How many NGOs and nonprofits are there in Russia, and who registers them?
GiveRadar tracks 43,789 nonprofit organizations in Russia. They come from the state register of socially oriented nonprofit organizations (SONKO), published as open data by the Ministry of Economic Development under Government Resolution No. 1290. This is a register of organizations reported eligible for support or status, not a list vetted for charitable quality.
Russian nonprofits are nekommercheskiye organizatsii (NCOs), governed by Federal Law No. 7-FZ on Non-Commercial Organizations. Socially oriented NCOs are a defined subset of that much larger sector, which the Ministry of Justice supervises and registers separately.
What is a socially oriented nonprofit (SONKO)?
A socially oriented nonprofit is an NCO whose activities fall within categories the law recognises as socially useful, such as social support, education, culture or the environment. Meeting that definition can make an organization eligible for state support and for entry in the SONKO register.
The classification describes an organization's declared field of activity under Federal Law No. 7-FZ. It is an eligibility category set by the register, not an assessment of how effectively any one organization pursues its stated aims.
What does listing in Russia's nonprofit register prove, and what does it not?
Listing proves that an authority reported the organization met a support or status criterion, not that a ministry vetted its cause, governance or finances. The register carries a name, registration number, legal form, region and activity category.
It does not carry financial accounts or governance detail, and it is not an evaluation of effectiveness or trustworthiness. A narrower status, Provider of Socially Useful Services, does involve an assessment of a named service, but it is held by only a small share of the organizations here.
Are donations to Russian nonprofits tax-deductible?
Only in limited cases, and not for most donors. An individual can claim a social tax deduction for donations to qualifying nonprofits, capped at 25% of taxable income, under Article 219 of the Tax Code, administered by the Federal Tax Service.
Companies generally fund charitable giving from after-tax profit rather than deducting it. Listing in the SONKO register does not by itself make a gift deductible; the recipient and the type of donation both have to qualify under the tax rules.
How do you check a Russian nonprofit before you donate?
Look the organization up in the Ministry of Justice nonprofit portal by name or registration number before giving. A recognisable name or a website is not a substitute for confirming its registration and status.
- Search the organization in the Ministry of Justice nonprofit portal to confirm it exists and see its legal form and region.
- Check whether it holds Provider of Socially Useful Services status, the one assessed recognition here.
- Confirm the recipient qualifies before assuming a donation is tax-deductible.
- See GiveRadar's integrity score methodology for what each data point proves.
How can you donate to nonprofits in Russia?
Russia's socially oriented nonprofits work across community development, education, social services and culture, most of them based in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Choose a cause deliberately, verify the recipient and use only payment details the organization itself publishes.
- Explore Russian organizations by federal subject, from Moscow to Saint Petersburg, and compare those serving the outcome you value.
- Confirm the recipient's registration and, where it matters, its socially-useful-services status.
- Give through the organization's own confirmed bank details or a secure, published payment channel.
- Keep the receipt. See GiveRadar's guidance for donors for more checks.