How to preserve the donor culture?

Donations Have Become Routine for Ukrainians. But How Do We Sustain This After Victory? Let’s Talk About the Culture of Giving.

Instead of coffee—donation, instead of payment—donation, instead of a gift—donation.

In Ukraine today, everyone donates, and our country’s survival depends on it.

The culture of donations is a necessity of our time. Since the full-scale invasion, the percentage of people donating has increased from 56% in 2021 to 65% in 2022, while the average donation has grown ninefold, according to a study by the Zagoriy Foundation. People have started engaging with charitable and civic organizations more systematically, contributing resources, which has led to increased trust in the NGO sector.

But can we turn this into a lasting habit after victory?

Let’s first clarify the key concepts.

A donation is financial assistance provided for the public good.

There are also non-financial resources that can be valuable to society: time, community, expertise, skills, trust, connections, spaces, technology, and more. One doesn’t have to be wealthy to contribute to the common good.

The habit of giving—donating resources (both financial and non-financial) for the collective benefit—can be defined as the culture of giving. Depending on the purpose of giving, different terms apply: philanthropy, charity, and patronage.

• Philanthropy is the use of private resources for public benefit with long-term results, aimed at preventing problems. It involves systematic giving to solve a specific issue, with results visible over months or years. A modern example is the financing of a satellite purchased by Serhiy Prytula and Lachen—its benefits became evident only over time.
• Charity involves using private resources to address urgent needs. It is about mobilizing here and now to help those in need. This is the most common type of giving in Ukraine today—daily fundraising for drones and other military needs, or mobilization to support Kherson residents after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam.
• Patronage is the use of private resources for cultural, scientific, or educational projects. It also yields long-term results, such as museums, educational institutions, or research centers. However, patronage is sometimes criticized by activists who question its relevance in times of crisis—how can someone fund an art gallery while hunger still exists? But it remains an essential tool for addressing societal issues like education, cultural heritage preservation, and talent development.

Should We Continue Donating and Giving After Victory?

Today, many community needs are covered by international funding and local activist resources—time, project management skills, access to international funds, public trust, community connections, and local resources.

However, 2–3 years after the war ends and we achieve victory, most international organizations and funds will leave Ukraine. Their mission—emergency humanitarian response—will be complete. While some international technical assistance and (hopefully) war reparations for rebuilding will remain, the overall level of support will significantly decrease.

Yet, many challenges will persist—veteran social reintegration, unemployment, human rights protection, environmental concerns, and education. There will still be international grants and government programs, but external aid will shrink dramatically while societal needs will remain high.

That’s why we must cultivate a habit of systematic, long-term giving. We need to develop a culture of giving and the infrastructure to support it—seeking sustainable giving methods such as social enterprises and endowments for communities and local initiatives.

In upcoming articles, we will discuss how activists can build this infrastructure and how donors can engage with it in ways that best align with their values and interests.

Prosperity begins with development. Let’s start investing in ourselves and our communities today. In the next article, I will share insights on how to foster a culture of giving.

Published:https://blog.liga.net/user/drybalchenko/article/51454

Author: Daria Rybalchenko