A Vibrant Civil Society

In 2002, ISC launched a nationwide project in Ukraine designed to make the nonprofit sector a more effective, influential, and permanent partner alongside local governments and businesses in shaping the country's future. By helping these nonprofits secure a seat at the table and increasing citizen involvement in all aspects of public life, ISC is helping Ukrainians voice their priorities and constructively address them.

As people pressured into passivity during the Soviet era transform themselves into active citizens, they most often do so through nonprofits—the most direct way for citizens to be active. Along with helping the sector grow and thrive, we are also getting the story out about why nonprofits are essential to a health society, and why they matter to all Ukrainians.

Successes include:

• 69 of our grantees have successfully drafted or lobbied for critical legislative and policy changes at the local and national level addressing such issues as anticorruption, judicial reform, citizen access to services, human rights protection, and environmental protection.
• ISC has helped launch 15 social enterprises, creating more than 20 full-time and 40 part time employees. These businesses find creative ways to raise funding for their social service programs.
• ISC's fundraising and organizational management coaching of community organizations has helped them achieve a 160% increase in funding. We have also launched special initiatives to encourage domestic philanthropy, community foundations, and corporate giving-to ensure that the sector can thrive in the future.

In Ukraine this program is known widely as UCAN (the Ukraine Citizen Action Network). We invite you to visit the UCAN site at www.ucan-isc.org.ua/eng/.