The Community Development Success Index Presented

The Community Development Success Index - the first comprehensive analytical tool designed to assess the real state of communities and support data-driven decision-making - has been officially presented.

The Index was developed by ISAR Ednannia in partnership with the MHP-Hromadi and the research agency Info Sapiens, with the support of the European Union under the project “Unity for Community.” The event brought together representatives of national and local authorities, international organizations, businesses, civil society, and the media.

The Index reflects key principles of European integration - transparency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making - and applies them at the community level. It is a tool that enables a shift from intuitive governance to evidence-based management, providing a foundation for strategic planning, self-assessment, and effective resource mobilization.

The Index combines more than 60 indicators across 8 domains and is based not only on statistical data but also on the lived experiences of residents. Its purpose is not to compare communities with one another, but to provide them with a practical tool for development.

The tool was piloted in four communities: Kaniv, Myronivka, Liubeshiv, and Trostianets.

Key findings of the study include:

- security has become the foundation of quality of life and community development;
- civic participation and social cohesion have a greater impact than economic indicators;
- transparency and the ability to influence decision-making matter more than the size of the budget.

The Index creates a shared “language” for interaction between communities, authorities, donors, and businesses, and opens up new opportunities for sustainable development and recovery. During the presentation, it was also announced that the methodology will be made openly accessible, the tool will be further scaled, and an expert club will be established to support its practical application.

🔗 Watch the full video of the presentation at the link

From Announcement to Action in 19 Days: How Communities Sustained Social Services During the Energy Crisis

This is exactly how long it took for communities to ensure the continuity of social services during the energy crisis.

As power outages began to disrupt everyday processes, the most critical element came under threat — support for children and families.

January and February became a real test for everyone, especially for vulnerable families. They turned to the places where they were used to receiving support — service providers under the Small Grants Programme.

In response to these challenges, the call for proposals “Emergency Assistance to Support Vulnerable Groups — Families with Children and Children with Disabilities” was launched. Its aim was to provide rapid and targeted support to organizations working with vulnerable groups in communities.

We are now reporting on the winter and early spring months, when service providers became the first point of contact for vulnerable groups — children, families, and persons with disabilities. Blackouts and power disruptions threatened the operations of these organizations, which is why targeted emergency support was launched promptly, already in February. It proved to be fast and effective, and only now has there been an opportunity to take stock and share the stories and achievements.

The call was implemented within the framework of the existing project “Small Grants for Social Services for Families with Children and Children and/or Early Intervention Services.” This format became an additional rapid response tool, enabling support to organizations already working with families and delivering social services locally.

The support covered Kyiv city, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv regions. It took only 19 days from the announcement of the call to the first disbursements. This pace ensured that services continued uninterrupted even during power outages, preserving critical support for families.

A total of 23 organizations received support (including 4 municipal institutions).

This made it possible to:

continue the work of social workers, psychologists, and rehabilitation specialists;
equip organizations with the necessary equipment and materials;
adapt service spaces to function during outages and prevent forced closures;
provide beneficiaries with essential resources based on identified needs.

Already in February–March, under the emergency response component, this support translated into tangible results for people:

1,354 individuals received psychosocial support, more than half of them children;
221 individuals received humanitarian assistance;
571 people accessed safe spaces, including nearly 200 children;
46 individuals received services related to the prevention of gender-based violence;
an additional 28 individuals were referred to longer-term support within the Small Grants Programme.

Among those who received assistance were 765 internally displaced persons and 238 persons with disabilities.

During periods of increased pressure, it is precisely this kind of rapid and targeted support that enables communities to maintain continuity of assistance for those who need it most.

The project is funded by the UK Government under the SPIRIT project, implemented in collaboration with UNICEF Ukraine, with administration by ISAR Ednannia.

ISAR Ednannia is the national partner of the U-RESTORE

ISAR Ednannia is the national partner of the U-RESTORE (Ukraine Recovery Support for Transparency, Outreach, Resilience and Empowerment) project, funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by Cowater International in partnership with the Ukrainian Women’s Fund.

We are responsible for working with civil society in communities: supporting CSO development, facilitating their engagement in recovery processes, strengthening dialogue between communities and local authorities, and building institutional capacity through training and mentorship programs.

Over the past months, the ISAR Ednannia team has been working on the preparatory phase of the project: conducting outreach and consultations with communities, carrying out field visits to Zhytomyr and Dnipropetrovsk regions, assessing community needs, and participating in the application evaluation process.

📅 On March 23, the selection committee — including representatives of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, the Embassy of Canada in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund, and ISAR Ednannia — approved 12 territorial communities out of 49 applications:

📍 Andrushivska
📍 Brusylivska
📍 Korostyshivska
📍 Luhynska
📍 Romanivska
📍 Ruzhynska
📍 Chopovytska
📍 Yarunska
📍 Zhovtovodska
📍 Krynychanska
📍 Magdalynivska
📍 Pereshchepynska

Ahead lies long-term cooperation through 2030. We are now entering the active implementation phase, working directly with communities and CSOs to strengthen their capacity, support inclusive decision-making, and contribute to transparent and sustainable recovery.

💛 We are looking forward to working together towards the recovery and development of communities!