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Capacity-Building Competition for Young Civil Society Organizations in Ukraine

Deadline: 19-Feb-2026

The International Renaissance Foundation, together with the Eastern Europe Foundation and supported by Norway (Norad) and Sweden (Sida), has launched a capacity-building competition for young civil society organizations (CSOs) in Ukraine. The program strengthens institutional development, management, advocacy, and transparency of newly registered CSOs working on early recovery and democratic governance in war-affected communities.

Program Overview

The International Renaissance Foundation (IRF), in cooperation with the Eastern Europe Foundation and with support from Norad and Sida, is launching a national competition to strengthen the institutional capacity of young civil society organizations in Ukraine. The initiative targets motivated CSOs that are actively contributing to early recovery, community resilience, and democratic governance reforms.

Core Objective of the Competition

The primary goal is to support the institutional development of newly established CSOs by improving their internal systems, leadership capacity, and long-term sustainability. The competition combines structured training, mentoring, networking, and small institutional grants to help organizations mature and scale their impact.

Key Focus Areas

The competition supports institutional strengthening across the following areas:

  • Strategic planning and organizational development

  • Financial management and internal controls

  • Communication and public outreach

  • Advocacy and analytical capacity building

  • Development of internal policies and procedures

  • Gender equality and inclusive approaches

  • Sustainable development and transparency

  • Networking, partnerships, and peer learning

  • Small institutional grants for capacity enhancement

  • Support for early recovery and democratic governance initiatives

What Is Institutional Development?

Institutional development refers to strengthening an organization’s internal systems so it can operate effectively, transparently, and sustainably. This includes governance structures, financial procedures, communication strategies, advocacy tools, and long-term planning frameworks.

Who Is Eligible to Apply?

Eligible applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be a local or regional public organization, public union, charitable foundation, or self-organization body of the population

  • Be registered between January 2024 and June 2025

  • Operate in government-controlled territories of one of the following regions:

    • Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Cherkasy, or Chernihiv

  • Have a team physically located in Ukraine to participate in in-person activities

  • Implement activities that support early recovery, community reconstruction, integrity, and sustainable development

  • Demonstrate inclusion of women, youth, veterans, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, or other marginalized groups (strongly encouraged)

Why This Competition Matters

Young CSOs play a critical role in Ukraine’s recovery but often lack strong institutional systems. This program addresses that gap by equipping organizations with tools, knowledge, and resources needed to operate effectively, influence policy, and deliver sustainable community impact.

Mandatory Capacity-Building Program

Selected organizations must participate in a compulsory organizational development program that includes:

  • In-person and online workshops

  • Expert consultations and mentoring

  • Seminars on strategic planning and governance

  • Training on financial management and internal policies

  • Communication, advocacy, and analytical skill development

  • Gender equality and sustainability integration

  • Transparency and accountability practices

Participants will also receive access to:

  • The Educational Online Platform “It’s Clear!”

  • Networking events with peer organizations

  • Sustainability and civil society conferences

  • Additional development and partnership-building opportunities

Eligible Project Activities

Proposals should focus on institutional strengthening activities such as:

  • Strategic planning and organizational diagnostics

  • Development or revision of internal policies and procedures

  • Legal support for updating organizational charters

  • Communication strategy development and visibility tools

  • Advocacy capacity building and analytical research skills

  • Internal management and governance improvements

Project Duration and Budget

  • Project duration: 8 to 12 months

  • Optimal project budget: 400,000 Ukrainian hryvnias per organization

Budgets must be realistic, clearly justified, and directly linked to institutional development needs.

How to Apply

Applicants should follow these steps:

  1. Confirm eligibility based on registration date, location, and legal status

  2. Identify institutional gaps and development priorities

  3. Design a clear project focused on organizational strengthening

  4. Prepare a coherent budget aligned with proposed activities

  5. Complete the application form in full and ensure public information about the organization is available

  6. Submit the application according to the competition guidelines

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be assessed based on:

  • Completeness and accuracy of the application form

  • Availability of publicly accessible information on organizational activities

  • Alignment with competition objectives and institutional needs

  • Clarity and logic of project goals and activities

  • Feasibility and realism of implementation

  • Expected impact on organizational capacity and the local community

  • Reasonableness and alignment of the proposed budget

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

  • Submitting incomplete or unclear application forms

  • Proposing service-delivery projects instead of institutional development

  • Overambitious plans that exceed organizational capacity

  • Weak justification of budget lines

  • Failing to demonstrate relevance to early recovery or democratic governance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is organizing this competition?

The competition is organized by the International Renaissance Foundation in cooperation with the Eastern Europe Foundation, with support from Norad and Sida.

What types of organizations can apply?

Newly registered public organizations, public unions, charitable foundations, and self-organization bodies of the population.

What is the registration timeframe for eligibility?

Organizations must be registered between January 2024 and June 2025.

Is participation in training mandatory?

Yes. Participation in the organizational development program is compulsory for selected winners.

What is the maximum project budget?

The optimal budget per project is 400,000 Ukrainian hryvnias.

How long can projects run?

Projects must be implemented within 8 to 12 months.

Are marginalized groups prioritized?

Yes. Organizations involving women, youth, veterans, persons with disabilities, IDPs, and other marginalized groups are strongly encouraged.

Conclusion

This competition offers a structured pathway for young Ukrainian civil society organizations to strengthen their institutional foundations, improve transparency, and increase long-term impact. By combining funding, training, and networking, the program empowers emerging CSOs to contribute effectively to early recovery and democratic governance in communities most affected by the war.

For more information, visit Public Space.