Program Purpose

The Democracy Grants Program supports projects to foster the development and education of civil society in Ukraine. The program is a focused but flexible mechanism, which provides seed money for unique and sustainable projects, particularly projects that help develop the capacity and sustainability of non-governmental organizations in Ukraine. Selection of projects is based on the applicants' ability to demonstrate concrete achievements which can show an impact in a given field or community. Over 600 projects from Ukrainian NGOs have received funding through the Democracy Grants Program since July 1996. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.


Major Program Requirements

• Grants can only be given to Ukrainian NGOs (non-profit and non-governmental organizations) registered in accordance with Ukrainian law. NGOs include, but are not limited to civic organizations or associations, charitable foundations and think tanks.
• NGOs and their members cannot represent or be affiliated with a political party, or appointed or elected officials.
• Although the maximum funding available for a single grant is $24,000, the average amount of awarded grants is between $5,000 and $15,000.
• American or other third-country organizations and individuals are not eligible to apply for grants.
• General competition application must be submitted in English and Ukrainian.
• In addition to general competition, the Embassy will, from time to time, hold special regional or thematic competitions, which may have different rules regarding project eligibility. Check the US Embassy website and local media for announcements.

• Human Rights education, monitoring, and reporting: Proposals should describe follow-up activities and what segment(s) of society will be targeted.
• Rule of Law and Legal Reforms: Legal support services, public education and advocacy, judicial support, lobbying efforts and related follow-up activities.
• Economic Reforms: Promoting market economy initiatives, improving the business environment for small and medium size enterprises. Supporting better working relationships between the public and private sectors. Lobbying for taxation reform and for other issues of concern to private enterprises and entrepreneurs.
• Civil Society Development: Initiatives that will further the development, effectiveness and sustainability of the third sector.
• Electoral System Support: Voter education and elections monitoring including training and other election related issues.
• Anti-Corruption and Transparency in Government: Education and awareness campaigns.
• Anti-Trafficking: Projects to promote awareness, prevention and legal remedies.
• Ethnic, minority and women's equality: Advocacy, legal consulting and association building projects and related issues.

Student Government Network Initiative and Process of Student Empowerment in Ukraine

In June 2008 the network of 15 organizations promoting student empowerment in Ukraine completed its activities. The network was active in all regions of Ukraine except Vinnytsya. On June 9, the city of Lviv hosted a conference that welcomed active participants of the network and served as a forum for discussions on the results of the work done from September 2007 through June 2008. The initiative, which was supported by the U.S. Embassy's Democracy Commission Program, provided a unique opportunity to strengthen student government bodies across Ukraine and to encourage discussions at higher education establishments on the subject of academic integrity. Project activities, which included debates, round tables, seminars and conferences, focused on the role of student government, on the code of ethics, on how to combat corruption at universities and how to effectively reach out to university administrations.

Network activities took place at 168 higher educational establishments throughout Ukraine; 30 student government bodies were created and consultations were provided to 155 student bodies and councils in twenty-four regions. Over a nine-month period, network participants became exposed to Western-style active student participation in university life; this includes a conference with a speaker from the University of Florida on the basics of student government and a conference on academic integrity led by a U.S. expert from the University of Maryland. In several regions organizations partnered with U.S. Peace Corps volunteers, who ran discussions on student leadership, honor codes and the U.S. experience of student involvement in university life.

The initiative introduced an idea of University Honor Codes on the national level in Ukraine. Network participants developed a concept code of honor, and a model that may be introduced at universities throughout Ukraine; the codes of honor were drafted at 83 educational institutions and five codes have been adopted by the universities. The initiative, one of a kind in Ukraine, presented the opportunity to discuss academic integrity and to support creation and advancement of student government bodies on a national level. The concept of an Honor Code, introduced by the network, will continue to develop in Ukraine in the future. Overall network efforts to strengthen the role of student government, with a long-term objective of combating corruption in education and raising the level of student influence at universities will continue.