ISAR Ednannia wraps up the grant competition Strengthening Civic Participation in Early Recovery in Liberated Territories, implemented with the support of the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), financed by partner countries.
The competition ran for over six months, providing grant support to 37 civil society organizations from seven oblasts of Ukraine. These organizations united communities, strengthened the volunteer movement, and contributed to early recovery by creating public spaces, collaborating on recovery strategies and plans, and organizing joint events. This cooperation has enabled a quick response to the needs of their communities.
Recently, in the Sviatohirsk and Lyman communities, a huge fire led to a fuel shortage for rescue equipment. With the support of the Union of Donbas ATO Veterans organization, community members united and reached out to international organizations and local businesses, successfully securing help that saved residential homes in the Sviatohirsk community from the fire.
As part of the grant competition, civil society organizations created 66 community spaces, including youth and cultural centers, sports fields, and hubs and already held over 900 events there.
Through training on budgeting, project management, and advocacy, community members have learned to participate in decision-making processes and the strategic planning of their communities' futures.
Grant recipients were also able to secure additional resources for community development. For example, as part of the Early Recovery Plan developed by the Studenyky Springs organization, they engaged the descendants of the founder of one of the community’s villages to help restore a local museum. Other civil society organizations inspired local businesses to join in the implementation of joint projects, which led to the creation of bike parking stations, the acquisition of additional building materials, and co-funding for developed projects.
Thus, the implemented grant competition Strengthening Civic Participation in Early Recovery in Liberated Territories will have a lasting positive impact on communities — enhancing social cohesion, engaging people in decision-making, and improving the quality of life. These are all crucial factors in the development of civil society in Ukraine.
