 2013

United States Agency for International Development (USAID), or US Agency for international development- created by John Kennedy in 1961. Responsible for US non-military assistance to other countries. The Agency Administrator and his Deputy are appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate and act in coordination with the US Secretary of State. USAID receives money directly from the American budget.

USAID is the main investment vehicle for the United States. The agency was engaged in “supporting civil society, democracy and human rights in Russia”, actively participated in legislative activities - its representatives “helped” write the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Tax Code (data from the official website).

On September 18, 2012, in connection with the introduced measures, it announced the cessation of work in Russia. This happened due to the influence of the fund through the distribution of grants on political processes, including elections at various levels, and civil society institutions. USAID's activity in Russian regions also raised serious questions, especially in the North Caucasus. In Russia, the agency financed 57 organizations; USAID planned to spend about 60% of the $50 million intended for Russia in 2012 on developing democracy and protecting human rights in the country.

The National Endowment for Democracy is an American organization founded in 1983 by the US Congress. The foundation calls its mission “to promote the establishment and development of democracy and freedom throughout the world.” Provides grants to researchers in the field of "democracy and human rights development" in foreign countries. Funded by USAID.

The fund was founded in 1983 by the US Congress with a budget of $30 million. Figures associated with American intelligence services took part in the activities of the fund. According to the official website, NED financed the opposition movements Solidarity in Poland, Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia and Otpor in Serbia.

The activities of the foundation are financed from state budget as part of the State Department's expenditures for the US Agency for International Development. In 2004, the fund received approximately $80 million primarily from government sources.

One of the foundation's founders, Allen Weinstein, noted in 1991 that much of what the foundation does was previously the work of the CIA.

The fund spends about half of its funds on the activities of 4 associated organizations:

American Center for International Labor Solidarity.
Center for International Private Enterprise. The leader is Thomas J. Donahue, President of the US Chamber of Commerce.
International Republican Institute (IRI). Leader: Senator John McCain
National Democratic Institute of International Affairs (NDI). The leader is former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

In 2004, the foundation awarded a Reagan-Fassell research grant to Chechen separatist Ilyas Akhmadov, whom the Russian Foreign Ministry called a “terrorist collaborator.” Human rights activist Oleg Popov wrote that the foundation financed Russian organization“Society of Russian-Chechen Friendship”, which supported the separatist military-criminal regime of Dudayev in Chechnya. In addition, the foundation financed the Moscow Helsinki Group of Lyudmila Alekseeva and the movement “For Human Rights” of Lev Ponomarev. In 2011, the WikiLeaks portal published data according to which the foundation provided support to Arab youth movements, which subsequently took an active part in a series of revolutions that erupted in the Middle East in 2011. NED also officially supports A. Navalny.

According to the official website, in 2012, about $3 million was allocated to support “democratic” initiatives).

At the moment, the fund's activities in Russia have been officially discontinued (since 2013).

International Republican Institute (IRI) - American non-profit organization, created in 1984. The stated goal is to “promote the development of democracy throughout the world.” The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Senator John McCain. Funding for IRI activities comes primarily from the NED.

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is an organization created by the United States government, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to "promote democracy in developing countries."

Foundations for the "development of democracy" in Russia
II. Current

Grants are provided to non-governmental non-profit public organizations that support democratic initiatives and develop civil society in Russia

Many US federal agencies are actively working with their Russian colleagues and partners. Cooperation is conducted on a very wide range of issues and includes both traditional and new forms of assistance. The issue of supporting democratic reforms continues to occupy a central place in US-Russian cooperation programs.

The U.S. Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law is a donor organization that supports non-profit projects aimed at economic and legal development, as well as support for entrepreneurship. It is believed that this fund has partially replaced USAID in Russia. The Foundation inspires grant activities in the field of law, economics and finance, including with the participation of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation (among the programs is the Russian-American program to increase the research and entrepreneurial potential of Russian universities through new models of scientific and technical cooperation between Russian and American universities).

According to annual report 2013, the foundation “raises a young generation of entrepreneurs and contributes to the development of Russian regions”, “promotes the reform of legal education in Russia”, helps the best young specialists study at US institutions, “promotes the creation and implementation of new teaching methods and curricula in entrepreneurship and law”, etc.

Three times a year, the USRF holds a competition to finance non-profit projects up to $100,000 proposed by Russian, American and international non-profit organizations, as well as Russian budgetary institutions.

Annual investments - up to $10 million.

RAPSIGO (Russian-American program for cooperation of civil society institutions). The Foundation "strives to create positive change in the lives of citizens of the United States and Russia through the constructive exchange of ideas and best practices between organizations in both countries." The Foundation conducts open competition to support additional joint projects implemented through equal partnerships between the two countries.

Projects are implemented in thematic areas including community development, education and youth, gender equality, higher education, rule of law and society, participatory media, migration and health. Working groups meet at an annual conference to set joint priorities and determine concrete steps to implement them.

The Open Society Institute (OSI), also known as the Soros Foundation, is an international charitable organization founded by financier and philanthropist George Soros. Governing bodies located in New York and Budapest. The fund's central office in Russia is located in Moscow, with branches in St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Novosibirsk.

The fund has a direction codenamed “Project Russia”, in which the fund “strives to develop and strengthen social life and civil society in the Russian Federation. Through a network of partners, the project supports innovative independent initiatives that expand public space in Russia and Russia's relevance in global discussions" -

In addition, Project Russia assists civil society actors in achieving a “more effective public role” in their activities. It supports the use innovative approaches eg digital media, strategic communications, social marketing, documentaries. It funds work with partners in Russia and abroad “to strengthen international cooperation and inspire Russian engagement on global issues.” This includes holding various seminars and conferences, exchange of scientists and researchers, short-term internships, and the creation of international cultural and academic networks.

The MacArthur Foundation first began a special grant program for Russia in 1991, and in 1992 it opened a permanent representative office in Moscow (since 2006 - a branch). The Foundation's grant activities in Russia are aimed at supporting effective mechanisms for the protection of human rights and promoting Russia's participation in multilateral efforts to resolve global problems.

In the field of human rights and international justice, the MacArthur Foundation supports the work of grantees in the following main areas:

Protection of fundamental rights through Russian judicial system;
Development of high-quality and free media and their protection in the Russian legal space;
Research on the role of the Internet in modern society and protecting freedom of expression and information on the Internet.

In Russia, the Foundation supports the formation of a nationwide network of human rights organizations that would strengthen the Russian legal system, stimulate citizen participation in the country's affairs and help Russian government in his work on human rights issues. The MacArthur Foundation is committed to supporting Russian NGOs. In particular, the Foundation provides assistance:

Moscow organizations that serve as resource centers for national and interregional human rights groups;
regional NGOs working in areas of priority for the Fund;
selection of information about human rights activities and human rights violations and its communication to government authorities, the media and the interested public.

The priorities of the MacArthur Foundation's human rights and international justice program are regularly reviewed.

It is worth noting that last year the foundation allocated $2,500,000 to “support independent and impartial research into Russian domestic and foreign policy.”

The Institute of Modern Russia, Inc. is a non-profit expert organization registered in New Jersey with branches in New York and Washington. The mission is “to promote the democratic and economic development of Russia through research and public events, shaping public opinion and providing grants. The Institute's activities are aimed at supporting human rights, the rule of law and civil society in Russia. The goal is to promote a principled approach in relations between Russia and the United States and the integration of Russia into the community of democracies."

The co-founder and executive director of the American Institute of Modern Russia is Pavel Ivlev, who has lived in the United States since 2004 and is a close friend of Alexei Navalny (who received support). The second co-founder is the son of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Pavel, who is also the president of the institute. The institute’s website says that Pavel Khodorkovsky created it to continue the work of his father, who established the Open Russia Foundation in 2001.

One of the institute's trustees is Margery Kraus, founder of APCO Worldwide, a Washington-based consulting firm that conducts lobbying campaigns around the world. Mikhail Khodorkovsky also resorted to the services of APCO Worldwide.

The institute does not disclose the names of sponsors.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is an agency of the US Government whose purpose is to assist American businesses in investing in new and emerging markets by providing loans and guarantees.

The corporation was founded in 1971. Over 35 years, it has financed projects worth $164 billion. The president and chief executive officer of the corporation is Robert Mosbacher Jr.

At the moment, OPIC is investing in 3 projects in Ukraine (more than $70 million in investments), $3.5 million was invested in Georgia only in January 2014.

With the assistance of OPIC, more than $3 billion was invested in the Russian economy - the corporation lent to IKEA, Nizhnekamskneftekhim, Sibacadembank, DeltaCredit Bank, NBD-Bank, Promsvyazbank, SDM-BANK and others.

Since 2005, Golos has been a member of the European Network of Election Observation Organizations (ENEMO), which was included in the list of international non-governmental organizations that approved the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and the Code of Conduct for International Observers, which were adopted by the UN on October 27, 2005 in NYC.

On June 26, 2013, from the media, the Association of Non-Profit Organizations “In Defense of the Rights of Voters “GOLOS” learned about the decision taken by the Ministry of Justice to suspend its activities

Associations. However, just two weeks later, on July 5, 2013, the movement in defense of voter rights “Voice” was reorganized by supporters of the movement. Today the Movement is engaged in construction regional branches, organizes election observation and invites citizens to cooperate.

The Carnegie Moscow Center is a division of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Head office in Washington.

The organization considers its mission to contribute to the improvement of Russian-American relations, to promote in Russia an understanding of the policies of Western countries, and to conduct independent political research and discussions. On the Supervisory Board are B. Nemtsov, V. Ryzhkov, G. Yavlinsky and others.

The Yegor Gaidar Foundation is a non-profit organization established by the Institute of Economic Policy named after E.T. Gaidar" and Maria Arkadyevna Strugatskaya in May 2010. The Foundation carries out educational work in the field of economic, social and humanitarian knowledge.

Over the course of several years, the Foundation has carried out many large-scale projects of an educational, educational and public nature. In 2012 alone, the Foundation’s projects affected over 7 thousand people from 40 Russian regions.

The Foundation received support from American grantors.

Some secondary funds:

The Ford Foundation is an American charitable foundation established by its charter to finance programs to support democracy, reduce poverty, promote international cooperation and human development. The foundation's headquarters is located in New York.

The fund, having lost a third of its resources during the global economic crisis, plans to close its offices in Russia and Vietnam and complete financing of projects in these countries in 2014.

Spencer Foundation: funds educational and social programs.

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation: funds educational and social programs

Mott Foundation: aims to support the development of civil society, conservation environment, ways to overcome poverty.

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, this 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– 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 start-up capital 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 allocated 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 retail sales 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 negative reputation in this environment you are guaranteed 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 better 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 for 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 so 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:

Business plan.

Certificate of state registration.

Certificate of inclusion in the register of small businesses.

Copies of constituent documents.

Copies of all pages of the passport.

Application in the prescribed form.

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 recently.

The state allocates funds to young entrepreneurs “to get started.” Please note that other equal conditions preferences will be given to socially vulnerable segments 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 part necessary equipment from 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 production 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 funds aimed at supporting innovation activity, economics 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, a leader in receiving grants), any repair shop: auto, household appliances, footwear, any training courses are a completely realistic idea, this also includes a marketing agency or design bureau. The arithmetic is simple - the product of the activity of such an enterprise is the mental/creative calculations of your employees, their cost is wage, therefore, no money is needed for the purchase, delivery and storage of goods.

Who gives?

Naturally, state represented by such ministries as the Committee for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, the Committee economic development, industrial policy and trade, advanced local governments, 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 programs financing, 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 in Russia, including entrepreneurial activity. The Barents Secretariat (Norway) provides grants for industrial and commercial development of private companies.

The undisputed leader in the Russian “grant” market is the USA, but the maximum you can count on in commercial terms is “civic education”; all the efforts of American philanthropists are devoted, as you might guess, to 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, and 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're in the mood for permanent job with funds, 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 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.

To receive a grant, the applicant writes a detailed plan, indicating costs and deadlines, and also describes his contribution - that part of the costs that he will undertake or can receive from other sources. Applications go through a stage of review by the grant-awarding organization and, often, a competition between applications from different participants. The competition takes into account the weight of the justification for receiving funding, the adequacy of the required expenses, the degree of preparation of the participant, the duration of the result, etc. The grantee reports on expenses by providing receipts, reports and objective results (scientific works, publications, studies, statistics). As a rule, this is an important and large part of the work on the application.

Grants have played a big role in Russia in supporting science, training specialists, and creating a network of non-profit organizations.