In a recent article published in the journal China Social Organisation, Zhan Chengfu —former Vice Minister of Civil Affairs and current chairman of the China Social Welfare Foundation—offers 22 recommendations to strengthen the people-centred nature of Chinese philanthropy. This approach emphasizes that charitable efforts should rely on the people, serve the people, and be assessed by the people through their extensive participation and oversight in the development process.
Relying on the people:
1. Promote charitable culture and public awareness at the grassroots level to cultivate a sense of “everyone can give, everyone can participate.”
2. Develop innovative forms of charity in compliance with the law.
3. Support the growth of charitable trusts through non-cash contributions to diversity capital sources.
4. Regulate volunteerism and charitable activities at the community level.
5. Create opportunities for ordinary citizens to engage in their communities.
6. Integrate digital tools and platforms for online engagement.
7. Enable non-charitable organisations to participate.
8. Strengthen oversight and regulation of personal fundraising platforms.
9. Implement incentive policies such as tax deductions and supportive regulations outlined in the Charity Law to unlock philanthropic potential.
10. Recognize and scale grassroots successes into policy and legislation.
Serving the people:
11. Contribute to social equity and promote common prosperity.
12. Help redistribute wealth to complement government programs and address market shortcomings in education, healthcare, elderly care, housing, and disability support.
13. Maximize the value of charitable assets and operational efficiency to better serve beneficiaries.
14. Enhance project oversight to prevent fund misappropriation.
15. Encourage broader participation from willing and capable individuals, businesses, and organisations.
Being Accountable to the people:
16. Align projects with public concerns, starting with everyday challenges faced by people.
17. Listen to criticism and improve based on public feedback.
18. Ensure transparency by requiring charities to disclose information in accordance with the law.
19. Accept supervision from relevant authorities.
20. Proactively identify and address risks that could lead to moral or social scandals.
21. Establish channels for the public to report misconduct, allowing investigation by relevant authorities.
22. Crack down on fraud and misuse to prevent actions that undermine public interest, social values, or national security.
Zhan concluded by affirming that regardless of how Chinese society evolves, people should always remain at the centre of the charitable sector. Only through people-centred philanthropy can credibility be gained, supporting China in building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenat
