On August 4, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted amendments to Cabinet Decree No. 1049 setting up the procedures for online contest-based public funding of CSOs ("Contest Procedure for Projects of Civil Society Institutions Receiving Financial Support").
The amendments allow providing public funding to CSOs through a single online platform (Vzaemo.Diia) and unified document format for all contest holders.
The unified rules for all participants of the contest will eliminate paperwork inconveniences; increase transparency of CSO public funding procedures; and make computer-based evaluations of the projects and ensure impartial project assessment.
Among other advantages, the adopted changes provide the following opportunities:
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public participation in the project evaluation process;
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holding online meetings of selection commissions and public presentation of the projects;
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announcing additional contest if some budget funds have not been allocated;
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introducing concepts of real and potential conflict of interests;
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reduction of the minimum number of members of local selection commissions (from seven to five);
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extended time period to announce a competition (from April to July).
The changes will simplify the contest procedures, allow a higher number of CSOs to receive public funding and ensure transparent procedures for selecting CSO projects.
The next step: the Ministry of Digital Transformation should develop technical tools for the platform so that ministries can use the online system to conduct the contests.