The Centre of United Actions, in cooperation with the Spanish organization Novact (the International Institute for Nonviolent Action) and with the support of the Barcelona City Council, conducted a study of local civic initiatives in Kyiv and Kyiv oblast. Its goal was to identify the key challenges faced by leaders of these initiatives, as well as to analyze the specifics of their cooperation and interaction with other local initiatives, local self-government bodies, political parties, local councilors, international organizations, and other stakeholders. 

As part of the research, the Centre’s analysts conducted in-depth interviews with the leaders of 15 local civic initiatives established or registered after the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. 

Most of the initiatives covered in the study have significantly transformed since their inception. These transformations concerned both the scale and areas of their activity as well as the processes of institutionalization. 

Key problems faced by local civic initiatives include: 

  • financial instability and the lack of long-term support, 
  • personnel shortages and team overload, 
  • insufficient competencies in management, strategic planning, and communications, 
  • emotional exhaustion and burnout, 
  • difficulties in cooperation with local self-government bodies, local businesses, political actors, and other civic initiatives. 

The study also provides answers to the following questions: 

  • In which areas do the studied initiatives work? 
  • How have local civic initiatives transformed since February 24, 2022? 
  • What problems and needs do they face and how can these be addressed? 
  • How do they build cooperation with local self-government bodies, local branches of political parties and councilors, businesses, other initiatives, and donor organizations? 
  • What resources are necessary for sustainable development? 

The findings will form the basis for developing more effective mechanisms of support for Ukrainian civic initiatives from international partners. The data will also be used to design a training course aimed at enhancing the competencies and capacities of local civic initiative leaders. 

The full study is available at the link provided. The results will be useful for initiative leaders and organizations, representatives of local self-government bodies, donor organizations, and anyone interested in the development of grassroots civil society in Ukraine. 

Earlier, the Centre of United Actions conducted an in-depth study of grassroots initiatives that emerged after February 24, 2022. Based on that research, analysts identified the factors that enabled the most successful projects to effectively address the challenges they targeted.