Polish taxpayers support civic watchdog and local organizations via 1.5% tax mechanism

In Poland, taxpayers are utilizing the 1.5% tax allocation mechanism to support both national transparency initiatives and local community organizations.

The Sieć Obywatelska Watchdog Polska reported receiving 1,367,180.80 PLN from 5,000 taxpayers across 334 tax offices. These funds are designated to support public transparency, including providing free legal counseling for information rights, monitoring public institutions, and conducting legal proceedings when authorities refuse to disclose public information.

On a local level, residents in cities such as Radom are encouraged to direct their 1.5% tax portion to local public benefit organizations (OPP). This mechanism allows citizens to support community-specific projects—such as youth programs, elderly care, and disability rehabilitation—without increasing their overall tax burden. Directing funds to local associations helps ensure resources remain within the community to support immediate local needs.