How can civil society organizations stay focused in times of constant change? How can they make decisions that remain effective not only today but also in the years ahead? And how can they turn ideas into a real action plan? Impulse grantees explored these questions during a three‑day strategic planning workshop.

Over the past two months, the Foundation’s team has already conducted similar training for about 100 partner organizations within the project implemented in cooperation with the International Renaissance Foundation.

We invited different trainers for different groups of grantees, but the goal remained the same: to help organizations design their own development strategies and strengthen their capacity to operate under ongoing challenges.

This time, the training for 24 CSOs from various regions of Ukraine was delivered by Volodymyr Stehnii — an expert in strategic planning, management consulting, and business strategy development.

Together with the trainer, participants went through the entire strategic planning cycle: analyzing organizational activities, defining mission and vision, setting strategic goals, engaging stakeholders, and managing risks.

A strategy is not a document to be set aside once written. It is a tool that helps identify priorities, use resources more effectively, respond confidently to challenges, and make decisions that support long‑term organizational development.

That is why participants not only explored the theory but also applied it in practice during the workshop. They assessed their strengths and weaknesses, worked with target audiences, identified key values, and immediately began developing elements of their own strategic plans.

Networking was an important part of the workshop. We strive to create a welcoming environment where grantees can meet each other, share experiences, discuss common challenges, and find partners for future initiatives. For us, the Impulse Project is not only about supporting individual organizations — it is also about building a strong community where people learn and grow together.

Most partner organizations of the Impulse Project work daily with the consequences of the war and support people in their communities. That is why we try to hold our training events in quiet countryside locations surrounded by nature. This gives participants an opportunity to change their environment for a few days, connect with colleagues, and take time to recharge.

We believe that strong communities begin with strong organizations. That is why we continue creating opportunities for learning, mutual support, and partnership development.

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