Grant for CSOs to obtain organizational development services

The competition is organised by Ecoaction – Centre for Environmental Initiatives within the joint project with The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) entitled "Ukrainian CSO capacity building". Its purpose is to support Ukrainian civil society organisations in organisational development and capacity building by financing the services of qualified specialists. The programme focuses on organisations working in environment, climate and sustainable development, improving internal governance, stakeholder engagement and strategic coordination, while contributing to a resilient and diverse civil society in Ukraine.

Under the grant programme, applicants may receive funding of up to EUR 5,000, provided in the equivalent amount in Ukrainian hryvnia for each successful application.

The programme specifies that:

• project costs must be included in the approved project budget;
• expenditures must be necessary for achieving the project's objectives;
• all costs must be supported by appropriate documentation;
• expenditures must comply with national legislation and the principles of economical and sound financial management.

The programme also notes that, in most cases, the project budget is expected to consist primarily of consultancy costs, including consultant fees and expenses related to the preparation of guidance materials and training.

The grant programme is designed to strengthen the organisational capacity of civil society organisations working in the fields of environment, climate, and sustainable development, while improving internal governance and strategic development.

The programme may support activities such as:

• development of organisational strategies and organisational processes;
• consultancy on reviewing governance structures and organisational design;
• participation in training courses, certification programmes, workshops, and networking events;
• development or revision of internal policies and procedures, including financial, procurement, fundraising, media, and gender policies;
• conducting external organisational capacity assessments.

Applicants who are unsure whether a proposed activity is eligible are encouraged to seek clarification. The programme also states that Ecodia will procure and pay for contractor services in accordance with its Procurement Policy.

The programme follows a rolling application review process. Applications are assessed as they are received, and applicants are informed of the results after the review is completed.

Key milestones include:

• application deadline – 30 September 2026;
• applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as they are submitted;
• applicants are notified of the results within 3 weeks after submitting their application;
• following the announcement of results, the agreement signing and payment for services take place within 1 month;
• successful applicants must submit a project results report within 6 months after signing the agreement, unless otherwise specified;
• the call remains open until the available funding or places are exhausted, but no later than 30 September 2027.

The application process includes the following steps:

• complete the application form provided by the programme (Annex 1);
• review the application to ensure it is complete and correctly prepared;
• submit the application by email to the address konkurs@ecoaction.org.ua

Applications will be assessed by a Selection Committee established from representatives of NGO Ecodia in accordance with its subgrant policy. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and committee meetings are held as applications are received.

The assessment is based on the following criteria:

• alignment with the objectives of the call;
• feasibility of the proposed initiative;
• cost-effectiveness;
• development potential of the organisation or initiative.

The decisions of the Selection Committee are final and cannot be appealed. Applicants are notified of the evaluation results by email using the address provided in the application.

To apply for the grant programme, applicants are required to submit a set of mandatory documents, including:

• application form;
• extract of the applicant civil society organisation (if available);
• extract of the implementing entity.

Successful applicants receiving grant support are required to submit a project implementation results report within the specified timeframe.

Key requirement:

• the project results report must be submitted no later than 6 months after the grant agreement is signed, unless otherwise specified under the programme conditions.

The organizers reserve the right to request additional documents from the winners of the Contest