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COALITION FOR GIVING PROPOSES MEASURES FOR INCREASING DONATIONS

Seven proposals for facilitating donating in Serbia

The Coalition for Giving, referred a proposal of measures to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Philanthropy Development Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, of which the Coalition for Giving is a member, to encourage more donations and enable more efficient assistance to the most vulnerable population.

The measures were identified based on the needs of civil society and other relevant actors, but also based on examples of good practices from other countries and daily contact with citizens, institutions, companies, and other non-profit organizations.

Ana Košel, director of the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, emphasized that at this moment it is highly important for the state, private, and civil sectors to unite and work together to develop philanthropic infrastructure. “On behalf of the Coalition for Giving, I would like to remind all citizens of Serbia of our rich history during which we have overcome many challenges thanks to philanthropy, solidarity and willingness to share with others and create partnerships that show the power of unity in solving problems,” said Ana Košel.

The first proposed measure is the establishment of a working body within the Philanthropy Development Council, which would be in charge of coordinating cooperation with civil society. Another proposed measure is the establishment of a Compensation Fund for VAT refund to non-profit organizations that donate goods and services, to more actively involve the corporate sector in campaigns organized by the non-governmental sector. The third proposed measure refers to the temporary abolition of the VAT on food donation to reduce food waste, which is much needed by a large number of endangered fellow citizens. It is necessary to promote the Instruction for the Realization of Tax Reliefs for Donors, which was prepared by the Tax Administration on the recommendation of the Coalition for Giving and the Philanthropy Development Council, which provides companies with information on how to partially reduce the income tax, which encourages donations.

In addition to the corporate sector, it is necessary to stimulate citizens to contribute with their donations and solidarity. Therefore, the Coalition appeals to the National Bank to abolish the collection of bank fees and for the payments of donations to assigned accounts of non-profit organizations during the state of emergency. Twelve banks no longer charge donation fees. Also, to encourage donations from abroad, it is proposed to introduce PayPal donations, meaning enabling both our citizens and foreign citizens to quickly and easily donate to the Republic of Serbia and domestic non-profit organizations through these platforms. Finally, it is necessary to provide movement permits to employees in non-profit organizations, to continue with the necessary assistance on the field during the prohibition of movement and state of emergency.

The Framework for Giving project is funded by USAID and implemented by the Coalition for Giving led by the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation. Other Coalition members are the Trag Foundation, Catalyst Balkans, SMART Kolektiv, the Serbian Philanthropy Forum, the Responsible Business Forum, and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Download the suggested recommendations here .

Trag Foundation: Notice of extension of remote work environment

Following developments with the pandemic situation and the concern for the health and well-being of our employees and associates, we would like to inform you that the Trag Foundation team will keep working remotely until April 30th, continuing to support grantees and partners. Communication will be continued via telephone and online on a regular basis from 9am to 5pm on working days, and participation in meetings will be ensured by video conferencing.
All previously scheduled public events and face-to-face meetings are also canceled. Trag team members will be in contact with all the associates to agree on the alternatives for scheduled meetings and events. We invite our grantees to contact us should they have any questions or concerns regarding their activities during this period.
We remain at your disposal for any additional information and wish you all good health!

Results of the second round of the Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program

In order to respond to the problems of communities caused by the coronavirus pandemic, on April 10, the Trag Foundation announced a call for application for the Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program, intending to support actions aimed at reducing the spread of the virus and facilitating self-isolation, as well as actions focused on both recovery and resilience of communities from the economic and other social consequences of the pandemic.

After 24 initiatives in the first round of the program were supported in the total amount of 8.079.845,00 dinars, the Donation Team of the Trag Foundation, with the support of external advisors, selected 15 initiatives, out of 73 submitted project proposals in the second round of the program, that will be supported by a total amount of 5.636.672,00 dinars.

The projects supported in the second round of the program are:

– Association Step in Front of Everyone, for the informal group Sombor tailors (Sombor)
– LICEULICE (Belgrade)
– Association Info Park (Belgrade)
– Women’s Center Milica (Vrnjačka Banja)
– Roma Center for Women and Children Daje (Belgrade)
– Association Young Heart (Trstenik)
– Center for Moms (Belgrade)
– Association of Parents, Guardians, and Friends of Children with Malignant Diseases – Čika Boca (Belgrade)
– Association Women for Peace (Leskovac)
– Association Okular (Ćićevac)
– Association of Parents of Persons with Special Needs – EGAL (Kragujevac)
– Association To be known! (Belgrade)
– Association for Psychological Support, Development, and Education Psychoreflector (Novi Sad)
– Volunteer Fire Department Vitkovac-Milakovac-Pečenog (Kraljevo)
– Association Centar Psychocare (Niš)

The Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program is being implemented with the financial support of the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Oak Foundation.

Results of the first round of the Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program

In order to respond to the problems of communities caused by the coronavirus pandemic, on April 10, the Trag Foundation announced a call for project proposals for the Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program, intending to support actions aimed at reducing the spread of the virus and facilitating self-isolation, as well as actions focused on both recovery and resilience of communities from the economic and other social consequences of the pandemic.

The first shortlist of applications was made on April 21, and out of 150 project proposals, the Donation Team from the Trag Foundation, with the great support of external advisors, today selected 24 initiatives from the first round that will be supported by a total amount of 8,079,845,00 dinars.

The projects supported in the first round of the program are:

– Women’s Association Let’s Save the Village (Priboj Banja)
– United Action The Roof Over Our Head (Belgrade)
– Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (Novi Sad)
– Human Rights Committee Vranje (Vranje)
– Educational Humanitarian Organization EHO (Prokuplje)
– Association of Health Workers of the National Association of the Rasina District (Kruševac)
– Association From the Circle – Niš (Niš)
– Association Phenomena (Kraljevo)
– Sombor Educational Center (Sombor)
– SOS Women’s Center (Novi Sad)
– CEPORA – Center for Positive Youth Development (Belgrade)
– Association of Children with Disabilities and Their Parents Bajina Bašta (Bajina Bašta)
– Association Rainbow (Šabac)
– Association Halfway (Pančevo)
– Youth Association Lock up (Bečej)
– Association Impuls (Tutin)
– Association for Local Development Kamenica (Kamenica, Niš)
– Association for Helping People with Autism (Kragujevac)
– Center for Emotional Support to People in Crisis and Prevention of Suicide – “Srce” (Novi Sad)
– Association of Citizens of Ternipe (Pirot)
– Association of Roma Students (Novi Sad)
– Association Production Roma World (Niš)
– NGO BE ACTIVE 16 (Preševo)
– Roma Association Danica (Pančevo)

The second round of the program is still ongoing, and the call for submitting project proposals is open until May 5.

Associations and local foundations that were supported in the first round of the program cannot re-apply for the program.

Associations and local foundations that are not supported in the first round can re-apply only with an improved or new project proposal.

The Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 program is being implemented with the financial support of the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Oak Foundation.

Financial information

Annual reports

ENDOWMENT FUND

Inspired by the Serbian endowment founders Miša Anastasijević, Marija Trandafil, Ilija M. Kolarac, we decided to start the first financial endowment, believing that Serbia we wish for will be a reality.

As the leading foundation in local community development in Serbia, in 2012 we launched a campaign that gathered more than 200 individual donors, companies, foundations and other donors from Serbia and abroad. Trag’s financial endowment is unique as it’s the first of its kind in the broader region.

Trag raised 251,861 USD and this amount was double matched by Charles Stewart Foundation to create the initial fund of 750,000 USD. Since its establishment, the Endowment Fund has grown to 785,000 USD as a result of investment revenue and will continue to increase over the years in order to provide support to active citizens throughout Serbia who change their communities and society for the better.

Using funds generated from our Endowment Fund, we are able to support the needs of active citizens in Serbia in emergency situations! Through Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 Program, we provided grant support to initiatives of the Na pola puta Association from Pančevo and the Somborske šnajderke* informal group from Sombor.

*Association Korak ispred svih, for informal group Somborske šnajderke

Thanks to you, we had the chance to go outside!

For many years, we have provided support to people with intellectual disabilities and their families through “Na pola puta” with the goal of providing them with the best quality of life and inclusion within the community. Due to the state of emergency, our beneficiaries were not allowed to leave their apartments and therefore were unable to see their parents, guardians, and friends for more than a month.

Due to the specific needs of those we work with, including their need for movement and lack of the understanding of the new situation, we encountered numerous challenges.

Thanks to you, we were able to provide them with continuous daily support by arranging safe and hygienic transportation for our assistants and hired additional people for grocery and supplies shopping. We will continue with online workshops to enrich their lives and to make it easier for them to overcome difficulties.

When solidarity empowers you to be brave!

We are an informal group called “Somborske šnajderke”. The five of us have sixteen children, and a seventeenth is on its way. In addition to our love for children, what we all have in common is that we are survivors of domestic partner violence. We came together and, with our five sewing machines, we started to produce 1,500 protective masks weekly. Thanks to the support of the Safe House, the Textile High School, the City of Sombor, and several companies, we donated masks to medical staff, police, social workers and vulnerable citizens.

Our self-confidence increased, our fellow citizens accepted this action very well and this positive experience made us feel empowered. Thanks to you, we are moving forward!

With a formalized association, we will be able to provide jobs to all members of our group since we will move on with sewing bed linens and continue supporting other survivors of domestic partner violence.

Tax Reliefs

Trag Foundation, together with foundations from six countries in the region gathered in the SIGN network, works on activities that will contribute to building favorable surroundings for the development of philanthropy and donations to common well-being.

Based on legal analysis and comparative experiences from the region and EU countries, suggestions to improve fiscal policies are being created within the project “SIGN for Sustainability”, supported by the European Union. In the following period, in cooperation with the SIGN network, Trag foundation will work on advancement and change of policies in this field within the regional project “SIGN for Sustainability”. The project is supported by the European Commission.

Corporate Philanthropy Guide “Good Deeds Will Come Back to You”
In cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit (SIPRU) Trag Foundation has created the corporate philanthropy guide “Good Deeds Will Come Back to You”. The Guide aims to facilitate donations of legal entities for common well-being in Serbia. The Guide points out legal solutions and suggests ways to resolve open issues in this field.
The creation of this guide was possible thanks to financial assistance from European Union funds, Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development, and Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD).
The author is Dragan Golubović PhD.

Legislative Framework for Donations

By direct advocating for a more inciting legal and fiscal framework for local donating, Trag enables greater support to citizens’ initiatives in communities. By supporting the participation of citizens’ associations from both local and national level in bringing and changing certain policies we provide a better framework for community development in relevant areas.

In cooperation with the European Center for Non-Profit Law (ECNL) and Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, Trag has actively participated in the preparation of the Law on Endowments and Foundations. The process of creation of the Draft was participatory, public and it resulted in bringing the new Law on Endowments and Foundations. National Parliament of Serbia has adopted the Law on Endowments and Foundations on 23rd November 2010, which contributed to the creation of a favorable legal framework for the development of endowments and foundations and their transparent management and business. Trag continues to work on activities that will significantly improve the work of existing foundations and endowments, by contributing to the revival of philanthropic and donating culture in Serbia.

The text concerning the Law on Endowments and Foundations, together with the corresponding explanation, can be downloaded here:

Text of the Law on Endowments and Foundations.pdf

Explanation guide to t he Law on Endowments and Foundations.pdf

Parallel with these activities, Trag actively works on international and local cooperation with partners and networks which is directed towards the creation of a more favorable legal and fiscal framework for local donating and providing support to citizens’ initiatives in local communities.

SIGN Network – Trag, together with foundations from six countries in the region, gathered in SIGN Network, works on activities that will contribute to the creation of a favorable environment for the development of philanthropy and donating for common good. Within the project “SIGN for Sustainability”, supported by the European Union, based on legal analysis and comparative experiences from the region and EU countries, suggestions for improvement of fiscal policies are being created. Local donating will be stimulated by introducing and improving tax reliefs for companies and individuals, thus providing better conditions for the bigger sustainability of civil society and citizens’ initiatives.

Initiative to change the law on corporate income tax and the law on property taxes.pdf

Coalition for Social Entrepreneurship Development – As a member of Coalition for Social Entrepreneurship Development, Trag is dedicated to the development and improvement of social entrepreneurship in Serbia. Through its work in Coalition, Trag participates in the implementation of activities that support social businesses, advocates for the creation of a favorable environment, and promotes the significance of the concept for economic advancement and sustainable development of society, intending to establish the platform for the development of social entrepreneurship in Serbia. Activities of Trag foundation in Coalition are primarily directed towards the creation and adaptation of legal acts important for the development of this field.

Support to Networking of Civil Society Organizations

Trag provides support to associated citizens so they could influence policies in relevant areas on a local, regional, and national level, to bring improvement to local communities. So far, Trag has been focused on support in the areas such are environmental protection and social inclusion, but it is open for support in other areas as well.
Trag supports connections, cooperation, and networking of associated citizens; facilitates organizing and implementing mutual meetings, establishing and strengthening networks and coalitions. When necessary, Trag provides consultancy, technical and financial support to networks and coalitions and supports organizing of public debates, researches, and mutual projects originating in networks.
Up to now, Trag has supported the establishment and work of two networks of local organizations: Green List of Serbia (GLS) and SLAP.

Green List of Serbia is the network of 12 local ecological organizations whose activities are directed towards the improvement of the waste management system in Serbia. Up until now, Green List of Serbia has conducted three ecological campaigns Get Plane Wise! aiming to instigate relevant institutions, citizens and other stakeholders in society to be actively involved in solving the problem of waste disposal in Serbia. In these campaigns, GLS has succeeded to involve more than 28.000 citizens on a local and national level to clean several dozens of wild landfills in more than 15 communities and gather over 80 tons of waste that were later recycle.

SLAP is the network of 10 civil society organizations focused on providing social services to persons with disabilities and their families. Trag has supported SLAP members to develop services and to improve its qualities through the exchange of knowledge and good practice examples from EU countries. Trag has provided special support to these organizations in advocating for permanent financing of services on a local level through budget allocations from local budgets.