A small but significant victory − the first cohort of participants in the First Successful Grant Program has completed their training at the Organizational Development School.
19 newly established organizations from frontline areas − different in their spheres of work, experience, and stories − spent three days diving into the essence of civil society development. They explored their missions, values, strategic goals, risks, fundraising, and the basics of governance in a civil society organization.
The First Successful Grant Program is special for the entire ISAR Ednannia team. We share not only tools, but also the knowledge we have lived through, struggled for, and tested in practice − the very things that once helped us become stronger and can now empower other organizations.
On the first day, together with Volodymyr Sheyhus, Executive Director of ISAR Ednannia, we discussed the role of civil society in Ukraine and how to build long-term partnerships with donors. The second block focused on strategic development: mission, vision, fundraising, and organizational resilience − led by Olga Nikolska and Valentyna Dyomkina. The third day was dedicated to the foundation of a mature organization: governance and internal processes, presented by Nataliia Klymova. Iryna Bieliayeva spoke about the formats of interaction with the state. Anna Ostrikova and Anastasiia Myronchuk supported participants in reflection, identifying their strengths, and defining next steps based on the knowledge gained.
Next comes the following stage for participants: turning their ideas into project concepts together with ISAR Ednannia mentors. We believe that the first grant is only the beginning of a long and sustainable journey.
We are already preparing the next waves of the program in 2026!
The First Successful Grant Program is implemented with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as a part of the Strong Civil Society of Ukraine - a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden.
