Grants to Support Educational Initiatives for Youth

The Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting (IER), within the framework of the project “Resilience and Engagement for Ukraine: Expanding the Capacity of Civil Society to Address War-Related Needs and Advance Ukraine’s EU Accession”, funded by the European Union, has announced the grant competition for CSOs “Learn. Act. Rebuild. Grant Support for Educational Initiatives for Youth.”

The project has been implemented since December 2025 and aims to strengthen the resilience, inclusiveness, and analytical capacity of Ukrainian civil society in response to war-related challenges, as well as to support Ukraine’s progress toward EU accession at both regional and national levels.

The purpose of the competition is to support civil society organizations implementing non-formal education programs for youth.

The grant competition is open to non-profit civil society organizations registered in Ukraine for at least one year at the time of application submission and holding the appropriate non-profit status codes (0032, 0036, 0038, or 0039).

Priority will be given to organizations registered and operating in the target regions of the competition.

Preference will be given to:

• civil society organizations working with youth;
• informal youth groups partnering with registered civil society organizations;
• non-profit educational organizations with experience in non-formal education;
• organizations led by young people or closely cooperating with youth.

Applicants are expected to:

• have experience in youth and educational activities;
• propose relevant and realistic activities;
• ensure a transparent budget and sufficient operational resources for project implementation;
• follow safety and inclusion principles;
• maintain at least two communication channels (Facebook, Telegram, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, website, etc.).

The organizers are also open to applications from LGBTQI+ organizations and organizations focused on women’s rights, gender equality, and non-discrimination, provided their projects align with the priorities of the competition.

Grants will not be provided to political parties, municipal or religious organizations, territorial communities, private individuals, or for-profit entities.

Within the framework of the grant program, financial support is available for civil society organizations implementing educational and youth-focused initiatives.

The expected grant amount is UAH 500,000, while the minimum grant budget is UAH 350,000. The total budget of the competition is UAH 4,000,000.

Eligible activities include:

• digital literacy and STEM education seminars;
• leadership and civic engagement trainings for youth;
• creative self-expression programs;
• mental health support groups;
• online mentoring and hybrid learning platforms;
• inclusive sports and educational programs.

Within the framework of the grant program, support will be provided to projects focused on youth development through non-formal education, civic engagement, and strengthening the resilience of young people affected by the war.

Priority areas include:

• implementation of innovative educational programs that take into account war-related traumatic experiences;
• creation of a safe, supportive, and motivating environment for youth;
• strengthening the capacity of local civil society organizations in the field of educational initiatives;
• promoting social cohesion, civic participation, and youth resilience.

Projects are expected to provide young people with additional opportunities through inclusive, accessible, and relevant education.

Expected outcomes of supported projects include:

• increased youth participation in non-formal education programs;
• improved digital literacy, leadership, and civic responsibility skills;
• enhanced psychosocial support for youth;
• strengthened organizational capacity of civil society organizations;
• stronger youth-led networks and initiatives.

Within the framework of the grant program, the key stages of the competition and project implementation timeline have been announced.

The expected duration of supported projects is 5 months.

Key roadmap dates include:

• information session — May 18, 2026 (2:00 PM–4:00 PM);
• application submission deadline — June 12, 2026;
• Grant Committee meeting — June 24, 2026;
• announcement of winners — June 30, 2026;
• start of project implementation — July 15, 2026.

Within the framework of the grant program, applications undergo several stages of evaluation and selection. Grant applications are registered by IER, after which applicants receive a notification regarding registration or rejection if documents are submitted after the deadline.

A Grant Committee is established to review applications. The committee includes representatives of IER, civil society experts, media representatives, and researchers with experience in evaluating grant applications.

Key eligibility and evaluation requirements include:

• a complete and properly prepared application;
• submission of the application form, project matrix, and project budget in accordance with IER requirements;
• non-profit organization status and official registration for at least one year;
• compliance of the project duration with the competition conditions;
• the project budget must not exceed the maximum amount defined in the competition rules.

Applications that meet the technical and qualification requirements proceed to a quality assessment stage. The evaluation considers the proposed budget as well as the applicant’s financial and managerial capacity.

After the preliminary selection, shortlisted projects proceed to the second stage — an online project presentation and defense. The final list of winners is approved and published only after successful completion of this stage.

If necessary, the Grant Committee may request revisions to the budget or certain expenses without changing the essence or objectives of the project. Increasing the total grant amount after revisions is not allowed.

To apply for participation in the grant program, applicants are required to review the competition guidelines and prepare a complete set of application documents.

The mandatory application checklist includes:

• Application Form (Annex A);
• Project Budget (Annex B);
• Project Matrix (Annex C);
• Competition Guidelines (Annex D);
• Sample Letter of Guarantee (Annex E).

The organizers specifically emphasize that, according to the competition guidelines, the project team CV/resume is a mandatory attachment.

Applicants are also encouraged to carefully review the recommendations on budget preparation, eligibility criteria, and instructions for completing the project matrix.

Within the framework of the grant program, an information session has been announced for potential participants of the competition.

The session will take place on May 18, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Participants can register for the information session via the following link:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/ZbYEr62Ynh

Within the framework of the grant program, grant recipients are required to submit analytical and financial reports to IER regarding project implementation.

Grant recipients must provide a short monthly update by the 5th day of the following month, describing project activities and progress toward expected results. Interim analytical and financial reports must also be submitted in accordance with the Grant Agreement.

The final report must be submitted within 10 calendar days after the completion of the project.

The financial report should include:

• detailed information on the use of grant funds;
• copies of supporting financial documentation related to expenses.

The analytical report must describe project activities, progress in achieving objectives and expected results, and include supporting materials and documentation.

IER reviews submitted reports and may provide comments or requests for clarification. In such cases, grant recipients are required to submit responses and any missing documents within 10 working days.

The guidelines also specify that project expenses must follow the approved project budget. Independent changes to budget lines without prior approval from IER are not allowed.

IER will additionally conduct project monitoring through report reviews, meetings, monitoring visits, and participation in activities organized by grant recipients.

Within the framework of the grant program, applications are reviewed by the Grant Committee, which may provide recommendations for improving project proposals. The final decision on approval or rejection is made after the project presentation and defense stage.

Organizations may submit up to three applications, although grant funding may be awarded to only one project per organization.

Decisions of the Grant Committee are not subject to appeal, and reasons for rejection are not disclosed.

Competition winners receive the results from IER, after which the Grant Agreement is prepared. The agreement is signed electronically using a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) through electronic document management systems such as “M.E.Doc” or “VCHASNO”.

Grant payments are provided in tranches according to the projected budget and expenditure schedule. To receive funding, grant recipients must:

• open a separate bank account or use a dedicated zero-balance account;
• provide monthly bank statements;
• confirm the use of previous tranches.

IER may suspend the transfer of the next tranche if the recipient has not documented the use of at least 70% of the latest tranche and full use of all previous tranches.

The guidelines also state that purchases of goods, works, or services exceeding UAH 30,000 require prior written approval from IER and at least three price quotations from suppliers.