The Agency for Private Initiative Development (ARPI) and the Network of Ukrainian CSOs for Support of Communities with Heritage GoHeritage! announce a competition for youth initiatives to protect and preserve local heritage within the framework of a project implemented with co-financing from the NED Democracy Endowment Fund (USA).

As part of the previous competition, held in 2023, 22 contestants from 17 regions of Ukraine were selected, who participated in a training camp, and subsequently prepared project applications, among which 5 public initiatives were supported.

Youth CSOs[1] of Ukraine, public activists, informal youth associations and initiative groups are invited to participate in the second competition.

Initiatives must be implemented within one or more local communities of Ukraine (except for communities in temporarily occupied territories). It is expected to support no more than one initiative in a specific community.

The competition includes the following stages: 1) submission of concepts of CSO initiatives in the field of preserving the cultural heritage of the relevant local communities; 2) training camp for authors of the best concepts; 3) grant support and implementation of selected initiatives.

Stage 1. Submission of the initiative concept

The initiative concept must be submitted by January 20, 2024, by filling out the application at this link https://forms.gle/ewDZXaJzYtNeRx349.

For ease of preparation and filling out, the application in word format is available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SsDf5yCrWWzc2V8M0BgTPrP8R__XQK3x/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109332627542289285224&rtpof=true&sd=true.

Letters of support from potential partners: local governments, state authorities and CSOs of relevant territorial communities, etc. are welcome, but not mandatory.

No more than 20 concepts will be selected based on the evaluation results.

The selection results will be announced by February 10, 2024.

Stage 2. Bootcamp for authors of the best concepts

The authors of the 20 selected concepts will be invited to a training camp aimed at refining the submitted concepts, "pumping" communication, advocacy, lobbying skills, and working through your personal heritage-related cases. The experience gained will help the camp participants not only prepare and implement effective projects, but also promote the systematic involvement of community residents in the preservation of cultural heritage and strengthen the impact of cultural heritage on the development of communities and territories.

The training camp will be held approximately in February-March 2024. Specific dates will be announced to the invitees after the completion of stage 1.

Stage 3. Grant support and implementation of selected initiatives

Based on the experience and knowledge gained during the camp, participants will be able to prepare and submit refined project concepts for sub-grants.

Submission of full project proposals is expected in April 2024.

Based on the results of the evaluation of the submitted project proposals, the participants who scored the highest number of points will be provided with sub-grants to implement their initiatives. The maximum size of the sub-grant in hryvnias is equivalent to 2,000 US dollars at the conversion rate at the time of transfer of funds to the sub-grantor. In total, the program plans to support 5 projects with grants, which should be implemented by the end of August 2024.

Grant support will be provided, in particular, but not exclusively, for the following activities:

Activities that communicate to identified target groups the role and significance of community heritage in local, national and international contexts:

• performative presentation actions (theatrical performances, reconstructions of eras);
• events for children, including the development and testing of methods and programs for education through knowledge of cultural heritage;
• preparation, publication and distribution of printed or electronic publications;
• digitization of archives of tangible and intangible heritage (for example, songs, stories, applied craft techniques or cultures of work, etc.);
• inventory (recording, description and translation) of authentic techniques of applied, visual, performative, choreographic, vocal art (creation of text, audio and video projects, etc.);
• initiatives of CSOs forcibly displaced from occupied territories or areas of active hostilities, aimed at preserving and popularizing the cultural heritage of their communities. "Live" or online events on the presentation of cultural heritage and local identity of communities, etc. are welcome;
• improvement of heritage sites (restoration of buildings or interiors, improvement of monuments, libraries, museums, public spaces, etc.);
• creation of heritage interpretation tools (stands, thematic locations, photo zones, costumes for amateur theaters and performances, uniforms for local guides, etc.).

The following cannot be financed:

• political projects (activities of political parties, local council deputies), election campaigns;
• commercial projects aimed at making a profit;
• salaries of CSO employees;
• activities/expenses incurred by CSOs before receiving a subgrant or after the end of the project implementation period;
• covering administrative expenses of CSOs and their expenses for paying for utility services;
• payment of penalties (penalties), administrative fines, compensation for damage (losses);
• events, the holding of which is restricted under martial law (mass gatherings, rallies, movement of vehicles in convoys, etc.).

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The program is implemented within the framework of the project “Promoting Youth Civic Participation in Decentralized Communities” with co-financing from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The project is a continuation and strengthening of the results of ARPI’s activities with the support of NED. Thanks to these projects, a number of changes were introduced to strategic policy documents and the scope for CSO involvement in the preservation and management of cultural heritage was expanded. From 2019 to 2022, the network leaders prepared cultural and natural heritage interpretation plans for 18 communities from 13 regions of Ukraine, and also achieved significant progress in involving community residents in the preservation of local histories, antiquities, and in the revitalization of “communal” castles and palaces.

[1] CSOs are civil society organizations registered under the legislation of Ukraine as a legal entity in the form of a public association (public organization, public union) or a charitable organization and included in the Register of Non-Profit Institutions and Organizations (non-profit designation 0032 or 0036).