Penza, 2 November 2012. PenzaNews. Executive Director of Penza community foundation “Civil Union” Oleg Sharipkov was among 24 employees of profit organizations, who won in a special competition of the program “Target capital: Growth Strategy” organized by Charitable Foundation of Vladimir Potanin.

According to the press service of the foundation, the winners will be able to study a specially developed course “Effective Fundraising for the target capital” at the New Russian Economic School.

“It is planned that by the end of the program, Vladimir Potanin will make contributions to the target capitals of the most successful participants of the program. The total amount of contributions will amount to 24 million rubles,” the press service added.

According to Vladimir Potanin, the competition is a way to encourage mass charity.

“Right now charity continues being mostly a deed of rich people who want to do something good for society, or corporations. But experience tells us that only mass involvement can create substantial basis for the development of volunteerism, charity, and other useful undertakings,” he stressed.

Vladimir Potanin Charity Foundation is one of the first private foundations in the history of modern Russia.

It was founded in 1999 to implement large-scale programs in the field of education and culture.

The main objective of the foundation is providing support for gifted, intelligent and active people.