A major shift in youth policy funding is on the horizon in Ukraine, with the potential to reshape the environment for youth CSOs in Ukraine. On 5 June 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted Law 4229-IX of Ukraine “On the Basic Principles of Youth Policy”, aimed at improving the mechanisms for financial support of youth policy implementation. While the law is still awaiting the President’s signature, it introduces substantial changes:
- it expands funding sources;
- increases transparency; and
- boosts institutional capacity support.
These steps mark a strategic alignment with Ukraine’s post-war recovery goals and EU accession pathway.
The new law significantly broadens the concept of grants in youth policy, allowing funding not only from state and local budgets or international assistance but also from voluntary contributions by individuals, businesses (including foreign ones), and other legal sources. This widens access to funding and reduces the reliance on public budgets.
Importantly, the Ukrainian Youth Foundation (UYF) will now also offer institutional support, not just project-based grants. Youth and children’s CSOs can now benefit from funding for their teams, offices, and administrative capacity – a first for Ukraine. The law also strengthens transparency by obliging UYF to publish all supported projects publicly.
New elements introduced include:
- Definitions of mobile youth centres;
- Introduction of the "Youth Guarantee" mechanism, aligned with EU standards;
- Incentives for preferential rental conditions for youth CSOs;
- Enhanced inter-agency cooperation on youth issues.
The development is a breakthrough for the Ukrainian youth sector. By enabling access to diverse funding streams, the law enhances CSOs’ ability to scale up initiatives, improve financial sustainability, and extend their reach.
The inclusion of institutional grants offers a crucial shift – allowing organisations to plan long-term, build internal capacity, and improve service continuity for youth. Moreover, these changes align with broader EU practices, further integrating Ukraine into the European civil society framework.
The update is especially meaningful for grassroots and regional youth organisations, often operating on shoestring budgets. Now, they can receive support not just for one-off projects, but for day-to-day operations and staff costs, which were previously hard to fund.
The law also allows them to engage at the international level with youth networks and partner institutions abroad. For many local CSOs, this opens up new collaborations, exchanges, and learning opportunities—especially significant amid ongoing war and recovery efforts.
With the law adopted and awaiting the President’s signature, the next key steps include:
- Development of by-laws and implementation guidelines;
- Launch of new grant competitions under UYF’s revised mandate;
- Continued monitoring by CSOs to ensure transparent and fair grant allocation.
The reform was shaped by advocacy from civil society, especially youth-focused organisations, showing the effectiveness of civic engagement. If implemented well, the reform could set a precedent for broader CSO support frameworks in Ukraine’s recovery and European integration process.