Strengthening the Role of Communities in Managing Local Development in Ukraine

About this grant

The program goal is to promote community participation in decisionmaking related to decentralization reforms in Ukraine. These reforms will see increasing authority devolved to the municipal level. The Association of Small Towns of Ukraine will work with municipal authorities and community leaders in six selected pilot towns in three regions to address three critical areas of participatory municipal governance: transparent budget processes, monitoring the quality of public services, and economic development. The grantee will conduct a series of training activities in these areas and will also organize a study visit to Poland to learn from an analogous process of territorial administrative reform implemented there. Established in 2010 to serve and promote the interests of small municipalities across Ukraine, the grantee works to improve local administration, engagement of community organizations in local governance, and the promotion of the needs of small towns to higher levels of government.