Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC): New law on public benefit donations
“The scope of the new ‘Public Benefit Donations Law’ deserves to be highlighted as it means real progress for the country. There has been an unusual consensus in parliament to shape this law. For this reason, we have celebrated it with an academic seminar at UC , which has been organized by the UC Public Policy Center with the collaboration of Así Conserva Chile , the Community of Solidarity Organizations, the Circular Table and The Pew Trust .. In the event, we have the participation of the Ministers of Finance and Social Development and Family, along with the President of the Senate, members of parliament and representatives of a large number of civil society organizations.
The public good work carried out by civil organizations in our country and their importance in this area is very relevant. There are more than 25,000 foundations that carry out their work every day carrying out promotion and development activities in the fields of education, culture, sports, sustainability, employment, housing and a variety of other areas . Their activity is carried out throughout the country and unlike other realities, these are not concentrated or overrepresented in the Metropolitan Region.
According to one of the studies of the “Society in Action” project of the UC Center for Public Policies, foundations, corporations or associations are characterized by at least four aspects: first, they advance in the identification of problems that are not being addressed by public policies; second, they preferentially focus on people and groups in situations of vulnerability; In addition, they complement the coverage of social services throughout the country; and finally, they channel material and public resources that are aimed at satisfying the broad needs of the population in an integral way. In short, foundations promote actions that transcend their target population and promote cultural, social and public policy changes.
“There is a virtuous relationship between the State, the private sector, academia and civil society in solving public problems. This four-leaf clover is what we require for joint work. And it is in this context, in which Civil society organizations are important collaborators and have an intermediary role in promoting the public good. – Rector Ignacio Sanchez.
There is a virtuous relationship between the State, the private sector, academia and civil society in solving public problems. This four leaf clover is the one we require for a joint work. And it is in this context, in which civil society organizations are important collaborators and have an intermediary role in promoting the public good.
The important thing is that, thanks to the collective effort, a new system of donations to civil society organizations in general has been developed. It should be emphasized that to date the laws in some way discriminated against the purposes that could be considered for donation. However, based on the new law on donations for public benefit, all general interest purposes are comprehensively incorporated, adding the themes of the environment, community development, worship, health, gender equity, human rights, strengthening of democracy, humanitarian aid to foreign countries, among others, all areas that were previously not eligible for donations.
It is necessary to reflect that along with allowing the financing and generation of goods at the level of the beneficiaries, the donation is an action that in practice develops and promotes central human values, such as altruism, the sense of contributing to the common good and the solidarity. Through a donation, people’s sociability and creative capacity are manifested, that is, their legitimate capacity to make a contribution to society that is unique and original. Beyond the good or service provided, the very act of giving encloses unparalleled wealth and growth for those who donate, and in it the person becomes part of development and the common good.
People’s sociability and creative capacity are manifested, that is, their legitimate ability to make a contribution to society that is unique and original. Beyond the good or service provided, the very act of Giving encloses unparalleled wealth and growth for those who donate, and in it the person becomes part of the development and the common good”.- Rector Sánchez.
The good generated by a donation is not simply what an amount of money or something material represents, it is much greater. The act of giving generates society, establishes links, transmits culture, and finally builds a country and a community. The donation exalts and dignifies the one who gives, and, in what the individual gives, his imprint remains, which links him permanently with the one who receives. In a heavily segregated country like ours, the multiple social, cultural, environmental and other projects have allowed diverse realities to integrate and get to know each other, encouraging many to go out to meet each other. In summary, donating is a way of transcending what we contribute in the passage through the world that we have had to live.