The coordination meeting for the winners of the third wave of the Impulse small grants competition was held in Kyiv. The agenda included ambitious ideas, new connections, and plans for the upcoming months. This project is being implemented in collaboration with the International Renaissance Foundation.

The event brought together 24 organizations from different regions that will soon begin introducing their initiatives and shaping changes in their communities. These are 24 new projects intended to promote recovery, development of inclusion, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and transparent governance.

The two-day event was an opportunity for networking, learning, and sharing experiences. Participants presented their ideas, discussed key principles of using grants, and received practical tools for launching projects.

Such meetings help organizations establish connections, gain a better understanding of implementation approaches, and feel the community support.

Natalia Slynko, Vice President of Programs at East Europe Foundation, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech:

In this project, our Foundation is responsible for the institutional development of organizations. This includes training, mentoring, and capacity diagnostics. The related tools may seem complicated at first; however, they are practice-proven and help teams evolve. We strive not only to support with a grant but also to provide tools for development. We are excited when organizations reach new levels.

Without wasting any time, we launched the training program for participants right during this meeting.

Volodymyr Kuprii, Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at East Europe Foundation, explained to the organizations how they can track their performance and develop capacity, in particular when using the Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool.

Larysa Shkurka, a consultant on financial management, held a practical session on financial reporting in grant projects. Participants learned about changes in legislation, donor requirements, and the principles for the transparent use of funds.

Oleksandr Kulchytskyi, Head of Communications at the International Renaissance Foundation, spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence at work. During the training, participants learned to apply AI tools effectively to solve daily tasks.

Yulia Hudoshnyk, a storytelling consultant, held a session on human-centered stories, their structure, subtle aspects, and impact. Participants actively discussed issues, exchanged advice, and learned to transform their project experiences into influential stories.

This meeting served as a starting point and a powerful catalyst for 24 new projects and their teams.

Organizations face several months of activities, multi-format training, and implementation of ideas to lay the foundation for long-term changes in Ukrainian communities.

We wish them success!

The Impulse project implemented by East Europe Foundation and the International Renaissance Foundation with support from Norway and Sweden.