Understanding the Difference between Social Assistance and Grant

The terms about social assistance and grants that exist in the community are certainly not new to be heard and even every day there are similar programs running from the government itself to improve the welfare of the people. Then, what exactly are the differences between the two of them to be able to know their respective functions and how to convey this to the target community or become a party to the recipients of the existing social assistance and grants? Read on for a more detailed explanation in order to understand it better, as will be given in the article with the following explanation below.

Know What is Social Assistance

Before going further into the discussion of social assistance and grants, it is important to first understand that social assistance is a form of assistance in the form of money, goods, or services to individuals, families, groups or communities that are poor, underprivileged, and/or vulnerable to existing social risks. . The social assistance provider is a work unit in a ministry or agency in the central government and/or a work unit in the regional government whose duties and functions are to carry out poverty reduction programs which include social protection, social security, social empowerment, and also social rehabilitation. The management of social assistance itself is legally available in Permendagri Number 77 of 2020.

Purpose of Giving Social Assistance

In discussing social assistance and grants themselves, it is necessary to understand the purpose of the provision of social assistance itself.

The following are the goals that are owned and want to be achieved from the provision of social assistance including:

Social assistance aims to restore and develop the ability of someone who experiences social dysfunction so that they can carry out their social functions properly.
Bansis exists to prevent and deal with risks from shocks and social vulnerabilities of a person, family, community group so that their survival can be met in accordance with minimal basic needs.
Bansos as social security is an institutionalized scheme to ensure beneficiaries are able to meet their basic needs for a decent life.

Know What is a Grant

Furthermore, from the discussion about social assistance and grants, there is an understanding that grants are (voluntary) giving by transferring rights to something to someone else by giving a grant, there is such a thing as a grant fund which becomes a gift for another person in the form of money, goods, or money. service. Usually, grants can be made without ties of marriage or blood relationship and are also quite often encountered in everyday life, such as in state affairs, education, social affairs, to religion. If viewed briefly, a grant is a gift for someone who is still alive or also as a form of voluntary giving to someone else.

Benefits of Grants

Just like the previous discussion on social assistance and grants, it is necessary to know that there are many benefits of grants that can be felt, especially from the recipient’s side, one of which is that the recipient will feel happy. In addition, it is equally important to understand that giving grants to other people can also strengthen relationships with one another.

Especially if the grantor provides a land grant, which is very useful for the community who will use it later because the provision of the existing form of land grant can be used for social purposes, such as foundations, schools, houses of worship, to public places with many benefits.

Difference between grants and social assistance funds.

Grants are the provision of money or goods and services from the regional government to other regional governments, regional companies, communities and community organizations, whose designations have been specifically determined, are not mandatory and are not binding, not continuously aimed at supporting the implementation of regional government affairs. ” he explained.

Meanwhile, social assistance funds are the provision of assistance in the form of money or goods from local governments to individuals, families, groups, and or communities that are not continuous and selective, which aims to protect against possible social risks.

The management of grants and social assistance funds must pay attention to the principles of benefit, fairness and propriety. Even the allocation of grants and social assistance must be spelled out in the details of the object of expenditure, so that the recipients and goals and objectives are clear

All recipients of grants and social assistance funds should be more careful in the use of funds, as well as be able to provide accountability for the use of their funds properly, correctly and transparently. I hope that all participants as fund managers can take full advantage of this opportunity, so that later they will be able to compile accountability reports that have been received in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

So far, many parties have been trapped in the perception of social assistance as grants, there is a biased dichotomy between social assistance and grants,” Hotman continued. Before discussing the essence of social assistance, all parties must obtain a clear definition of aid, social assistance, grants, subsidies, financial assistance, and social rehabilitation funds Social assistance is a form of transfer (can be in the form of money/goods) intended for groups/community members/political parties to improve their welfare through productive distribution criteria.

In order for social assistance to be carried out in an accountable, transparent, and fair manner, it is necessary to establish an independent verification team that will selectively assess both the criteria for recipients and the social assistance proposal itself. So far, the two-door process in East Kalimantan (submission of proposals to the executive and legislative levels) has also become a problem, so it must be synchronized with the correct bureaucratic flow.

Management and accountability issues should also be addressed as an effort to build a good initial commitment to reducing the level of abuse. Social assistance is part of the APBN/D, so the mentality of managers needs to be improved, and the supervisory mechanism must be strengthened by either the Bawasda or BPKP. In addition, Social Assistance must have educational value to the community.

Publication on Social Assistance must be carried out comprehensively, so that the public can exercise social control and provide feedback. And the last is the optimization of regulations, strict rules/policies are needed, both in the form of Regional Regulations/Pergub which can be a legal umbrella and not just a trial and error step.