Box 4. Local cooperation in action
There are a number of positive examples showcasing the success of collaboration between local CSOs, hromadas and international donors.
The Small Grants for Social Services initiative is a major funding programme in Ukraine that establishes transparent, competitive procurement procedures for social services at the community level. Administered by Ednannia, the initiative is part of the broader SPIRIT (Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, Innovation and Transformation) project, funded by the UK Government and implemented in partnership with UNICEF, the World Bank and the Ministry of Social Policy. By providing CSOs with operational funding and professional training, the small grants initiative empowers local partners to deliver high-quality, essential care to vulnerable families.
‘Brave to Rebuild’ is a Ukrainian volunteer initiative dedicated to restoring homes and social infrastructure in war-affected communities, particularly in the Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson regions. The organization works with local authorities to ensure that support meets specific community needs. Since early 2023, Brave to Rebuild has partnered with GIZ Ukraine on more complex reconstruction projects such as integrating autonomous utility systems and solar energy to keep critical medical wards functioning during power grid outages. The organization positions itself ‘as a bridge between international partners and local communities’, aiming to introduce participatory approaches to recovery.
The Shchedryk Charity Foundation provides humanitarian aid to the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, including support to IDPs and elderly people. The Danish government had donated new trolleybuses and buses to the city of Mykolaiv, but a lack of trained drivers was preventing their full use. Shchedryk covered the cost of training for 100 people and provided a monthly stipend to those trainees. As a result, the newly trained drivers gained employment with the municipal transport company, which allowed the city to establish new routes, strengthening the economy of the city overall.
