We asked the most outstanding personalities from business, sports, culture, politics, academics and the media how they perceive philanthropy in Slovakia.

Prominent people help by donating their time and money

A survey was carried out anonymously, together with the FOCUS Agency. The results showed that almost 95% of respondents consider themselves philanthropists. Their most common ways of helping is by donating money (81,5 %),donating their time and work (72,7 %) or by providing know-how (67,8 %).

“There are two main reasons for donating and helping. Respondents help to make the world around them better and happier (57,6 %) and they see helping others as their moral obligation (56,6 %),” said Martin Slosiarik from the FOCUS Agency.

The most popular type of support is help for the weak and for people in need

Concerning help provided by prominent people, they most often tend to support prevention and strategic solutions of societal issues that are problematic in Slovakia (in total 38,1 %).  “The need to be equally engaged in charity work and to support prevention and strategic solutions at the same time is viewed as important by 31,2 % respondents. The areas which they support the most are at present social services (63,9%), education and research (61 %) and fighting poverty (51,2 %). Our respondents understand philanthropy primarily as charity work and help for the weak or for people in need, followed by focusing on community and society development in the areas in which they work,” M. Slosiarik added. Some prominent people even have their own philanthropic personal ideology. The most famous one in Slovakia is the current President Andrej Kiska, followed by Bill Gates, George Soros and a priest Anton Srholec.

The need for education support and fighting corruption

The survey showed, surprisingly, that personalities prefer helping in Slovakia to helping abroad (in total 77,1 %). “Many have had positive experience with non-profit organizations with which they cooperate. According to the results, it is obvious that their cooperation is noticeable and satisfactory,” said M. Slosiarik. They also support non-profit organizations through using the 2% income tax allocation (87,3 %), which is considerable considering the purpose of the use of their donations (78,5 %).

Despite many problems in Slovakia needing to be solved, many personalities (50,2 %) agreed that the situation in Slovakia is evolving in the right direction. “This was different however, when the question was formulated more concretely. Up to 80,5% of respondents admitted that justice falls short in various areas of life in Slovakia,” stated M. Slosiarik. That’s one of the reasons why respondents in the area of fundamental change chose education (59 %) and solving problems of corruption and transparency (51,2 %) in Slovakia.

In Slovakia we need education in altruism

The positive news is that more than half of the respondents perceive interest for others in our country to be on the rise (57,6%). They regard education in individual altruism as the most important means of strengthening philanthropy in our society (71,2 %). They believe this goal can be achieved through education in the home and at school (64,9 %), by giving qualitative and strong role models and examples (61,5 %) and by changing social values and morals (60 %).

When asked about supporting fundamental change in Slovakia, respondents chose the areas of education (59 %) and fighting corruption and boosting transparency (51,2 %).

Survey – results in Slovak in the form of a presentation (saved on drive.google.com)

Photo: Vladislav Mikloš 

The first survey on philanthropy of the Slovak elite was presented at a non-formal event  by Slovakia’s President Andrej Kiska. The overall results were published in the December issue of Forbes Magazine, which was the media partner of the survey.