RFPs: Small Grants Competition within the Impulse Project (Ukraine)

Deadline: 25-Nov-2026

The Impulse Project Small Grants Competition supports Ukrainian civil society organizations (CSOs) working in regions most affected by the war to advance community recovery, inclusion, gender equality, and environmental sustainability. Grants range from UAH 1,000,000 to UAH 1,500,000, with projects lasting up to 12 months. The competition is part of the three-year Impulse Project, which aims to strengthen Ukrainian civil society’s ability to contribute to recovery, democratic reform, and the development of an inclusive European democracy. Successful organizations also receive mandatory organizational-development training and participate in regional support networks. The Impulse Project was established as a three-year initiative by the International Renaissance Foundation, in partnership with the Eastern Europe Foundation, with support from Norad and Sida. The project focuses on strengthening Ukrainian CSOs in regions significantly affected by the war.

Its broader objectives include:

Supporting Ukraine’s recovery. Strengthening local civil society organizations. Promoting democratic reform. Advancing inclusive and people-centered recovery. Supporting gender equality. Promoting environmental sustainability. Strengthening Ukraine’s development as an inclusive European democracy. The Small Grants Competition provides financial and organizational support to local and regional CSOs implementing community-focused initiatives. Supported projects should contribute to one or more of the competition’s central themes: Recovery. Inclusion. Gender equality. Environmental sustainability. Sustainable local development. Community participation. Non-discrimination. The programme emphasizes initiatives that involve local residents and vulnerable groups in shaping recovery and development processes. The competition is open to Ukrainian civil society organizations that meet the geographic, registration, experience, and participation requirements.

Applicants must:

Be registered in an eligible Ukrainian region. Have been registered for at least one year. Have experience implementing public initiatives related to their region. Have team members physically located in Ukraine. Be prepared to participate in the programme’s organizational development activities in person.

The eligible regions are:

Dnipropetrovsk. Donetsk. Zaporizhia. Zhytomyr. Kyiv. Kirovohrad. Luhansk. Mykolaiv. Odesa. Poltava. Sumy. Kharkiv. Kherson. Cherkasy. Chernihiv. Organizations registered in Kyiv are eligible when their activities focus on Kyiv or one of the other listed regions. The competition is intended for organizations working directly with communities in areas affected by the war and involved in local development, recovery, advocacy, or civic participation. Relevant applicants may include CSOs working on: Community recovery. Local advocacy. Inclusion and accessibility. Community development. Democratic participation. Public engagement. Research and analysis. Sustainable development. The competition supports community initiatives that strengthen local participation and contribute to sustainable recovery.

Eligible activities can include:

Raising awareness about inclusive and people-centered recovery planning. Engaging local residents in recovery and advocacy processes. Involving vulnerable groups in decision-making and advocacy. Developing community networks. Analyzing community problems and developing advocacy responses. Conducting research and analysis to inform communications. Implementing communication activities based on research. Strengthening CSO institutional capacity where it supports sustainable development. Promoting non-discrimination. Advancing gender equality. Supporting environmental sustainability. Developing partnerships between civil society organizations and relevant professionals. A central element of the competition is meaningful community involvement. Projects can focus on helping residents and vulnerable groups:

Participate in local recovery planning

Identify community needs. Analyze local problems. Develop advocacy priorities. Engage with decision-makers. Build community networks. Contribute to inclusive recovery strategies. The emphasis is on people-centered recovery, rather than approaches that are developed without meaningful participation from affected communities. Projects should incorporate principles of gender equality, inclusion, and non-discrimination.

Applicants can demonstrate this through:

Inclusive community engagement.

Participation of vulnerable groups

Gender-sensitive approaches. Non-discriminatory project design. Equal access to project activities. Consideration of different community needs. The competition evaluates proposals partly on their adherence to inclusion, non-discrimination, and gender equality principles. Environmental sustainability is another core focus of the competition. Projects should consider how local recovery and development can align with: Environmental standards. Climate-conscious approaches. Responsible use of resources. Environmentally sustainable community planning. Successful organizations receive training related to environmental standards and sustainable development. Collaboration with other organizations and specialists is encouraged.

Applicants can work with:

Other civil society organizations. Public-sector professionals. Researchers. Scientific institutions. Educational institutions. Other relevant experts. Partnerships can strengthen the project’s research, advocacy, communication, community engagement, or technical components. Each selected project can receive between: UAH 1,000,000, approximately $25,000 USD. UAH 1,500,000, approximately $37,000 USD. The maximum project duration is 12 months. Applicants should ensure that their requested amount is directly connected to the proposed activities and that the budget is realistic and adequately justified. The competition provides more than financial support. Successful organizations must par