Ukraine’s civil society sector has played a crucial role during the war, providing humanitarian aid, fostering social cohesion, raising resources for reconstruction, and serving as the voice of communities in the recovery process. CSOs are among the first to understand the needs of people on the ground and offer effective solutions tailored to specific circumstances.

To address the key challenges faced by the civil society, such as resource scarcity, development of new areas of activity, and adaptation to dynamic conditions, Phoenix Project: Power of Communities is being implemented. This initiative, supported by the European Union, is managed by East Europe Foundation. The project aims to enable civil society organizations to play an active role in reconstructing war-affected communities and facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the European Union.

The project consists of activities aimed at supporting civil society and European integration as follows: 

• Small grants program. Funding for projects focused on community restoration and fostering cooperation between CSOs and local authorities.
• Acceleration program for CSOs and development of civic tech solutions. Support in developing innovative solutions, such as chatbots, websites, and platforms, to assist communities, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other individuals affected by the war.
• Institutional Development and Capacity Building Program for Civil Society Organizations. Training, mentoring, and coaching to enhance CSOs’ skills in project management, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Institutional support grants. Funding to improve organizations’ financial, administrative, communication, and IT capacities, as well as to modernize technical equipment.
• Online courses. Development of practical online courses available on Zrozumilo! platform.
• Strengthening civil society’s role in Ukraine’s EU accession. Grant support, analytical preparation, and organization of events at national and local levels.
• Organizing an award to recognize Ukrainian CSOs that advocate for Ukraine’s EU accession at the local level.

The project’s activities span across Ukraine, excluding temporarily occupied territories. 

Phoenix Project: Power of Communities is implemented by East Europe Foundation with financial support from the European Union from 2024 to 2027.