November
RECONSTRUCTION WOMEN'S FUND/ URGENT ACTION FUND
Program area: Rapid Response grants
Approved: November, 2006
Number of grants: 1
1. “AWIN”- Association for Woman's Initiative, Belgrade
CSD: 120.000,00
Name of the project: Urgent tax payment
Project goal: Help AWIN to urgently pay a part of tax on donation imposed to NGOs as a tax on inheritance and gift. After unexpected visit of financial inspection, AWIN got the decision about retroactive tax payment of 5% on all donations in 2005 and 2006. It was quite a big amount and AWIN was the first NGO ever that got this kind of decision. It was necessary to react promptly and to prevent the blockade of AWIN's account and bankrupt of the organization that for last 10 years work on the project “Women's Movement, Women's Network” which gathered over 80 women's groups all around Serbia.
This case would initiate solidarity campaign of women's groups addressing Ministry of Finance to bring as soon as possible the law about NGOs, which will clearly define their statutes (NGOs can't be treated as business) and prevent this kind of pressure on them.
