Giving Serbia 2020 - Quick Facts

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Giving Serbia 2020 – givingbalkans.org
2020
Research Giving Serbia 2020 – Annual Report on the State of Philanthropy is part of the project ‘Framework for Giving in Serbia’ financed
by USAID and implemented by the Coalition for Giving led by Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation. Other members of the Coalition are Trag
Foundation, Catalyst Balkans, Smart Kolektiv, Serbian Philanthropy Forum, Responsible Business Forum and the Serbian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. The research was carried out by Catalyst Balkans in partnership with Trag Foundation and with additional support
of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
The content of the report is the sole responsibility of Catalyst Balkans, Trag Foundation and Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation,
and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the USAID, the United States Government, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and
the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
REPORT ON THE STATE OF PHILANTHROPY – QUICK FACTS
€ 50.9 mil.
total recorded value
of donations
4,319
total number of
recorded istances
€ 13
average donation per
individual
2.7×
increased level of giving
compared to 2019
KEY POINTS
In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on philanthropy in Serbia in multiple respects. We
recorded a total of EUR 50,984,095.5 in donations, which is 2.7 times more than in the previous year. All of these
donations were made in 4,319 instances of giving. Thus, the average donation per individual increased from EUR
4.9 in 2019 to EUR 13 in 2020.
Based on the available data, we estimate that slightly over EUR 90 million was donated in 2020. Even donations
unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic exceeded total donations in 2019 by over EUR 10 million.
The largest number of donations was made in April, when we recorded 691 instances (606 of which were directly
related to COVID-19). This represents the highest monthly figure we have seen since we began monitoring
philanthropy in Serbia. The City of Belgrade was the beneficiary of more than 40% of the total instances of giving.
Giving
Serbia

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GIVING BY THEME
One third of all initiatives for public good in 2020 was directed to the fight against COVID-19 and the total value
of these donations (42.1% of the total recorded value of donations in 2020) considerably exceeded donations
for any other individual theme. As expected, the largest number of donations related to the pandemic was
directed to the healthcare system.
Even among donations that were not related to the pandemic, the largest percentage of instances was directed
to the theme of Healthcare.
DONORS
After several years in which citizens were more active as donors than the corporate sector, the situation
changed in the 2020 pandemic year, with the corporate sector providing slightly more than half of the total
sum donated and 38.1% of instances of giving. More than 45% of these instances involved support for state
institutions.
% of instances
33.7%
COVID-19
25.0%
Healthcare
14.2%
Support
to marginalized groups
9.7%
Poverty relief
6.9%
Education
10.5%
Other
Citizens
Corporate sector
Individuals
Mixed donors
Private foundations
Citizen associations
Other
63.4%
11.1%
79.6%
71.1%
67.6%
93.4%
19.8%
50.5
% recorded value of donations
35.1
4.8
2.6
3.6
3.2
0.2
% number of recorded instances
38.1
30.1
18
6.2
3.7
3.5
0.4
36.6%
88.9%
20.4%
28.9%
32.4%
6.6%
80.2%
43.4%
82.3%
82%
84.7%
76.1%
55.6%
66.7%
56.6%
17.7%
18%
15.3%
23.9%
44.4%
33.3%
Donations intended to tackle effects of the pandemic Donations unrelated to the pandemic

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Citizens, who for several years have been the most active and largest donors in terms of total amount donated,
were in second place in 2020. However, mass giving by citizens through campaigns, appeals etc. (recorded
and verified at EUR 15.4 million) came close to the total sum donated in 2019 (EUR 18.8 million). Citizens also
provided the largest amount of support to the non-profit sector. While companies generally donated to the
state for the fight against COVID-19, citizens donated for medical treatment of their fellow citizens through the
non-profit sector.
DONATION RECIPIENTS
The year was marked by significantly larger donations to state authorities. The increased powers of the state
during the State of Emergency, declared for the purpose of implementing epidemiological measures, resulted
in 43.4% of the total sum being directed to the state (local and national governments and their institutions).
Given that many non-profit organizations directed what they received to the state, it seems fair to say that in
2020 domestic donors helped the state overcome the crisis.
A large amount of funds was provided to the non-profit sector (48.9% of the total value of donations). However,
closer insight into the available data reveals that only a few large organizations received bulk of support where
they acted as intermediaries for the medical treatment of individuals and support to families, while the sector
as a whole was supported to a lesser extent than in previous years.
FINAL BENEFICIARIES
48.7%
12.3%
75.4%
98.7%
31.0%
4.4
48.9
21.3
22.1
3.6
51.3%
87.7%
24.6%
1.3%
69.0%
77.7%
84.6%
43.9%
18.2%
80.6%
22.3%
15.4%
56.1%
81.8%
19.4%
Local communities
45.4%
15.5%
26.3%
14.3%
10.4%
17.8%
1.1%
28.3%
9.2%
7.6%
5.1%
19.0%
People with health issues
People in economic need
People with disabilities
Elderly population
Other groups
Non-profit
organizations
Individuals/families
Institutions
Local/national
governments
Other
% value of donations
% instances
33
31.6
27.2
7.4
0.8

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The pandemic helped certain beneficiary groups that are not often supported to gain greater visibility and
importance. The elderly, which throughout 2020 was in focus as a high-risk group, received considerable donor
support for the first time (compared to benefiting from only 1.8% of instances in 2019).
We also see that people with disabilities were particularly supported in those instances of giving (28.3%) that
were not directed to tackling the effects of the pandemic (in previous years this figure was approximately 15%).
PHILANTHROPY IN THE MEDIA
In 2020 philanthropic instances were 1.5 times more frequently reported than in 2019 (an increase from 8,807
to 13,109). The national media was most active in this area, providing 5.84% greater coverage than in 2019.
Online media were the most represented media type, publishing 75% of the total reports, while the remainder
of the reports came from the printed and electronic media.
EXAMPLES OF PHILANTHROPY
The crisis that hit the entire world in 2020 did not only affect the choice of themes of donations, but also the way
many companies and citizens donated and were socially engaged. The fight against COVID-19 was certainly the
central theme of the year, but there were also numerous innovative examples of giving for other themes.
In 2020 the largest fundraisers for the fight against effects of the pandemic were organized by UNICEF, on the
one hand, and the Serbian Philanthropy Forum and B92 Fund, on the other. These three non-profit organizations
essentially coordinated the philanthropic response to COVID-19, playing a vital role in informing donors on a
timely basis about the needs and flows of donations. In this manner, they facilitated significant support from
companies to the Serbian healthcare system.
During its initiative, the Serbian Philanthropy Forum, in conjunction with B92 Fund, raised more than EUR 1.6
million in funds and over EUR 85,000 in goods. In cooperation with UNICEF and Nordeus, they created and
continuously updated a table of needs and deadlines for delivery. The data were regularly verified with the
Ministry of Health so that assistance could be distributed in the most efficient way. Their provision of timely
information and transparent work was not only significant for the efficiency of the process, it also encouraged the
involvement of new donors and larger donations.
In addition to this initiative, the three largest direct donations in the fight against COVID-19, which individually
amounted to more than a million US dollars, were provided by HP-Petrohemija Pančevo, Novak Djokovic
Foundation and United Group.
MK Group also made a considerable contribution. The total amount of donations this company provided in
2020 exceeded EUR 1 million, with the largest portion directed to tackling the effects of the pandemic and pri-
marily for the purchase of medical equipment for 12 healthcare institutions. MK Group additionally provided
flights by private airplane to permit children to receive medical treatment in the US, as well as vacations for 450
medical professionals in its hotels in Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia. The company also distributed humanitarian food
packages worth EUR 150,000 to socially vulnerable citizens. Owing to these initiatives, MK Group was nominated
for one of the 2020 VIRTUS Awards for Philanthropy.
As an example of support to marginalized groups during the COVID-19 pandemic, IKEA Serbia launched a
campaign against domestic violence called “A Safe Home is a Better Home”. In cooperation with Ana and Vlade
Divac Foundation, IKEA made monetary donations to more than 700 families and 1,500 individuals. On the
occasion of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, IKEA prominently displayed SOS hotlines for
victims of violence in its store. IKEA has been nominated for one of the 2020 VIRTUS Awards for Philanthropy.
We documented a record amount of donations for an initiative targeting economic development. In late 2020,
Philip Morris International gave NALED over EUR 4 million for technological development in Serbia. This sum

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initiated a three-year project called ‘StarTech’, which aims to achieve the digital transformation of small and
medium-sized enterprises. The project envisages three public calls for up to 100 grants worth from USD 15,000 to
USD 100,000, as well as vouchers for 1,000 hours of expert support for the digital transformation of businesses,
research and the introduction of innovative products and services. This is the first time such a large donation has
been directed to the theme of economic development.
In addition to ensuring direct donations from companies, in the new circumstances it became important to
animate customers and engage employees in strategies of corporate philanthropy.
Thus, the domestic platform for online food ordering and delivery ‘Donesi’ (eng. ‘Deliver’) (Plotun d.o.o.), in
partnership with the Novak Djokovic Foundation, launched an initiative called ‘Deliver Another Kindergarten in
Serbia’. ‘Donesi’ enabled its users to donate directly via their app for the construction of a kindergarten in the
village of Vajska, near Bač. Owing to this initiative, 80 children will have access to a kindergarten with full-day care,
modern furniture, didactic materials and toys.
Another domestic brand, Extreme Intimo (Jasmil d.o.o.), launched the initiative #StvarnoŽelim to engage both
their customers and their followers on social media in supporting maternity hospitals across Serbia. Each time a
person shared the company’s video on Instagram, Extreme Intimo would donate EUR 1 to maternity hospitals. In
only 14 hours, the video had been shared over 27,000 times, resulting in the company donating at total of EUR
27,100. Extreme Intimo also donated 2% of the revenue from sales of their New Year collection in the period from
24 November to 31 December. At the end of the campaign, the company invited their customers to decide which
maternity hospitals would receive donations.
Working from home also generated a need for more intensive communication and engagement of employees,
which in turn led to new ways of involving employees in the socially responsible projects of their employers.
During the state of emergency, Quantox Technology from Čačak organized a charity gaming tournament for
people working in the IT industry. Seventy registered teams gathered a total of EUR 27,580, of which EUR 13,790
was donated to the Clinical Center of Niš, EUR 8,270 to the National Health Insurance Fund and EUR 5,520 was
provided for the purchase of medical and protective equipment for healthcare institutions in Serbia (within
UNICEF’s initiative). Quantox subsequently established their own corporate foundation.
While companies primarily donated to the state for the fight against COVID-19, citizens mainly sent humanitarian
SMS messages for the medical treatment of children, primarily through ‘Budi Human’ Humanitarian Foundation,
which raised EUR 13.8 million for these purposes in 2020. This amount comprises 75% of all donations directed
to the non-profit sector, excluding COVID-19 related donations.
Another popular type of donation among citizens were auctions on the Facebook group “Budi Human – charity
auctions”. This group, with over 300,000 members, was founded by Branka Zarić to enable citizens to auction off
items they do not need anymore. All funds generated in this manner are directed to the medical treatment of
children who are the beneficiaries of the ‘Budi Human’, ‘Podrži Život’ and ‘Pokreni Život’ foundations. Branka has
been nominated for one of the 2020 VIRTUS Awards.
Although to a lesser extent, citizens also donated to efforts to combat the negative effects of the COVID-19
pandemic. Soon after the epidemic was declared in Serbia, Donacije.rs created a special page for donations to
address the effects of the pandemic. Over the year, more than EUR 137,000 was raised through 24 campaigns
launched on this page. For example, in the website’s first days of operation, funds were raised for the production
of masks for medical professionals in the south of Serbia, and over 200 tablet computers were purchased to
enable socially vulnerable students to follow online classes with ease.
An extraordinary example of citizens helping the state during the COVID-19 crisis was provided by Selma Hasić
Manić, a fashion designer from Novi Pazar, and her colleague Nerma Zekić Hoćanin, who launched an emer-
gency campaign to help the General Hospital. In a few days and with the help of citizens and the diaspora, they

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raised approximately EUR 70,000, of which EUR 45,000 was donated for the purchase of hospital equipment. The
remaining funds were directed toward other healthcare institutions in Sandžak. During the year, they also
collected and donated medical and protective equipment to healthcare institutions and pharmacies in Sandžak in
the amount of EUR 100,000. They too have been nominated for one of the 2020 VIRTUS Awards for Philanthropy.
Aleksandar Alek Kavčić, an inventor and professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the US, recently received a
portion of the USD 750 million compensation he was granted in a settlement against a company which illegally
used his patent for a magnetic disk reader. In early 2020, he established the Alek Kavcic Foundation and in-
vested approximately EUR 1 million in the purchase of elementary school textbooks, which he publishes on his
website to be downloaded for free. In 2020, Kavčić also donated 20 computers of the latest generation to the
Mathematical High School, while the 20 computers he had donated in 2019 were redistributed to five elementary
schools in Serbia. Owing to his good deeds, Alek Kavčić has been nominated for one of the 2020 VIRTUS Awards
for Philanthropy.
These were only some of the prominent examples of philanthropy in 2020. The citizens of Serbia and Serbian
diaspora, as well as socially responsible companies, together took part in many more good deeds during the
crisis year. For more information and examples, please see the full report ‘Giving Serbia’ at:
izvestaj.srbijadaruje.org/2020

Giving Serbia 2020 - Quick Facts

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