Pre-election charity: efficiency and danger
Local elections are still taking place in Ukraine. In different cities and villages, both local deputies and city and village mayors are now being elected. The Central Election Commission says it plans to finish them in March 2021. So far, the last election is scheduled for March 28.
Elections and especially the election process have a serious impact on charity in the country. During their election campaigns, many politicians use charity to achieve the desired result. The Zagoriy Foundation presented a study on how charity changes during elections, which will help distinguish a reliable charitable foundation from one created specifically for the election, and how effective pre-election charity is.
Before the election, the number of charitable foundations is growing
Experts say that in 2020, pre-election charity has become a notable phenomenon, because before there was no such surge. And now, instead of concerts and other public events, charity events are held more often.
"There are two main reasons for this: first, the COVID-19 epidemic and its impact on the economy have increased the demand for charitable and humanitarian aid. Secondly, it is dangerous to conduct the usual public agitation (political concerts, meetings, etc.) due to the growing incidence. Thus, candidate teams resort to alternative methods of campaigning, " the study said.
But the funds they set up for the election are called "pseudo-charitable" because they are focused on attracting voters’ votes, not selfless help.
At this time, not only are new funds being created, but some of the existing ones are starting to work for one or another political candidate.
Most experts clearly divide charitable foundations into pre-election and permanent ones. The participants of the study list the distinguishing features of election funds:
• political involvement;
• binding to the name of the candidate or party;
• active PR component;
• activity only in the pre-election period;
• lack of constant vision, mission and values;
• unsystematic work;
• the only source of funding;
• non-transparent activities.
Also, interviewed experts say that pre-election charitable foundations focus mainly on several types of assistance:
• humanitarian assistance: food kits, medicines, toys;
• construction of children’s and sports grounds, arrangement of spaces, parks;
• organization of holidays, festivals;
• assistance to orphanages, schools, kindergartens;
• assistance in counteracting COVID-19 (a feature of the last election campaign);
• environmental activity, educational and cultural initiatives.
The main goal of such funds and their assistance is to get as much support from voters as possible and, at the same time, to spend as little money as possible.
Effectiveness of election assistance is questionable
Experts have noted that assistance provided by election funds is ineffective for a number of reasons.
First, it is a one-time assistance that does not solve social problems, but only suppresses them. For example, there are people with serious illnesses who regularly need expensive medication. Election funds will help them only once, but will not regularly purchase the necessary medicines.
Second, pre-election charities do not monitor what happens to a person after receiving help. That is, does she need anything else, how useful this help turned out to be for her.
Third, very often pre-election charity is ill-conceived, it is focused more on the rapid and media effect.
In addition, the interviewed representatives of charitable foundations call such assistance ambiguous from a moral point of view. After all, it is aimed at benefiting, not at really helping the needy. However, it is worth noting that a third of respondents say - any help is better than no help.
"Pre-election assistance can be effective if it involves a lasting effect and is implemented taking into account the real needs of society," the study said.
How Pre-Election Assistance Affects Charity
Because pre-election charitable foundations pursue selfish motives, people may get the impression that all charitable foundations and organizations are like that.
"The main problem is that pre-election charity can undermine trust in charitable foundations that operate on an ongoing basis," the study said.
In addition, in the run-up to the election, people can get used to having their needs met here and now, that is, quickly and in the form they want. While the classic charitable foundation works on other principles and is often limited in resources and opportunities. Therefore, pre-election charity causes growing frustration in society for charity in general.
Author Anastasia Ishchenko
Photo Pixabay, Unsplash
Other news and notes COLLECTED
Elections and especially the election process have a serious impact on charity in the country. During their election campaigns, many politicians use charity to achieve the desired result. The Zagoriy Foundation presented a study on how charity changes during elections, which will help distinguish a reliable charitable foundation from one created specifically for the election, and how effective pre-election charity is.
Before the election, the number of charitable foundations is growing
Experts say that in 2020, pre-election charity has become a notable phenomenon, because before there was no such surge. And now, instead of concerts and other public events, charity events are held more often.
"There are two main reasons for this: first, the COVID-19 epidemic and its impact on the economy have increased the demand for charitable and humanitarian aid. Secondly, it is dangerous to conduct the usual public agitation (political concerts, meetings, etc.) due to the growing incidence. Thus, candidate teams resort to alternative methods of campaigning, " the study said.
But the funds they set up for the election are called "pseudo-charitable" because they are focused on attracting voters’ votes, not selfless help. At this time, not only are new funds being created, but some of the existing ones are starting to work for one or another political candidate.
Most experts clearly divide charitable foundations into pre-election and permanent ones. The participants of the study list the distinguishing features of election funds:
• political involvement;
• binding to the name of the candidate or party;
• active PR component;
• activity only in the pre-election period;
• lack of constant vision, mission and values;
• unsystematic work;
• the only source of funding;
• non-transparent activities.
Also, interviewed experts say that pre-election charitable foundations focus mainly on several types of assistance:
• humanitarian assistance: food kits, medicines, toys;
• construction of children’s and sports grounds, arrangement of spaces, parks;
• organization of holidays, festivals;
• assistance to orphanages, schools, kindergartens;
• assistance in counteracting COVID-19 (a feature of the last election campaign);
• environmental activity, educational and cultural initiatives.
The main goal of such funds and their assistance is to get as much support from voters as possible and, at the same time, to spend as little money as possible.
Effectiveness of election assistance is questionable
Experts have noted that assistance provided by election funds is ineffective for a number of reasons.
First, it is a one-time assistance that does not solve social problems, but only suppresses them. For example, there are people with serious illnesses who regularly need expensive medication. Election funds will help them only once, but will not regularly purchase the necessary medicines.
Second, pre-election charities do not monitor what happens to a person after receiving help. That is, does she need anything else, how useful this help turned out to be for her.
Third, very often pre-election charity is ill-conceived, it is focused more on the rapid and media effect.
In addition, the interviewed representatives of charitable foundations call such assistance ambiguous from a moral point of view. After all, it is aimed at benefiting, not at really helping the needy. However, it is worth noting that a third of respondents say - any help is better than no help.
"Pre-election assistance can be effective if it involves a lasting effect and is implemented taking into account the real needs of society," the study said.
How Pre-Election Assistance Affects Charity
Because pre-election charitable foundations pursue selfish motives, people may get the impression that all charitable foundations and organizations are like that.
"The main problem is that pre-election charity can undermine trust in charitable foundations that operate on an ongoing basis," the study said.
In addition, in the run-up to the election, people can get used to having their needs met here and now, that is, quickly and in the form they want. While the classic charitable foundation works on other principles and is often limited in resources and opportunities. Therefore, pre-election charity causes growing frustration in society for charity in general.
Author Anastasia Ishchenko
Photo Pixabay, Unsplash
Other news and notes COLLECTED