Small Grants for Social Services and Early Intervention: a collaboration between the Ministry of Social Policy, UNICEF, the Government of the United Kingdom, and the Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities

Implementing a financial support project for providers of social services and early intervention through small grants has commenced in Ukrainian communities. The objective is to ensure that families with children have access to essential social services at the local level, thereby promoting their well-being and development. The project will be executed in 11 regions of Ukraine: Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi oblasts, and the city of Kyiv. Over the past three weeks, we have received over 100 applications from communities in the pilot regions.

A memorandum outlining collaboration in this area has been signed by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The memorandum was signed by Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych, Director General of the Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities Vitalii Muzychenko, Head of the UNICEF Representative Office in Ukraine Munir Mammadzade, and The Director of Development of the Embassy of Great Britain in Ukraine, Stefan Kossoff.

"Developing human capital is key to Ukraine’s recovery. We are taking significant steps to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance the social protection system, and implement critical reforms to improve effectiveness and inclusivity. This approach guarantees sustainable and inclusive recovery directly in communities, and we are deeply grateful to our partners for their indispensable support," said Oksana Zholnovych.

Under the project, social service providers that meet the established criteria will have the opportunity to receive grant support of up to USD 60,000 for the provision of one or more services. The total project budget exceeds USD 6 million, enabling support for approximately 100 organizations and fostering the development of an effective market for accessible social services locally.

The primary goal of the project is to provide early intervention services and seven key social services for families with children and children, including:

• Building resilience;
• Daycare services for children with disabilities (for children with disability category A);
• Support during inclusive education;
• Temporary respite care for parents or guardians of children with disabilities;
• Social support for families with children facing challenging life circumstances;
• Transitional supported housing/training apartments (homes) for orphans, children deprived of parental care, and young people aged 16 to 23 from this category who are registered for housing and/or social housing in their place of origin or residence;
• Social support for families raising orphans and children deprived of parental care, as well as early intervention services.

"Ensuring access to quality social services for families with children at the local level is not only about supporting vulnerable groups but also an investment in the social resilience of communities. Through this project, we are strengthening service providers' capacity and creating the foundation for their further development," added Vitalii Muzychenko.

“The SPIRIT initiative will further strengthen social protection systems nationally and community-based services at a local level at a time when children and families need them the most,” said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine.

“This support from the United Kingdom enables critical system-changing work that will ultimately help to protect and improve the lives of children and families in the weeks and years to come,” added Mammadzade.

The Small Grants Project is one of the three key pillars of the flagship SPIRIT program, launched by the UK Government in partnership with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the World Bank, and UNICEF to support Ukraine’s social recovery. In addition, the SPIRIT program includes the launch of cross-sectoral initiatives that bring together efforts in healthcare, economics, and social policy to support the most vulnerable populations and address challenges caused by the war.

“We are proud to have partnered with MoSP, UNICEF, and WB, working together through the SPIRIT programme to strengthen Ukraine's social systems and services, which is one of the first projects within 100 Year Partnership between our countries. “Today’s memorandum is an important step in ensuring that local civil society organisations and community actors have means to support the most vulnerable children and families. “On the third anniversary of the start of Russia’s appalling full-scale invasion, the UK stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine and remains an ironclad partner” said Stefan Kossoff.

The signed memorandum reflects the Government’s commitment to working with international partners to build an innovative, effective, and inclusive social protection system that meets contemporary challenges and the population's needs amid the ongoing war.

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