The emergence of a voluntary sector and philanthropy in Vietnam: Functions, legal regulation and prospects for the future

A significant number and wide range of Vietnamese non-profit and voluntary organisations have developed since Vietnam embarked on a programme of economic reform in late 1986. Philanthropy has begun to grow as well, albeit more slowly. The non-profit and voluntary sector and the state, each face important challenges as development of the sector accelerates. The state has sought both to encourage growth of non-profit, voluntary and philanthropic institutions, but also to control the pace and directions of that growth. Those dual aims are reflected in the state's regulation of the sector since the mid-1980s. This article provides detailed information on the development of the non-profit sector in Vietnam. It examines some common problems many of the new non-profits and voluntary organisations face and discusses the rapidly changing environment for philanthropy in Vietnam. The article also reviews the developing legal environment for non-profits and philanthropy, compares the situation in Vietnam to other countries in transition, and situates the functions of the non-profit sector in Vietnam in the context of the emerging scholarly literature on functions and models of the non-profit sector and government/non-profit relations. formerly Program Officer for Vietnam, The Ford Foundation (1992–1995) The author is grateful to John Ambler, Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Mayusaki Ayuzame, Mary Jane Ballou, Barnett Baron, Christopher Bruton, Emmett Carson, Kathy Charlton, Le Trong Cuc, Ray Eaton, Mary Etherton, Virginia Foote, Peter Geithner, Neil Jamieson, Lisa Jones, Tim Kerr, Minh Kauffman, Viet Huong Kurtz, Borje Ljunggren, Toichi Makita, David Marr, John McAuliff, Noriko Ogawa, James Rockwell, John Rogers, Vo Quy, Tony Salzman, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Nguyen Van Thanh, Ngo Ba Thanh, David Thomas, Phan Toan, Mike Yeldham and Mary Zurbuchen, and representatives of the many Vietnamese groups interviewed for this article. This article represents the author's views and not those of the Ford Foundation nor any other organisation or individual. All translations from the Vietnamese, except as indicated, are by the author.