Why a ‘whole-of-society’ model is essential for Ukraine’s recovery

Methodology

For the latest iteration of the recovery survey of Ukrainian CSOs, Chatham House partnered with 15 Ukrainian organizations and coalitions. These organizations were: the International Renaissance Foundation; ISAR Ednannia; the Alliance of Ukrainian CSOs; the National Network for Development of Local Democracy; RISE Ukraine; the EU–Ukraine Civil Society Platform; Right to Protection; Veteran Hubs; the League of the Strong; IDP Councils; the Network of Recourse Centres for Local Democracy; the Ukrainian Climate Network; Foundation ‘The Day After’: Women Leader Coalition for Ukraine’s Future; Roskvit; and Restart.

The survey – conducted in March 2026 via SurveyMonkey in Ukrainian, and comprising 26 structured questions and one ‘open’ question – was circulated to 30,638 registered CSOs. A total of 1,004 individual responses were received, with 681 people providing complete answers. Only complete responses were analysed for this research paper.

The geographical distribution of CSOs that completed the survey was diverse, consisting of Kyiv-based groups operating exclusively or mainly at the national level (9 per cent), regional-level groups (63 per cent) and groups working at both levels (27 per cent).

This year, respondents were asked to specify the region(s) in which they work. Significantly, the survey captured CSOs working across all regions of Ukraine, including those on the front line and in the temporarily occupied territories.

For each of the survey’s structured questions, respondents were asked to pick from a range of responses, with a specific instruction (choose one option; choose three options; choose all options that apply) depending on the question. For several questions, there was also a blank text field for participants to fill out in case they wanted to expand on their ‘other’ responses in their own words.

Most questions were repeated from the 2022, 2024 and 2025 surveys. This longitudinal data allows significant changes over time to be captured. The 2026 survey also featured new questions designed to assess how CSOs collaborate with local authorities and better define the specific social groups and activities involved in their social service programmes. For some questions (e.g. on recovery priorities), additional options for respondents were included. These additional options included some around the reintegration of veterans.

Chatham House’s team travelled to Kyiv to host a public discussion of the preliminary survey findings on 21 April 2026. This event, organized by the GIZ ‘Strengthening Communities in South and East Ukraine Through Localized Action’ (EMPOWER) programme, gathered a range of regional community leaders who provided humanitarian assistance, rapid recovery support and aided local self-governance in areas dealing with the direct consequences of the 2022 invasion.

Results of the 2026 survey

Question 1. Where does your organization primarily work? [choose one]

Question 2. In which oblast do you primarily work? [multiple choice]

Question 3. Are you already involved in recovery efforts to repair the damage caused by the Russian invasion? [choose one]

Question 4. What social groups do you mainly support in your work? [choose three]

Question 5. How would you describe your activities related to recovery? [multiple choice]

Question 6. If you selected ‘Providing social/educational/health services for citizens’ in Question 5, please identify the specific services you provide [multiple choice].

Question 7. How would you rate your collaboration with local authorities (village, town, city councils) in delivering social services in the region(s) where you operate? [choose one]

Question 8. How would you rate your collaboration with regional military administrations (oblast level) in delivering social services in the region(s) where you operate? [choose one]

Question 9. How does your CSO currently finance recovery projects? [multiple choice]

Question 10. Please select three priorities for recovery that should begin even while the war is ongoing [choose three]

Question 11. What are the most pressing social challenges that should be addressed by the combined efforts of the government, business and civil society? [multiple choice]

Question 12. What are the three top risks for rebuilding Ukraine? [choose three]

Question 13. How would you rate the inclusion of civil society in planning recovery to date? [choose one]

Question 14. How would you rate the effectiveness of existing formats for involving civil society in recovery? [rate each format]

— Note: Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Question 15. What are the three main obstacles to stronger engagement of civil society in recovery at present? [choose three]

Question 16. What three models of effective engagement of civil society in recovery would you propose at present (under martial law) at national level? [choose three]

Question 17. What three models of effective engagement of civil society in recovery would you propose at present (under martial law) at local level? [choose three]

Question 18. In your view, which of the following actions would most effectively improve collaboration between civil society and local authorities for social service delivery in the long term? [choose three]

Question 19. How could external funders facilitate civil society engagement? [choose three]

Question 20. What is the main value added of civil society engagement in Ukraine’s recovery? [choose three]

Question 21. Do you see certain risks and challenges related to CSOs’ engagement in recovery processes?

Question 22. Which elements of societal resilience should be prioritized during wartime? [multiple choice]

Question 23. What are the implications of a ceasefire on recovery (without a final peaceful settlement) for the internal situation in Ukraine? [multiple choice]

Question 24. What kind of training and skills (either personal or organizational) do you require for implementing recovery projects? [multiple choice]

Question 25. Have you or members of your organization had the opportunity to upskill to manage recovery projects? If NO, please select the appropriate option. If YES, please indicate who offered this training [multiple choice]

Question 26. Did you participate in one or more of the previous Chatham House surveys about civil society’s involvement in Ukraine’s recovery process?

Orysia Lutsevych OBE

Jaroslava Barbieri

Annex: The 2026 Chatham House survey of Ukrainian CSOs

Methodology

Results of the 2026 survey

Question 1. Where does your organization primarily work? [choose one]

Question 1. Where does your organization primarily work? [choose one]

Question 2. In which oblast do you primarily work? [multiple choice]

Question 2. In which oblast do you primarily work? [multiple choice]

Question 3. Are you already involved in recovery efforts to repair the damage caused by the Russian invasion? [choose one]

Question 3. Are you already involved in recovery efforts to repair the damage caused by the Russian invasion? [choose one]

Question 4. What social groups do you mainly support in your work? [choose three]

Question 4. What social groups do you mainly support in your work? [choose three]

Question 5. How would you describe your activities related to recovery? [multiple choice]

Question 5. How would you describe your activities related to recovery? [multiple choice]

Question 6. If you selected ‘Providing social/educational/health services for citizens’ in Question 5, please identify the specific services you provide [multiple choice].

Question 6. If you selected ‘Providing social/educational/health services for citizens’ in Question 5, please identify the specific services you provide [multiple choice].

Question 7. How would you rate your collaboration with local authorities (village, town, city councils) in delivering social services in the region(s) where you operate? [choose one]

Question 7. How would you rate your collaboration with local authorities (village, town, city councils) in delivering social services in the region(s) where you operate? [choose one]

Question 8. How would you rate your collaboration with regional military administrations (oblast level) in delivering social services in the region(s) where you operate? [choose one]

Question 8. How would you rate your collaboration with regional military administrations (oblast level) in delivering social services in the region(s) where you operate? [choose one]

Question 9. How does your CSO currently finance recovery projects? [multiple choice]

Question 9. How does your CSO currently finance recovery projects? [multiple choice]

Question 10. Please select three priorities for recovery that should begin even while the war is ongoing [choose three]

Question 10. Please select three priorities for recovery that should begin even while the war is ongoing [choose three]

Question 11. What are the most pressing social challenges that should be addressed by the combined efforts of the government, business and civil society? [multiple choice]

Question 11. What are the most pressing social challenges that should be addressed by the combined efforts of the government, business and civil society? [multiple choice]

Question 12. What are the three top risks for rebuilding Ukraine? [choose three]

Question 12. What are the three top risks for rebuilding Ukraine? [choose three]

Question 13. How would you rate the inclusion of civil society in planning recovery to date? [choose one]

Question 13. How would you rate the inclusion of civil society in planning recovery to date? [choose one]

Question 14. How would you rate the effectiveness of existing formats for involving civil society in recovery? [rate each format]

Question 14. How would you rate the effectiveness of existing formats for involving civil society in recovery? [rate each format]

Question 15. What are the three main obstacles to stronger engagement of civil society in recovery at present? [choose three]

Question 15. What are the three main obstacles to stronger engagement of civil society in recovery at present? [choose three]

Question 16. What three models of effective engagement of civil society in recovery would you propose at present (under martial law) at national level? [choose three]

Question 16. What three models of effective engagement of civil society in recovery would you propose at present (under martial law) at national level? [choose three]

Question 17. What three models of effective engagement of civil society in recovery would you propose at present (under martial law) at local level? [choose three]

Question 17. What three models of effective engagement of civil society in recovery would you propose at present (under martial law) at local level? [choose three]

Question 18. In your view, which of the following actions would most effectively improve collaboration between civil society and local authorities for social service delivery in the long term? [choose three]

Question 18. In your view, which of the following actions would most effectively improve collaboration between civil society and local authorities for social service delivery in the long term? [choose three]

Question 19. How could external funders facilitate civil society engagement? [choose three]

Question 19. How could external funders facilitate civil society engagement? [choose three]

Question 20. What is the main value added of civil society engagement in Ukraine’s recovery? [choose three]

Question 20. What is the main value added of civil society engagement in Ukraine’s recovery? [choose three]

Question 21. Do you see certain risks and challenges related to CSOs’ engagement in recovery processes?

Question 21. Do you see certain risks and challenges related to CSOs’ engagement in recovery processes?

Question 22. Which elements of societal resilience should be prioritized during wartime? [multiple choice]

Question 22. Which elements of societal resilience should be prioritized during wartime? [multiple choice]

Question 23. What are the implications of a ceasefire on recovery (without a final peaceful settlement) for the internal situation in Ukraine? [multiple choice]

Question 23. What are the implications of a ceasefire on recovery (without a final peaceful settlement) for the internal situation in Ukraine? [multiple choice]

Question 24. What kind of training and skills (either personal or organizational) do you require for implementing recovery projects? [multiple choice]

Question 24. What kind of training and skills (either personal or organizational) do you require for implementing recovery projects? [multiple choice]

Question 25. Have you or members of your organization had the opportunity to upskill to manage recovery projects? If NO, please select the appropriate option. If YES, please indicate who offered this training [multiple choice]

Question 25. Have you or members of your organization had the opportunity to upskill to manage recovery projects? If NO, please select the appropriate option. If YES, please indicate who offered this training [multiple choice]

Question 26. Did you participate in one or more of the previous Chatham House surveys about civil society’s involvement in Ukraine’s recovery process?

Question 26. Did you participate in one or more of the previous Chatham House surveys about civil society’s involvement in Ukraine’s recovery process?