First Successful Grant Program for Civil Society Organizations (Ukraine)

The ISAR Unity First Successful Grant Program (Second Wave) supports newly established civil society organizations (CSOs) in Ukraine through organizational development training, mentoring, and grant funding. Organizations that successfully complete the program can apply for grants of up to UAH 400,000 to implement socially important community projects that contribute to Ukraine’s resilience, recovery, and democratic development.

ISAR Unity First Successful Grant Program 2026 (Second Wave): Up to UAH 400,000 for New Civil Society Organizations in Ukraine

The ISAR Unity First Successful Grant Program (Second Wave) is designed to help newly established Ukrainian civil society organizations strengthen their institutional capacity, improve project management skills, and successfully implement impactful community initiatives.

The program combines professional training, mentoring, organizational development, and financial support, enabling emerging organizations to build sustainable operations while contributing to Ukraine’s recovery and democratic transformation.

Program Overview

The First Successful Grant Program supports newly registered public and charitable organizations that want to improve their organizational capacity and gain practical experience in grant management.

Participants complete a structured organizational development program before becoming eligible to apply for grant funding for their own community projects.

The initiative combines:

• Organizational development training.
• Professional mentoring.
• Practical project development.
• Community networking.
• Grant application support.
• Financial assistance for selected projects.

Funding Amount

Organizations that successfully complete the training programme may apply for:

• Up to UAH 400,000 per project.

Supported projects may be implemented over a period of:

• 3 to 6 months

Funding is awarded only after organizations complete all required training and successfully pass the grant selection process.

Program Objectives

The program aims to:

• Strengthen newly established civil society organizations.
• Improve organizational sustainability.
• Build project management skills.
• Develop grant writing capacity.
• Strengthen legal and managerial competencies.
• Improve financial resource management.
• Support democratic transformation.
• Encourage collaboration among CSOs.
• Strengthen community resilience.
• Support Ukraine’s recovery from the impacts of war.

Priority Focus Areas

Projects may address one or more of the following areas:

• Organizational development.
• Grant management.
• Mentoring.
• Community building.
• Democratic transformation.
• Project development.
• Legal capacity.
• Organizational management.
• Financial management.
• Community resilience.
• Recovery of war-affected communities.
• Support for frontline regions.
• Assistance to veterans.
• Support for veterans’ families.
• Initiatives supporting the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

School of Organizational Development

A core component of the programme is the School of Organizational Development, where participants receive intensive practical training.

The programme includes:

• Two offline training modules.
• Each module lasts three days.
• Practical assignments between training sessions.
• Organizational improvement exercises.
• Grant preparation activities.

Participation in both training modules and completion of all intermodule assignments is mandatory.

Mentoring Support

Each participating organization receives personalized mentoring throughout the programme.

Mentors provide support with:

• Organizational development.
• Project design.
• Grant proposal preparation.
• Strategic planning.
• Professional feedback.
• Problem-solving.
• Project implementation.

The mentoring process encourages organizations to independently develop strong grant applications while receiving expert guidance.

Networking and Community Building

The programme also creates opportunities for organizations to:

• Connect with other newly established CSOs.
• Exchange experiences.
• Share best practices.
• Develop partnerships.
• Build long-term professional networks.
• Join Ukraine’s broader civil society ecosystem.

Who Can Apply?

The programme is open to:

• Public organizations.
• Charitable organizations.
• Non-profit civil society organizations officially registered in Ukraine.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be officially registered in Ukraine.
• Be established after 24 February 2022.
• Have up to four years of organizational experience.
• Be a public or charitable non-profit organization.
• Demonstrate previous experience managing financial resources.
• Have experience implementing community initiatives.
• Have a team of at least two members.
• Commit to participating in all training activities.
• Have an idea for a socially important project.
• Be willing to complete every stage of the programme.

Priority Applicants

Additional priority will be given to organizations that:

• Operate in frontline regions.
• Work in war-affected communities.
• Support the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
• Assist veterans.
• Support veterans’ family members.
• Strengthen community recovery.
• Build local resilience.

Selection Process

Applications are assessed through several stages.

Stage 1: Application Submission

Eligible organizations submit their programme application.

Stage 2: Online Interview

Shortlisted applicants participate in an online interview.

Stage 3: Organizational Development School

Selected organizations attend both offline training modules and complete all practical assignments.

Stage 4: Grant Proposal Development

Participants prepare their own grant applications using the knowledge gained during training.

Stage 5: Grant Selection

Organizations with successful project proposals may receive funding.

Stage 6: Project Implementation

Successful grantees implement their community projects with ongoing mentoring and technical support.

Eligible Activities

Grant-supported projects may include initiatives that:

• Strengthen local communities.
• Support democratic participation.
• Improve community resilience.
• Assist war-affected populations.
• Support veterans.
• Assist veterans’ families.
• Strengthen local civil society.
• Promote organizational sustainability.
• Deliver socially important community services.

Why This Program Matters

Many newly established organizations have strong community ideas but limited experience in:

• Organizational management.
• Grant writing.
• Financial management.
• Project implementation.
• Strategic planning.

This programme addresses those gaps by combining practical learning with real funding opportunities, enabling organizations to grow into sustainable community leaders.

It also contributes to Ukraine’s long-term recovery by strengthening local organizations that directly support vulnerable communities.

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants can improve their chances by:

• Clearly explaining their community impact.
• Demonstrating commitment to organizational development.
• Presenting a realistic project idea.
• Showing previous experience managing initiatives.
• Explaining how the project addresses community needs.
• Demonstrating active participation from at least two team members.
• Showing long-term sustainability beyond the grant.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common application errors:

• Applying without meeting eligibility requirements.
• Submitting an unclear project concept.
• Underestimating the required training commitment.
• Providing incomplete organizational information.
• Failing to demonstrate previous initiative experience.
• Not committing to both training modules.
• Ignoring programme timelines and assignments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the ISAR Unity First Successful Grant Program?

It is a capacity-building programme for newly established civil society organizations in Ukraine that combines organizational development training, mentoring, and grant funding for socially important community projects.

How much funding is available?

Organizations that successfully complete the programme may apply for grants of up to UAH 400,000.

Who can apply?

Officially registered Ukrainian public and charitable non-profit organizations established after 24 February 2022 with up to four years of experience and a minimum two-member team are eligible to apply.

Is participation in the training mandatory?

Yes. Participants must attend both three-day offline training modules and complete all practical assignments between sessions to remain eligible for grant funding.

What types of projects are supported?

Projects that strengthen communities, support democratic transformation, improve resilience, assist veterans and their families, support frontline communities, and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery are encouraged.

Will participants receive mentoring?

Yes. Every participating organization receives individual mentoring from ISAR Unity experts and programme partners throughout training, proposal development, and project implementation.

Why is this programme important?

The programme helps newly established civil society organizations develop the skills, knowledge, and institutional capacity needed to secure grants, implement successful projects, and make lasting contributions to Ukraine’s recovery and democratic development.

Conclusion

The ISAR Unity First Successful Grant Program (Second Wave) offers an outstanding opportunity for newly established civil society organizations in Ukraine to strengthen their institutional capacity while gaining practical experience in project management and grant implementation. Through intensive training, personalized mentoring, networking opportunities, and grants of up to UAH 400,000, the programme equips organizations with the skills and resources needed to deliver meaningful community projects and support Ukraine’s resilience, recovery, and democratic future.