Call for Applictions: Micro-Grants for Child Protection (Ukraine)

Deadline: 01-Oct-2026

The Global Rights Compliance Foundation is inviting Ukrainian civil society organizations to apply for micro-grants supporting documentation and advocacy initiatives that advance child-friendly justice and accountability for crimes related to the deportation and forced displacement of children from Ukraine. The programme supports Ukrainian civil society organizations working to document crimes against children, strengthen accountability, and promote trauma-informed and child-sensitive approaches to justice. Selected organizations will receive financial support alongside mentorship, legal consultations, and technical assistance from the Global Rights Compliance Foundation.

About the Micro-Grants Programme

The micro-grants programme is part of the EU-funded project “No Child Left Behind: Improving Child-Sensitive Justice and Responses to Child Deportations from Ukraine.” The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Ukrainian civil society organizations and justice actors to document, investigate, and prosecute crimes against children in accordance with international standards. The initiative focuses on the serious impact of conflict-related crimes on Ukrainian children, particularly children affected by deportation, forced displacement, militarization, indoctrination, and cultural assimilation. Why Is the Programme Important? Children affected by conflict and forced displacement can experience significant psychosocial and developmental consequences. The programme therefore promotes approaches to justice and documentation that are: - Trauma-informed. - Child-friendly. - Rights-based. - Sensitive to the experiences of affected children. The initiative seeks to strengthen the ability of civil society organizations and justice actors to respond appropriately to crimes affecting children while contributing to improved accountability. What Is the Purpose of the Micro-Grants? The micro-grants are designed to empower Ukrainian civil society organizations to undertake documentation and advocacy activities that contribute to better justice outcomes for children affected by deportation and forced displacement. Supported initiatives can address crimes and violations involving: - Deportation. - Forced displacement. - Militarization. - Indoctrination. - Cultural assimilation. - Gender-based harm. - Disability-related harm. - Age-related vulnerabilities. - Sexual orientation or identity-based harm. Projects should contribute to child-friendly justice and accountability for crimes against children. What Funding Is Available? The programme has a total available funding of €45,000.

Individual micro-grants can provide:

- Up to €35,000 per project - Up to 100% of eligible costs - Co-financing is permitted but not required The final amount awarded will depend on the proposed activities, their alignment with the programme objectives, and the applicant’s capacity to implement the project.

Priority Area 1: Documentation

The first priority area supports documentation of crimes related to the deportation and forced displacement of children from Ukraine.

Activities may include:

- Identifying victims and witnesses. - Safely engaging with victims and witnesses. - Trauma-informed documentation. - Secure information management. - Contributing to joint analytical materials for accountability mechanisms. - Supporting documentation relevant to advocacy reports. Documentation activities should be conducted using approaches that protect affected children and recognise their specific vulnerabilities and experiences.

Priority Area 2: Advocacy and Campaigning

The second priority area focuses on advocacy and campaigning for child-friendly justice. Projects can support efforts to strengthen justice responses and accountability for crimes against children.

Advocacy activities may contribute to:

- Child-friendly justice mechanisms. - Accountability for crimes against children. - Advocacy reports. - Joint analytical materials. - Recognition of the specific rights and needs of child victims and witnesses. Trauma-Informed and Child-Sensitive Approaches Applicants are expected to consider the needs and experiences of children affected by conflict-related crimes. The programme emphasises trauma-informed documentation and child-friendly justice approaches to help ensure that documentation and advocacy activities do not overlook the psychosocial and developmental consequences experienced by affected children. Projects should also consider how factors such as gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, and identity can influence children’s experiences of harm. What Additional Support Will Selected Organizations Receive? The programme provides support beyond the financial grant. Selected organizations will receive ongoing assistance from the Global Rights Compliance Foundation, including: - Mentorship. - Legal consultations. - Technical assistance. This support is intended to strengthen the quality of documentation and advocacy activities and help organizations contribute effectively to accountability and justice outcomes. Who Can Apply? Eligible applicants are Ukrainian civil society organizations with demonstrated experience relevant to the programme. Applicants should have experience in areas such as: - Documenting crimes against children. - Advocacy related to crimes against children. - Child-sensitive justice and accountability. - Related documentation or advocacy activities. Organizations must also demonstrate the capacity to implement the proposed activities and contribute to the objectives of the micro-grants programme. Can Organizations Apply Jointly? Yes. Joint applications by two eligible organizations are permitted. This allows eligible Ukrainian civil society organizations to collaborate on documentation or advocacy initiatives where a joint approach can contribute to the proposed project’s objectives. What Languages Can Applications Be Submitted In?

Applications must be submitted in either:

- English,