Advocacy Support, fifth wave: grants of up to UAH 2.5 million for Ukrainian civil society organisations

The Askold and Dir Fund, administered by ISAR Ednannia under the project Strong Civil Society of Ukraine – Driving Reforms and Democracy, has launched the fifth wave of its grant call titled Advocacy Support to Enhance the Role and Impact of Civil Society. The initiative is funded by the governments of Norway and Sweden to help Ukrainian civil society organizations influence the adoption and implementation of critical European integration reforms.

The call is structured across four thematic lots offering funding up to UAH 2,500,000 per project, depending on the selected focus area. It aims to support up to 30 projects nationwide, with implementation periods lasting up to 12 months. Applications are accepted until 17:00 on 19 October 2026.

What is funded

Funding is directed toward advocacy campaigns, public oversight, and policy monitoring tied directly to Ukraine’s EU accession commitments and the legal environment for civil society. The call focuses strictly on systemic change rather than event organization, requiring projects to target measurable regulatory or institutional progress.

Lot 1 provides up to UAH 1,000,000 for creating an enabling environment for civil society, covering CSO legislation, participation mechanisms, the National Civil Society Development Strategy 2027-2031, and the protection of civic space. Lot 2 allocates up to UAH 1,500,000 for rule of law, anti-corruption, judicial reform, and oversight under Cluster 1 ‘Fundamentals’. Lot 3 awards up to UAH 1,500,000 for environmental and climate reforms under Cluster 4 and Chapter 27, including green reconstruction policies. Lot 4 allocates up to UAH 2,500,000 for national-level partnerships between media and advocacy CSOs targeting specific EU accession reforms.

The program explicitly does not fund local community integration initiatives, international advocacy, local environmental actions, research projects lacking an advocacy component, social services, humanitarian aid, or organizational development.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants must be officially registered Ukrainian non-governmental organizations or charitable organizations under the relevant laws of Ukraine. They must hold official non-profit status with tax codes 0032 or 0036.

Applicants are required to have at least two years of proven advocacy experience in the field of the chosen lot. For Lot 4, proposals may be submitted by media CSOs or advocacy CSOs working in formal partnership with independent media outlets. Media entities that are not registered as CSOs can only participate as project partners.

Organizations are permitted to submit multiple proposals across different lots, but only one project per applicant can be selected for funding.

Conditions and requirements

Every project proposal must articulate four core elements: the specific EU requirement or legal provision being addressed, the baseline situation, the concrete change pursued, and the methodology used to prove that the change took place.

Supported projects must last up to 12 months. Implementation must commence no earlier than one month after the application deadline. If an initiative requires collaboration with state authorities, local governments, or members of parliament, applicants are advised to submit supporting letters.

Practical tip. Frame your application strictly around the donor’s four mandatory questions, clearly demonstrating how your monitoring metrics or shadow reporting will deliver measurable legislative or institutional progress rather than simply listing conferences and public discussions.

How to apply

Applications must be prepared in response to the specific requirements of the chosen lot and submitted before 17:00 on 19 October 2026. Prior to the deadline, the Askold and Dir Fund team plans to host an informational session for prospective applicants.

Following the submission cutoff, technical selection, applicant interviews, and Selection Committee meetings will take place in November 2026. Final verification and contract signing are scheduled for November and December 2026.

Applications are submitted on the donor’s page: ednannia.ua.