Grants for Local Initiatives in the Field of Memorialization

The Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU) is implemented by Chemonics and funded by the governments of Canada, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The programme aims to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience in the context of Russia’s aggression by working with government institutions, civil society, media, and the private sector.

Through this grant competition, the programme supports projects that contribute to:

• strengthening social cohesion, rebuilding trust, and promoting inclusive community recovery;
• developing practices for remembrance, documentation, and reflection on experiences related to the Russian-Ukrainian war;
• enhancing the capacity of public institutions and civil society in the areas of accountability, recovery, and reform;
• expanding knowledge of local needs, risks, and effective approaches to improve programme implementation and public policy.

The programme is implemented under the “Transitional Justice and Missing Persons Mechanism” project. It supports initiatives focused on truth-seeking, preserving the memory of human rights violations, assisting war-affected communities, and promoting recovery, mutual understanding, and long-term societal resilience

The grant programme is open to organisations that meet the eligibility requirements and are able to comply with all mandatory participation conditions.

Key eligibility requirements include:

• Applicants must be officially registered Ukrainian civil society or non-governmental organisations with non-profit status.
• Applicants must successfully complete due diligence and screening through the Visual Compliance system.
• The organisation must have qualified personnel with experience in project management, administration, and financial reporting.
• Applicants are required to demonstrate effective internal policies and procedures covering financial management, internal controls, fraud prevention, anti-corruption measures, and the proper use of grant funds.
• Organisations must confirm their commitment to implementing policies on health, safeguarding, and human rights, as well as complying with ethical and professional standards.

During the assessment, evaluators also consider the organisation's presence in the target regions, understanding of GEDSI principles and the "Do No Harm" approach, and its ability to identify and mitigate potential risks affecting vulnerable groups.

The programme does not accept applications from organisations that, among others, are registered in temporarily occupied territories without updated registration, are subject to sanctions or excluded through the Visual Compliance system, are political parties or religious organisations, promote anti-democratic activities, are registered in Russia, North Korea or Iran, or are affiliated with individuals or entities included on sanctions lists.

The grant programme provides two funding mechanisms: reimbursement of eligible expenses or reimbursement by implementation stages based on the submission of periodic financial reports.

Key funding conditions include:

• The expected grant amount ranges from UAH 3,000,000 to UAH 7,000,000 per project. The final grant amount will be determined during the final negotiations and may be either lower or higher than the indicated range.
• The programme expects to award 2 grants.

• Only costs that:

  • are directly related to project implementation;
  • comply with the legislation of Ukraine;
  • are justified, reasonable, and consistent with sound financial management principles;
  • are incurred within the eligible implementation period;
  • are properly documented and recorded in the grantee's accounting system,

  are eligible for funding.

The programme also applies procurement restrictions. Applicants may not propose goods or services supplied by companies suspended, debarred, or otherwise ineligible for funding by the governments of the United Kingdom or the United States. Procurement of products manufactured by companies including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua is prohibited.

The grant programme supports projects focused on memorialisation and historical memory, promoting reflection on the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war, inclusive public dialogue, and the development of modern approaches to remembrance.

Supported activities include:

• Designing and implementing memorialisation initiatives that preserve historical truth and recognise the individual and collective experiences of affected communities.
• Developing projects that apply inclusive and innovative approaches to memorialisation while engaging diverse groups in the remembrance process.
• Creating concepts, methodologies, and practices that integrate local experiences into the broader social context and acknowledge diverse lived experiences.
• Implementing participatory activities that involve communities throughout the design, implementation, and future use of project outcomes.

The programme does not fund capital reconstruction or construction of memorial facilities. However, support may be provided for preparatory activities such as developing memorial concepts, architectural designs, or tender documentation.

All supported projects are expected to follow inclusive approaches, apply the "Do No Harm" principle, and take into account recommendations for working with local communities, experts, and people affected by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The grant programme follows a clearly defined roadmap with key deadlines for applicants, communication activities, and application submission.

Key milestones include:

• Call announcement: 1 July 2026.
• An online application workshop will be held on 7 July 2026 at 15:00 (Kyiv time) via Zoom to support prospective applicants.
• Deadline for submitting questions: 10 July 2026 at 12:00 (Kyiv time).
• Application submission deadline: 15 July 2026 at 23:59 (Kyiv time).

To participate in the grant programme, applicants must submit a complete application package using the required templates and formats. All documents must be prepared in Ukrainian and submitted electronically.

Step-by-step application process:

• Complete the online application form with the required information about the organisation and the proposed project.
• Prepare the Grant Proposal Form (Annex A) describing the implementation strategy, planned activities, and alignment with the programme objectives.
• Attach the Project Budget (Annex B) prepared in accordance with the provided guidance.
• Complete and sign the Self-Assessment Form (Annex C) by an authorised representative and include the required supporting documents, such as registration documents, non-profit status certificate, statutes, organisational structure, CVs of key personnel, and, where available, financial statements and audit reports.
• Where possible, include a Risk Matrix (Annex D) and letters of support from partners.
• Submit the application by email, indicating the competition reference number in the subject line.

Grant proposals must be prepared in Microsoft Word using Times New Roman, 11-point font, and single line spacing. Applications that do not meet the eligibility requirements will not be considered.

After completing the eligibility screening, applications are submitted to the selection committee for evaluation using a 100-point scoring system. Applications scoring at least 70 points proceed to the next stage, where they may enter negotiations and undergo a due diligence review.

Main evaluation criteria:

• Project methodology and design – 45 points. Assessors evaluate the quality and coherence of the project design, the proposed methodology, alignment with the programme priorities, and the integration of GEDSI approaches and the "Do No Harm" principle.
• Expertise and experience – 20 points. Evaluation considers the applicant's previous experience, successfully implemented projects, staff qualifications, CVs, and references.
• Budget and value for money – 20 points. Reviewers assess whether the proposed budget is realistic, justified, and demonstrates efficient use of resources.
• Risk management – 15 points. Assessment focuses on the quality of the risk matrix, identification of key risks, and the proposed mitigation measures.

Before the technical evaluation begins, each application undergoes an eligibility review to verify timely submission, applicant eligibility, compliance with the geographic requirements, successful compliance screening, and the completeness of the supporting documentation.

An online pre-application workshop will be held on 7 July 2026 at 15:00 Kyiv time via Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89708779059?pwd=UxSjpntaNgJwMDYLWbUKlhz89DLtcR.1

Participants may ask questions about the call and receive guidance on completing the application form, self-assessment form and other application requirements.

Under the grant programme, recipients are required to comply with periodic financial reporting requirements, regardless of the selected funding mechanism. This requirement applies to both available grant disbursement models.

Key reporting requirements include:

• Both funding options require the submission of periodic financial reports.
• Grant funding is provided either through:
  • reimbursement of eligible expenses; or
  • reimbursement of expenses based on project implementation stages.
• The projects are implemented within an initiative that promotes accountability, recovery, and policy and practice reform, requiring appropriate documentation of project implementation in accordance with the programme's reporting requirements.

The grant programme is implemented in accordance with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Standard Terms and Conditions and the Chemonics Code of Conduct. Applicants are required to comply with the programme's legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements throughout the selection and implementation process.

Key provisions include:

• Grants are awarded in accordance with the FCDO Standard Terms and Conditions and the FCDO Code of Conduct.
• By submitting an application, the organisation agrees to comply with all applicable programme requirements and conditions.
• Applicants must adhere to the donor's financial, legal, and regulatory requirements throughout the grant process.
• The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office reserves the right to decline funding or terminate grant support, in whole or in part, without any obligation to fund an applicant.
• Submission of an application does not guarantee grant funding.

Following the evaluation process, applicants recommended for funding are notified of the results. The subsequent stages include Due Diligence, budget negotiations, and, where required, donor approval before the final funding decision is made.