Vladimir Potanin, The Foundation creator: "Throughout my years as an entrepreneur, I have always been an avid philanthropist. It's a conscious decision. I have long since decided that my fortune must be used for the benefit of society. So, my Foundation has been implementing systemic projects since 1999. The 2020 pandemic demonstrated the importance of organizational stability. And recent changes in Russian law have explicitly and unambiguously linked philanthropic work with endowments. I consider endowments to be a strategically important tool for achieving long-term goals and implementing large-scale projects not only in education and culture, but also in other socially meaningful initiatives."
Vladimir Potanin was directly involved in Russian lawmaking on endowments, acting as the Chairman of the Commission on Charity and NGO Legislation of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. Mr. Potanin, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Development and non-profit organizations, took part in the development of the federal law On the Procedure of Formation and Use of Endowment Capital (Endowment) of NPOs, in force since 2007. Furthermore, Vladimir Potanin has personally co-founded the MGIMO Endowment and the State Hermitage Museum Endowment Fund, with a total donation of more than 500 million rubles. The endowment fund of the State Tretyakov Gallery was created with the support of Vladimir Potanin.
For the past fifteen years, the Vladimir Potanin Foundation has been systemically researching and supporting the institution of endowments in Russia. Its efforts have included an educational program at the New Economic School and the SKOLKOVO Moscow School of Management and an annual endowment-themed forum, co-organized by the Foundation and the Moscow School of Management and supported by the Ministry of Economic Development. In five regions of Russia, Endowment Knowledge Hubs
have been set up with the support of the Foundation to advise anyone interested in creating and developing endowments.
Larisa Zelkova, Chairwoman of the Foundation Board: "The Foundation has come a long way since its inception. It has accumulated substantial experience, and the time has come to move on. Ten years ago, Vladimir Potanin announced that most of his fortune would be used for philanthropic work — an endowment is yet another mechanism for bringing this decision forth and guaranteeing that the charity programs will continue to operate in the future."
Oksana Oracheva, General Director of the Foundation: "Our founder's decision recognizes the contribution of our grantees, experts, partners and the Foundation team to social transformation. Proceeds from the endowment are to be used for charity programs. The endowment opens a new chapter in the life of the Potanin Foundation, ensuring our ability to fulfill its mission in the long term."
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