Twenty-four organizations from different regions — and one common goal: to strengthen resilience and opportunities where they are most needed. We invited to Kyiv the winners of the second wave of the small grants competition of the Impulse project, which we are implementing jointly with the International Renaissance Foundation.

Out of 140 applications submitted, we selected teams that demonstrated the highest level of motivation, professionalism, and ability to implement change in their communities. Their initiatives focus on recovery, inclusion, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and transparent governance — values that are at the heart of the Impulse.

For two days, the participants got to know each other, learned about approaches to project implementation, and studied. They also talked about their projects and shared their experiences.

Victor Liakh, President of East Europe Foundation, emphasized the value of partnerships and the opportunities that such meetings open up:

“We want you to come away with a new understanding of partnership… Think about who is here with you. Perhaps here you will find people who face similar problems or can suggest ways to solve them… But most importantly, perhaps you will come up with new ideas that you can implement in partnership.”

A separate section was devoted to training.

Participants took part in a workshop led by Volodymyr Kuprii, Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at the Foundation. He explained how to collect data systematically, analyze progress, and use the OCA tool to strengthen internal organizational processes.

Larysa Shkurka, a consultant on financial management and organizational development, held a seminar for grantees. They talked about project reporting, changes in legislation, and financial nuances in their work.

In turn, Oleksandr Kulchytskyi, Head of Communications at the International Renaissance Foundation, shared artificial intelligence tools for everyday communication tasks.

Kristina Sobko, Communications Coordinator at East Europe Foundation, told the participants how to create storytelling to attract attention, support, and trust of the audience.

These sessions gave participants knowledge and practical tools they can use in their daily work right now.

After intensive preparation, grantees will move on to implementing their initiatives. We will continue supporting them along the way and helping them make changes in their communities.

Please note that the small grants competition within the Impulse project is still ongoing. Submit your application for the third wave. The deadline is November 25, 2025, by 15:00. Please follow this link to do so: irf.ua/contest/small-grants-norad-sida

The Impulse project is implemented by East Europe Foundation and the International Renaissance Foundation, with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).