Almost 9 in 10 Romanians in urban areas have heard of redirecting 3.5% of their income tax (Form No. 230), but less than half of them report using the facility recurrently (47%) – shows a study done pro bono by Daedalus Online for Dăruiește Viață. May 25 is the last day Romanians can choose to redirect those 3.5% of their income tax towards an NGO.

The main reasons mentioned for not filling out Form 230 include: not knowing what NGO to choose – 23%, not knowing how this is done – 15% and not having time / not catching it in due time – 15%. The data is part of a study made in order to understand the behavior of Romanians regarding donations and is relevant for the urban environment, 18-65 years.

The same study showed that the main areas people choose for donations are: healthcare (32%), helping orphans and/or elderly people (27%), improving children’s education (14%) and animal protection (12%). Dăruiește Viață is one of the main NGOs working in healthcare and the association behind the #NoiFacemUnSpital initiative (#WeBuildAHospital) – building the Children’s Hospital at Marie Curie. 

“People are starting to understand that redirecting 3.5% of their income tax is an elegant and, why not, convenient way of donating towards NGOs. Towards the people making things happen in Romania, whether it’s Dăruiește Viață or other NGOs working for civil protection, education, etc. We can also see there is a very small percentage, 3%, of people who don’t fill out Form 230 because they believe the state is better off using this money.” – Oana Gheorghiu, Dăruiește Viață founder.

The first three ways in which Romanians are likely to donate towards NGOs are by redirecting 3.5% of their income tax (58%), wire transfers (34%) and text messages (31%).

“A lot of times people tell us – If only it were as easy to deal with the State as it is with you. By going to www.daruiesteviata.ro, in just 3 minutes, people can fill out Form 230 and redirect 3.5% of their income tax. They only need their ID, and we’ll do the rest. With these funds, Dăruiește Viață builds and rebuilds departments, hospitals and hopes. The 3,5% of your tax represent an extra chance for children with severe diseases that will be treated in the Hospital we’ve built together, training for the medical staff and decent treatment conditions.” – Carmen Uscatu, Dăruiește Viață founder.

The study also shows that the most persuasive reasons for people to donate to a non-governmental organization are the actual results of its projects (60%), the destination of the funds, children being the favorite (41%) and transparency in using the funds (36%).

This study was performed in April 2022 by Daedalus Online, through a portal called Frappe Digital, using a sample of 1100 individuals representative for the urban environment, 18-65 years old. The sampling error is +/- 3%.

On Dăruiește Viață

For more than 10 years, Dăruiește Viață has been building and rebuilding departments, hospitals and hopes, investing more than EUR 60 mil. in the Romanian healthcare system, exclusively out of donations and sponsorships. The association’s most ambitious project is the #NoiFacemUnSpital initiative – building the Children’s Hospital at Marie Curie. So far, the Association has offered support to cancer patients in their relationship with the Authorities, modernized several oncology departments in the country (Brașov, Timișoara, Cluj, Bucharest) and changed a Minister’s Order (through its founders). It has also been actively involved in the coronavirus pandemic, building two triage modular units in Sibiu and Bucharest, Elias Modular Hospital No. 1 for COVID-19 patients (an investment worth approx. EUR 2.6 mil.), Piatra Neamt Modular Hospital No. 2 (an investment worth approx. EUR 2.7 mil.) and donating protective equipment to more than 140 care units in 102 towns. In total, with the support of its donors and sponsors, Dăruiește Viață has distributed 17 tons of PPE throughout the country.