Press release
Târgu Mureș, 03.08.2023
Social Welfare Directorate Targu Mures - funding instruments for NGOs in order to continue the services offered to beneficiaries
Social services are all the services provided by a community, in whole or in part, for all its members or for particular segments that show an increased need for such services, with the aim of improving the quality of life and social well-being.
At the local level, the legislative mechanisms that allow the Municipality of Targu Mures, through the Directorate of Social Assistance, to allocate funds to non-governmental organizations for the social services they provide to the community are: Law no. 350/2005 on the regime of non-reimbursable financing from public funds allocated for non-profit activities of general interest, Law no. 34/1998 on the granting of subsidies to Romanian associations and foundations with legal personality, which establish and manage social assistance units and Law no. 98/2016 on public procurement.
Thus, Târgu Mureș Social Assistance Department grants non-reimbursable funding according to local council decisions, non-governmental organisations implementing non-profit social assistance activities of local interest, under the provisions of Law No 350/2005 on the system of non-reimbursable financing from public funds allocated to non-profit activities of general interest, with subsequent amendments and additions. Non-reimbursable financing is exclusively on the basis of public selection of projects, with a view to partially covering a social assistance project of local interest on the basis of a contract concluded between the parties.
Beneficiaries of non-reimbursable funding may be non-governmental organizations that carry out activities, events, campaigns and/or actions with social impact of local interest, respectively manage social assistance units in the Municipality of Targu Mures, whose services are addressed to beneficiaries in the municipality.
Categories of projects for which grant funding is available:
- Social projects type 1 - establishment by licensing of a new social service according to the law (the organisation applying for this type of social project needs to be accredited under the Law No 197/2012 on quality assurance in social services);
- Type 2 social projects - carrying out activities or campaigns to inform and raise awareness among the general public;
- Social projects type 3 - carrying out social assistance activities, events, campaigns and/or actions with social impact of local interest;
- Social projects type 4 - carrying out studies, research, forecasts, respectively organizing webinars, seminars, conferences, workshops on social issues.
Subsidies is granted by DAS Târgu Mureș to Romanian associations and foundations with legal personality, which set up and manage social assistance units of local interest according to the provisions of Law no. 34/1998 and is characterised by the following essential elements:
- Funding is based on the cost of the social service to a beneficiary. The level of subsidies granted may not exceed the monthly maintenance cost per person assisted in state social welfare units with a similar profile, organised as public institutions;
- Grants are awarded in addition to the financial resources earmarked by the association or foundation to be spent for the provision of social welfare services and will be used exclusively for these services.
The deadline for submission of the subsidy application documentation will be the last working day of September according to the Methodological Rules for the application of Law no. 34/1998.
Associations and foundations that manage social assistance units for beneficiaries in the Municipality of Târgu Mureș, provide social assistance services that fall under the Nomenclature of Social Services and the framework regulations for the organization and operation of social services and hold an operating license for the social services for which they apply for a subsidy may receive subsidies from the local budget.
The implementing rules of Law No 34/1998 provide for a well-established procedure whereby, at the end of each year, grant contracts are concluded for the following year, financed by a monthly transfer to the non-governmental organisation on the basis of a request for payment, starting in January, accompanied by a financial and technical report for the previous month. The monthly level of the grant is determined on the basis of the number of persons assisted, not exceeding the monthly average set by agreement.
DAS Târgu Mureș also uses the instrument of social contracting through Law no. 98/2016 on public procurement, the process of outsourcing social services to private contractors, based on a procedure open to all accredited social service providers and in accordance with the Annual Social Services Contracting Programme approved by the Annual Action Plan on Social Services administered and financed from the budget of the Târgu Mureș Local Council. Thus, at the level of the Directorate, the following were purchased:
- Shelter services for victims of domestic violence, provided in residential centres, licensed under the Law no. 197/2012 on quality assurance in the field of social services, for a number of 6 persons per month, victims of domestic violence - adults and parent-child couple;
- Services for preventing and combating domestic violence, provided in day centres licensed under Law no. 197/2012 on quality assurance in the field of social services, for a number of 10 people per month, victims of domestic violence - adults and parent-child couple;
- Care and rehabilitation - rehabilitation services for children with special needs, provided in day centres licensed under the Law no. 197/2012 on quality assurance in the field of social services, for a number of 18 persons per month, children with disabilities, aged 3-18 years;
- Social canteen services - the number of beneficiaries fluctuates according to legal regulations.
On the social services market in Romania, non-governmental organisations are currently the most important private actors, both in terms of number and diversity of social services offered to those in need.
Târgu Mureș Social Assistance Department
