The Council of Europe project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine's recovery” has launched a call for applications for the programme “Initiative. Participation. Impact”, aimed at strengthening effective civic participation and the implementation of local initiatives by representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), civic leaders and initiative groups from smaller and medium-sized Ukrainian communities.
The programme seeks to strengthen the role of civil society in local governance processes and support community-led initiatives at local level. It aims to develop the practical skills of CSO representatives and civic activists in the areas of civic participation, project management, fundraising and sustainability of local initiatives.
The programme will include:
- an online training on civic participation and the use of civic participation tools;
- an online training on project management;
- independent work by participants on further developing their project ideas;
- a two-day offline training in Lviv on grant writing and systemic fundraising*;
- presentation of participants’ projects and initiatives.
Representatives of civil society organisations, civic leaders and initiative groups who:
- represent communities with small and medium-sized populations;
- have an idea for a civic initiative or project to be further developed;
- are ready to participate in all stages of the programme
are invited to apply.
Applications can be submitted by completing the Google form available at: Application form
The deadline for applications is 31 May 2026 at 23:59 Kyiv time.
Completing the Google form does not guarantee participation in the programme. Following the competitive selection process, 20 participants will be selected based on their compliance with the programme criteria, motivation to participate and readiness to apply the acquired knowledge and skills to strengthen civic participation and support the development of their communities.
* Costs related to participation in the offline training in Lviv, including accommodation and travel expenses, will be covered by the Council of Europe project.
The programme is implemented within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026 and the project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery”, implemented by the Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
