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3D Project: Development Despite Disruption

The goal of the “3D Project: Development Despite Disruption. Resilient Civil Society at a Time of Covid-19 and Beyond” is to assist community organizations in adapting to the new reality that has come with the pandemic, by applying civic tech. This includes digital tools that simplify communication between the government and its people, and engage individuals in the process of resolving contemporary problems of local or national significance.

This project is being implemented by the East Europe Foundation with funding from the European Union. It aims to strengthen civil society in Ukraine to counter the negative impact of Covid-19. The 3D Project runs from October 2020 to April 2022.

The project’s objectives are to:

  • Supply civil society with innovative instruments, including civic tech apps to improve dialog, both within communities, and between communities and their local governments;
  • Develop the institutional capacity of CSOs to scale up the effectiveness of their community efforts;
  • Expand the professional and leadership competencies of community activists;
  • Foster political dialog between civil society and stakeholders in Ukraine;
  • Strengthen the capacity of CSOs to engage in the democratization process in Ukraine;
  • Provide grant-based support to carry out community initiatives aimed at local development in the face of the pandemic.

The 3D Project has four components:

Online courses to expand the professional competencies of community activists

This component includes a series of informational events and the development of online courses that offer activists in the civic sector much-needed knowledge and skills. Two online courses will be offered through the Zrozumilo! online education platform: “Design Thinking and Innovation for NGOs” and “Open Data for NGOs and Civil Servants.”

Leadership coaching for CSOs

This component of the 3D Project provided group and individual coaching for 40 professionals from partner CSOs. A handbook on leadership coaching will also be produced under this component.

The Act to Connect competition and accelerated program

The 3D Project announced a competition for digital solutions to social and community problems caused by the pandemic. Ten teams were selected to go through an accelerated program, six of which made the final cut and were given UAH 1 million each to improve their civic tech instruments. Among these were the Marta bot and the Help Chornobyl online legal service for liquidators and others who were harmed by the Chornobyl catastrophe.

Community Initiative Grant Support Program

This component envisages two waves of grant support for 20 community initiatives aimed at instituting and popularizing civic tech instruments to improve interactions between governments and communities in the process of resolving local problems during a pandemic.