The key facts

  • 41% of respondents participate in charity, up from 33.8% a year earlier
  • Average donation amount is 1,156 rubles: 1,782 among men, 741 among women
  • Main method is transfer via a banking app (38%)

Share of Russians participating in charity has grown over the year

In October 2026, the Pamyat Pokoleniy (Generations Memory) Foundation surveyed 2,000 adult residents of Russian cities with populations of 100,000 or more. Gazeta.Ru reviewed the results: the share of those who regularly or occasionally take part in charity campaigns and make donations reached 41%, up from 33.8% a year earlier. Another 41% help on a targeted basis without participating in foundations' activities, while 18% show no interest in charity.

Willingness to donate and amounts

Over the next six months, 10% of survey participants are ready to donate to charity regularly, while another 44% have not yet decided. The average amount of a single donation was 1,156 rubles, with the figure reaching 1,782 rubles among men and 741 rubles among women. The most common transfer method is a banking app (38%), followed by SMS and paid calls (27%), as well as cash and QR codes via collection boxes (24%).

What influences the decision to help

The decision to donate is most strongly influenced by a clear purpose for the money, the story of a specific person, and verified results of the assistance. 'People do not simply want to tick a box; they want to see that their money has truly helped a specific person. For foundations, this means the need to build communication around specific stories, verified results, and open reporting,' said the foundation's executive director Yekaterina Kruglova. Thus, the growth in participation recorded by the survey is accompanied by donors' heightened demands for transparency in foundations' work.