Briefly
Program description
The NGO “Suchasnyi Format”, with the support of National Endowment for Democracy, announced the fourth round of the grant competition “Voices of Communities: Supporting Civil Society Organizations in Zhytomyr Region”.
The program is aimed at supporting project initiatives of local civil society organizations working to address social, economic, and environmental challenges within regional communities.
The competition particularly focuses on supporting CSOs that:
- contribute to local community recovery;
- support vulnerable population groups;
- promote transparency and accountability in governance processes.
The organizers note that the full-scale war has significantly affected Ukraine’s social, economic, and civic sectors. Under these conditions, civil society organizations have become important drivers of change and community support.
The program also highlights that small and newly established organizations often face limited access to resources, expertise, and staffing support, despite their strong potential to create local impact.
The competition is intended to strengthen the capacity of local CSOs and encourage sustainable cooperation mechanisms between civil society, local authorities, and communities.
Main Information
Eligibility
Civil society organizations that meet the established eligibility requirements are invited to participate in the grant competition.
Eligible applicants include:
- officially registered public organizations in Zhytomyr region;
- charitable organizations;
- charitable foundations and other CSOs.
Key participation requirements include:
- A project team of at least three people. Applications must include resumes of specialists involved in project implementation.
- Readiness to provide a 10% co-financing contribution from the organization’s own funds. The organizers state that this amount will be reimbursed in the final tranche after approval of the programmatic and financial reports.
- The organization must demonstrate the capacity to properly receive, administer, and use grant funds.
The organizers also emphasize that applications from organizations that do not meet the stated requirements will not be considered.
Financing
Within the grant competition, civil society organizations may receive financial support of up to UAH 100,000 for projects aimed at sustainable community development in Zhytomyr region.
Eligible expenses are those that:
- are necessary for project implementation;
- occur during the project implementation period;
- comply with principles of cost-effectiveness and responsible spending;
- are properly documented and supported by financial records.
Grant funds may be used for:
- fees for experts, trainers, and consultants;
- consulting, informational, and communication services;
- project implementation-related services and activities;
- equipment purchases — up to 10% of the total budget;
- printed and distribution materials;
- administrative costs — also up to 10% of the project budget.
Ineligible expenses include:
- debt repayment;
- international travel;
- general organizational maintenance costs;
- military-purpose goods;
- purchase of vehicles or real estate;
- construction and renovation works;
- political advertising or election campaigning.
The guidelines also specify that expenses exceeding UAH 50,000 under one budget category require a commercial tender procedure.
Supported Activities
The grant competition supports projects focused on community development, social inclusion, and strengthening civil society initiatives in Zhytomyr region.
Priority areas include:
- Support for vulnerable population groups
- assistance for elderly people;
- support for persons with disabilities or chronic illnesses;
- support for internally displaced persons and veterans;
- development of inclusive social adaptation programs.
- Youth engagement
- youth educational programs and training activities;
- leadership, volunteering, and social entrepreneurship initiatives;
- support for creative and cultural youth projects.
- Community development
- environmental initiatives;
- territory clean-up activities;
- waste sorting initiatives;
- community greening activities.
- Educational and awareness campaigns
- activities aimed at improving legal and financial literacy;
- campaigns promoting gender equality;
- initiatives focused on violence prevention and healthcare awareness.
- Support for cultural initiatives
- organization of festivals, exhibitions, and cultural events;
- preservation of local traditions and cultural heritage;
- integration of different social groups through joint cultural projects.
Roadmap
Key stages of the program include:
- Application submission is open until May 31, 2026.
- Supported projects are expected to be implemented from June 20 to December 20, 2026.
Applicants are encouraged to consider the established timeline when planning project activities and preparing implementation schedules.
How to Apply
To participate in the grant competition, applicants are required to prepare and submit a completed application package via email.
The application package must include:
- project proposal;
- budget;
- supporting materials.
All documents should be sent to: mgo.sformat@gmail.com.
Applicants should indicate the following subject line in the email:
“Grant Competition ‘Voices of Communities in Times of War’”.
Evaluation Criteria
To ensure a transparent and fair selection process, the organizers establish an Expert Council for the grant competition. The council includes representatives of the organizers as well as independent professionals experienced in civic initiatives and project management.
The Expert Council is responsible for:
- reviewing and evaluating project applications;
- recommending or rejecting proposals for funding.
Applications are assessed according to the following criteria:
- Quality and relevance of the project proposal to the competition priorities.
- The organization’s capacity to achieve the proposed results using its available resources and team.
- Relevance and importance of the project.
- Innovativeness of the proposed ideas and approaches.
- Measures aimed at ensuring project sustainability.
- A reasonable budget that complies with the established funding limits.
The organizers also note that selected applicants will be invited to sign grant agreements and receive funding for project implementation.
Required Documents
Project proposals must be submitted in Ukrainian language and in accordance with the requirements of the grant competition.
The application package should include:
- Completed project proposal form in Microsoft Word format.
- Completed project budget in Microsoft Excel format.
- Scanned copy of the organization’s charter/statute in PDF format (all pages in one file).
- Scanned copy of the certificate or extract on state registration of the organization (PDF).
- Scanned copy of the bank account opening certificate (PDF).
- Scanned copy of the decision on non-profit status code assignment (PDF).
- CVs/resumes of the proposed project specialists in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
Updates / Announcements
Applicants must also fill out the online form available at the link.
Reporting and Compliance
The organizers of the grant competition will conduct monitoring and evaluation of supported projects throughout the implementation period.
Monitoring activities include:
- reviewing grantee reports;
- meetings with project teams and partners;
- participation in project activities and events.
Grant recipients are required to submit reports in the established format. Required reporting documents include:
- A programmatic report describing implemented activities, achieved results, and quantitative and qualitative indicators.
- A financial report.
- A media report.
The organizers emphasize that reporting is an important part of project oversight and assessment of achieved outcomes.
Legal Terms
Project proposals must include a complete package of documents defined in the section on the procedure for submitting project proposals and must be submitted according to the established application form.
After reviewing compliance with the grant competition requirements, submitted projects will be forwarded to the Expert Council of the grant competition for consideration.
When preparing project proposals, applicants are encouraged to consider the feasibility of project implementation under martial law conditions.