The Ukrainian civil society sector has responded promptly to many challenges caused by the war and has proven effective in addressing them. However, civil society organizations (CSOs) have to adapt and constantly improve, looking for new problem solving patterns to address external and internal challenges.

 To support public organizations, East Europe Foundation is announcing a call of applications for partner organizations to participate in the Institutional Support Program.

 The competition will be held within the framework of the Phoenix Project, implemented by East Europe Foundation with the financial support of the European Union.

Organizations that have implemented grant projects within the Programs conducted by East Europe Foundation in 2018-2023 are invited to participate in the competition. 

The Program of Institutional Support for Partner Organizations (hereinafter referred to as the Program) consists of the financial support for organizations in the form of a grant, as well as training, consulting and mentoring support from the Foundation’s expert group. The support framework will be formed and consistently applied for all selected partner organizations. By applying for this competition, the organization undertakes to participate in all institutional development activities offered by the Foundation under this Program.

The Program’s grant component is aimed at achieving the following objectives:

1. Ensure the organization’s vitality in the wartime.
2. Strengthen the organization’s management and boost its overall effectiveness.

When planning and budgeting the grant projects, partner organizations are encouraged to consider the following activities:

• hold strategic sessions;
• update the operational plans;
• develop or revise the organizational policies and procedures;
• digitalize the organization’s administrative and operational functions, including the purchase or payment for software licenses and/or online services, including the implementation of an electronic document management system;
• improve the organization’s communication channels, including developing/updating the organization’s branding and/or website; develop the institutional communication strategy;
• conduct training for the organization’s team on various aspects of the project and operational activities in the new environment;
• procure services, including mobile communication and Internet services aimed to continue the organizational activity;
• purchase necessary equipment and partially cover salaries for key staff;
• conduct measures to strengthen the organizational security, including cyber security, through purchasing necessary software and/or hardware;
• provide other types of services or perform other activities related to maintaining/restoring the organizational operations.

All applications submitted will be reviewed and evaluated by East Europe Foundation’s experts in accordance with the following criteria:

1. Compliance of the planned activity with the terms of the competition and its feasibility.
2. Justification of the need for institutional support such as the organization relocation or change in the operating environment due to the war.
3. Results of the organization’s project activities over the past five years. Particular attention shall be paid to activities conducted since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
4. The quality of the organization’s recovery/continuation plan for the next year.
5. Justification of the budget.

Grant amount: up to UAH 800,000 for each organization

Expected duration of projects: up to six months

Expected start of activities: September 2023

The grant support will be provided to 10 organizations

How to apply?

Fill out and submit the application form:

• Application form (in Word format). Recommendations for filling out the form can be found at this link.
• Logical framework model (in Word format).
• Budget (in Excel format).
• The organization’s activity plan for the next year (any format).
• Application form for institutional support (fill in the Google form).

 East Europe Foundation reserves the right not to provide funding if the project application does not meet the terms of the competition.

Please note that:

• The application must be submitted in Ukrainian;
• Please review the Project Budget template to check the list of costs that cannot be supported by the Foundation;
• Applicant co-financing is not required and will not influence the application consideration;
• Applicants will be notified of the results of their application consideration by email;
• The decision of the competition committee shall be final and shall not be the subject to review;
• Submitted applications shall not be returned or reviewed.

Deadline for applications: 23:59 on June 29, 2023

The results of the competition will be announced in August 2023.

All applications should be sent to Phoenix@eef.org.ua with the subject line: “Application for Institutional Support.”

Questions regarding this call for proposals can be sent to Phoenix@eef.org.ua.