Deadline: 23-Jun-2026
ACTED and UKaid are offering two grants of up to £20,000 each to support civil society organizations in the Sumy region of Ukraine. The initiative aims to strengthen local coordination mechanisms, enhance organizational capacity, improve stakeholder engagement, and support community-based needs assessments and humanitarian response coordination over an eight-month implementation period.
Overview
ACTED and UKaid have launched a grant program to strengthen the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Sumy region of Ukraine.
The initiative is designed to improve local coordination, strengthen organizational capacities, enhance community engagement, and support more effective humanitarian and development responses. Through targeted funding, selected organizations will help identify community needs, facilitate referrals to appropriate services, and strengthen cooperation among local stakeholders.
The program contributes to building resilient communities and stronger civil society networks capable of responding to local challenges and humanitarian needs.
Funding Information
- Number of grants available: 2
- Maximum grant amount: £20,000 per grant
- Project duration: 8 months
- Geographic focus: Sumy region, Ukraine
- Funding type: Civil society capacity strengthening and coordination support
The grants are intended to support activities that improve local coordination, community engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
Geographic Areas Covered
The grants are divided between specific districts within the Sumy region.
Grant 1:
- Shostka District
- Konotop District
Grant 2:
- Sumy District
- Okhtyrsky District
- Romensky District
Applicants should ensure that their proposed activities align with the geographic area covered by the grant for which they are applying.
Program Objectives
The initiative seeks to:
- Strengthen local civil society organizations
- Improve coordination among community actors
- Enhance organizational capacity and effectiveness
- Foster stakeholder and partner engagement
- Improve humanitarian response coordination
- Strengthen referral and redirection systems
- Support evidence-based community interventions
- Increase community resilience
- Promote sustainable local development
- Improve collaboration between organizations and authorities
The program emphasizes local leadership and community-driven approaches to problem-solving and service delivery.
Priority Areas
Funding supports projects focused on:
- Local coordination mechanisms
- Civil society development
- Organizational capacity strengthening
- Community needs assessments
- Humanitarian coordination
- Stakeholder engagement
- Partnership development
- Referral systems
- Service redirection mechanisms
- Community resilience building
- Local governance collaboration
Projects should demonstrate clear benefits for communities and contribute to stronger local coordination structures.
Key Activities Supported
Successful organizations may undertake activities such as:
- Mapping local stakeholders and services
- Coordinating community-based organizations
- Conducting community needs assessments
- Facilitating communication among local actors
- Strengthening referral pathways
- Improving service coordination
- Organizing stakeholder consultations
- Supporting local coordination platforms
- Building organizational management systems
- Enhancing collaboration with local authorities
Activities should directly contribute to improved coordination and organizational effectiveness.
Community Needs Assessment and Referral Mechanisms
A core component of the program is understanding and responding to community needs.
Funded organizations will be expected to:
- Assess community priorities and challenges
- Identify service gaps
- Gather information from local stakeholders
- Facilitate referrals to appropriate support services
- Redirect individuals and communities to relevant assistance mechanisms
- Improve access to available resources and services
These activities help ensure that interventions are responsive to actual community needs.
Organizational Capacity Strengthening
The program aims to improve the long-term effectiveness of civil society organizations.
Capacity-strengthening activities may include:
- Governance improvement
- Strategic planning
- Partnership development
- Stakeholder engagement strategies
- Coordination skills development
- Project management enhancement
- Humanitarian response capacity building
- Community engagement practices
Strengthened organizations are better equipped to support communities during both humanitarian and development situations.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be legally registered in Ukraine
- Hold non-profit organization status
- Have previous project implementation experience
- Demonstrate organizational capacity to manage grant-funded activities
- Adhere to humanitarian principles in all operations and activities
Applicants should provide evidence of relevant experience and capacity to deliver the proposed project.
Why This Grant Matters
Civil society organizations play a critical role in supporting communities, especially in regions affected by humanitarian challenges and social disruptions.
This grant program is important because it:
- Strengthens local leadership
- Improves community-level coordination
- Supports more effective humanitarian responses
- Enhances cooperation among stakeholders
- Builds stronger civil society networks
- Improves identification of community needs
- Increases organizational sustainability
- Promotes locally led development solutions
By investing in local organizations, the program helps create more resilient and responsive communities across the Sumy region.
How to Apply
Organizations interested in applying should:
- Confirm eligibility requirements.
- Identify the geographic area relevant to their proposal.
- Assess organizational capacity and experience.
- Develop a project focused on coordination and capacity strengthening.
- Define clear objectives and expected outcomes.
- Prepare a realistic implementation plan for the eight-month period.
- Develop a budget within the £20,000 funding limit.
- Submit all required application materials according to program guidelines.
Applicants should clearly demonstrate how their project will strengthen coordination mechanisms and improve community outcomes.
Tips for a Competitive Application
Strong applications typically:
- Demonstrate proven project implementation experience
- Show strong understanding of local community needs
- Include realistic and measurable outcomes
- Present clear stakeholder engagement strategies
- Demonstrate collaboration with local actors
- Show sustainability beyond the grant period
- Include practical referral and coordination mechanisms
- Align closely with program objectives
Projects that show strong local partnerships and community engagement are likely to be more competitive.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Unclear project objectives
- Weak coordination strategies
- Limited stakeholder involvement
- Insufficient evidence of organizational capacity
- Unrealistic budgets or timelines
- Poorly defined outcomes
- Lack of community needs assessment plans
- Weak sustainability measures
Strong proposals clearly explain how activities will improve coordination and benefit local communities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many grants are available?
Two grants will be awarded under this funding opportunity.
What is the maximum funding amount?
Each grant provides funding of up to £20,000.
How long can projects run?
Funded projects will be implemented over a period of eight months.
Who can apply?
Legally registered Ukrainian non-profit organizations with relevant project implementation experience are eligible to apply.
What types of activities are supported?
The program supports local coordination mechanisms, organizational capacity strengthening, stakeholder engagement, community needs assessments, referral systems, and humanitarian coordination activities.
Which geographic areas are covered?
The program covers the Shostka, Konotop, Sumy, Okhtyrsky, and Romensky districts within the Sumy region of Ukraine.
Is previous project experience required?
Yes. Applicants must demonstrate prior experience in implementing projects and managing relevant activities.
Conclusion
The ACTED and UKaid Civil Society Organization Grant Program offers an important opportunity for Ukrainian non-profit organizations to strengthen local coordination systems, build organizational capacity, and improve community-level responses across the Sumy region. With grants of up to £20,000 and an eight-month implementation period, the initiative supports stronger stakeholder collaboration, effective community needs assessments, and more resilient local civil society networks capable of addressing humanitarian and development challenges.
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