Many charitable NGOs now trying to complement the efforts of the state in the social sector were first established following the events of November 1989. These organizations have focused on helping to solve emerging or newly recognized social problems. The majority of social welfare institutes and children's homes have remained within state or local administrations, even though many foundations have been created to support them.

Other organizations are groups of volunteers that were active before November 1989 as "social" organizations united within the National Front (mainly the Czechoslovak Red Cross and associations of physically disabled people). These organizations then depended financially and otherwise on the state, which subsidized them according to the number of their members and their ideological stance. The activities of such organizations were controlled by the state. Usually, they were huge organizations covering the whole of Slovakia. They were managed by complex bureaucracies and could thus fulfill their functions; thanks to state support. On one hand, disabled citizens were given financial allowances and other benefits; on the other, the state was not interested in their integration within society. Citizen associations served as intermediaries between the state and interest groups, but not very efficiently. Helping the disabled and the handicapped is the main activity of most local foundations, self-help groups, and other NGOs. Most of these (115) are supported by the Slovak Humanitarian Council. Widespread charitable activities are fostering change in public attitudes. This was not possible before November 1989.

Following the events of late 1989 these large organizations were freed from state control. However, this meant that they had also lost their prime source of income. Not only because of the modification in their legal status (to foundations and associations of citizens), but also to increase efficiency, they gradually broke up into many smaller organizations with more concrete aims. (This is not true of the local Red Cross, which is part of an international organization. After the separation of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, it was divided into the Slovak Red Cross and the Czech Red Cross.) The lack of competence characteristic of their staffs was one of the reasons these organizations, broke up. Often, these people performed their tasks according to ideological motives, rather than professional ones.

Civil society in Slovakia is just now emerging. In a recent nationwide survey, the question "Are you a member of an association or civic movement apart from trade unions or political parties and movements?" was answered in the affirmative by 20 percent of respondents (among whom 16 percent were members of one association, and 3 percent of more than one association), whereas the remaining 80 percent replied in the negative (FOCUS May 1994).

Another survey has found that 4 percent of the population regularly participate in volunteer work in the social welfare sector; 20 percent participate occasionally, and 7 percent have volunteered only once. Sixty-eight percent of the population has never done any volunteer work. Obviously, volunteer work is not particularly popular in Slovakia.

The main findings of a survey of social welfare organizations (Volunteer Center U.K., Center for Research in Social Policy, FOCUS, June 1994) are as follows:

• Volunteering does not represent an independent, institutionalized activity in Slovakia. Hardly a single organization relies as a matter of policy on volunteers.
• Nonetheless, the majority of social welfare organizations are NGOs which are fully dependent on volunteers.
• "Volunteering" does not have an established significance in Slovakia; sometimes it is used to describe what workers do who are connected with nonprofit organizations.
• Volunteer work is usually unpaid.
• Organizations are acquiring volunteers from among their own members, clients, relatives of members, and so on.
• The majority of NGOs have financial problems. The main causes of these problems are lack of management skills in fundraising, inordinate reliance on state grants, and inadequate legislation regarding NGOs and taxes.
• The NGO sector is very new; most organizations have emerged since 1989.
• Volunteers usually participate in various activities in an organization.
• The need for volunteers is far greater than the supply.
• Only the larger organizations offer in-house training for volunteers; the majority train their volunteers through outside facilities.
• For organizations, voluntarism is an advantage because volunteers represent a cheap source of labor and are typically enthusiastic, have good moral standards and possess a variety of skills.
• Voluntarism is a disadvantage because volunteers often lack spare time, represent recruitment difficulties, are insufficiently qualified and difficult to manage, and account for problems in communication.
• Volunteers are predominantly middle-aged, female and employed.
• The prospects for voluntarism are relatively promising; they would be more promising with appropriate legislation and a stable socioeconomic situation.

More than one-half of all nongovernment social welfare organizations in Slovakia did not exist three years ago. Twenty percent have been in existence between four and ten years. The oldest such organizations are the Red Cross, organizations with a religious affiliation and charitable organizations. Under the Communists, many had to interrupt their activities or work illegally. Many of these organizations identify with this tradition and count the start of their activities from the date on which they were first created in Slovakia.

Only two Slovak NGOs&##151;Zivena (the Association of Slovak Women) and the Saint Adalbert Society&##151;were established before 1900. Only 3 percent of all currently existing NGOs were registered between 1900 and 1945; this includes the Catholic Union of Slovakia and the Slovak Red Cross. In the period 1945-89 only 7 percent of existing Slovak organizations were registered; this includes the Slovak Association for Nature and Environmental Protection. The most dramatic growth occurred after November 1989. In 1990 the number of registered NGOs increased several times over. The number of NGOs is still rising.

The most prevalent focal group of the work of social welfare organizations is represented by children and families (50 percent). It accounts for a wide range of activities targeted at the care of orphans and assistance for poor or broken families and families with handicapped children or problem children. It also covers other educational and childraising activities, as well as cultural work aimed at children and families no matter the social level, or the national or ethnic background.

It includes initiatives in support of children's homes, social welfare institutions, child health centers, hospitals, and so forth. The majority of nonprofit organizations have at least one project oriented toward children and youth.

The criteria for helping children and families do not include financial status. Whether a child is physically disabled, mentally handicapped, or has some other problem, Slovak society can offer no alternative for assistance other than the NGO sector; there are not even any private-sector hospitals or sanatoriums. Both rich and poor parents must seek help from NGOs. The situation is similar in the area of informal education and leisure activities for children and young people, where Christian and special-interest groups predominate.

The next most prevalent focal group of the work of social welfare organizations is youth (49 percent). This category covers the majority of educational programs, programs to help children adjust to society, programs to assist young people who have been institutionalized to develop an independent existence, and consultancy and other services for young people in general and young handicapped people in particular. It also covers leisure activities.

Other important focal groups are the elderly and the physically disabled (both 43 percent). These two groups have been seriously affected by the economic transformation of the country. Their real incomes have fallen, and they have lost some of the social benefits granted under the Communists (stricter eligibility for the disability card, more difficulties in obtaining the card and more restricted benefits linked with the card). These two groups have only limited opportunities to earn extra money. (For example, cutbacks in the number of personnel by many employers has predominately affected retirees.) This has resulted in a worsening of their social situation and greater dependence among them on the help and care of volunteers.

The growing interest of NGOs in people with health problems reflects a horrible decline in the health care system. New foundations are appearing to serve institutions and help people with health problems. The aim is to encourage financial and material assistance, influence the public, and defend the interests of target groups. To a great extent, the mentally handicapped are being cared for by church-related organizations and religious orders.

Nearly 40 percent of all NGOs in Slovakia are based in Bratislava. All three regions&##151;Western, Central and Eastern Slovakia&##151;have 20 percent each (The Directory of NGOs, SAIA-Bratislava). These organizations usually have branch offices in district capitals and towns with more than 20,000 inhabitants. Only the largest organizations, such as the Slovak Association for the Deaf, the Slovak Association for the Disabled, and the Slovak Red Cross, also have branch offices in smaller towns. The work of these organizations is coordinated from the center, but the heart of their activities is in the regions.

The main problem experienced by charitable NGOs is the lack of financial resources. This problem penetrates all spheres of their activities. Many of the organizations which have arisen from state-supported institutions continue to seek subsidies from the state. However, such subsidies are decreasing, and the remaining costs must be financed by the organizations themselves. A lack of experience in fundraising and inadequate legislation regulating sponsorship make the situation even worse.

The motivation and skill of the volunteers in these organizations are questioned, as are volunteer-recruitment methods. In any case, NGO representatives are more optimistic than pessimistic (by a ratio of 47 to 34) about the future of this sector.

The Church does not play a very visible role in charitable activities and especially in children and youth issues. Aside from a number of international organizations with a religious affiliation (such as the Young Men's Christian Organization), there is one important indigenous NGO linked to a church, the Slovak Catholic Church. The role of the Church in the state and in local politics is not very important and cannot be compared to the situation in Poland.

1. Domestic grant-giving institutions: State funds: Pro-Slovakia, State Environment Fund, State Fund for Physical Culture, State Fund for Forest Improvement. Grant commissions: Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family, Ministry of Health, Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Education and Science, Slovak Humanitarian Council, Youth Fund (which inherited the property of the Socialist Union of Youth). Grant-giving foundations: Konto nadeje (Account Hope, which assists children's homes, asylums and handicapped young people), Milan Simecka Foundation.

2. Financial institutions: Well thought-out policy toward sponsorship is most characteristic of the Slovak Insurance Company and the Slovak Savings Bank. In 1993, 70 percent of the sponsorship performed by the Slovak Insurance Company was aimed at humanitarian and charitable goals. The company made several million crowns available for this purpose. The Slovak Savings Bank targets children and young people by sponsoring concrete projects such as playgrounds for children and special libraries for blind children. Among the other financial institutions active in sponsorship are V&##154;eobecná úverová banka (General Credit Bank, one of the largest banks in Slovakia) and Slovenská polnohospodárska banka (Slovak Agricultural Bank).

3. Large businesses: Figaro-Jacobs Suchard (Bratislava), Cukrovary a konzervarne (Sladkovicovo), AB Kozmetika (Bratislava), Sportvyroba (Bardejov), Pristav (Bratislava), Priemstav (Bratislava), Palma-Tumys (Bratislava), Samsung-Calex (Zlate Moravce), Slovnaft (Bratislava), Naftovy a plynarensky priemysel (Gbely), Slopak a.s. (Malacky), IBM (Bratislava), Slovenske lodenice (Komarno), ZV Pleta (Banská Stiavnica), Helvetia (Bratislava), Probugas, Agrozet SP (Zvolen).

The experience of a number of NGOs suggests that some donors from the enterprise sector, with the obvious exception of the largest and most prosperous businesses, prefer not to be publicly listed as sponsors. Such enterprises are frequently in poor financial condition and have been forced to shed personnel. Thus, they perceive sponsorship as inappropriate.

It is often easier to ensure sponsorship in Slovakia from the world headquarters of a large foreign multinational corporation than from a local branch office.

4. Investment companies: Prva slovenska investicna skupina and its Humanita Investment Fund.

5. Lotteries: Nike (the largest and most visible donor to orphanages), Slovak Insurance Company Lottery "Help Children with Cancer."

6. Small- and medium-size businesses: These businesses account for a large number of small contributions. Given their growing significance in society, they would represent a promising category if it were not for current tax laws.

Unlike large enterprises, small- and medium-size businesses do not have the added incentive of being able to advertise their contributions, since the sums involved are too modest. Thus, the contributions flowing to charities from this group of contributors are strictly an expression of good will.

7. Private donors: Politicians, private individuals, especially contributors to Account Hope, which was established by Slovak Television, and anonymous donors.

Regarding contributions from politicians, moderately skeptical opinions have been expressed about Nadacia Emilie Kovacovej (the Emilia Kova ova Foundation), which is run by the wife of President Ková .

People appear to object to charities being used for political purposes, as well as to the somewhat fervent attempt to imitate the Good Will Council of Olga Havlova. This is all the more obvious against the backdrop of the considerable difference in the ability to attract significant foreign aid. It would seem that the Emilia Kova ova Foundation could demonstrate more generosity by projecting an image of efficient fundraising rather than by making a show before spotlights and cameras of its ability to organize public collections and redistribute funds.