As the brutal winter freeze continues on Ukraine’s shifting battlegrounds, the impact of war steadily ripples outward: more than 12 million Ukrainians are displaced, with some three million more likely unable to stay where they have sheltered. In every corner of Ukraine, civil society has responded: 1,700 new volunteer-based civil society organizations (CSO) have risen up alongside some 150 local NGOs and various church associations. Yet according to the UN Financial Tracking Service, two-thirds of the millions of dollars of humanitarian aid goes to UN agencies, and only 0.003% to national Ukrainian NGOs – those with the “access, local knowledge, connections, language and… the personal commitment to saving lives and delivering help no matter what,” according to a published open letter from a consortium of Ukrainian CSOs and their allies. 

To bring Ukrainian voices into more critical conversations, a recent international panel discussion, “Shifting Power and Resources to Ukraine,” was co-hosted by the letter’s author, the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development (NNLPD) from Kiev, Ukraine, and the Global Foundation for Community Foundations (GFCF) based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The panel brought together foundation leaders from Western and Eastern Ukraine to share insights and answer funder questions, and to address the letter’s four key points for funders trying to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. 

Providing philanthropic funds effectively across national borders is complex and challenging, especially in response to a crisis or disaster. There are many considerations for funders to keep in mind, some of which I outlined when the war in Ukraine first began. As the war approaches its one-year mark, we continue to learn about how philanthropy directed towards Ukraine can be done more effectively. These lessons, which can be applied to international giving around the world in many different circumstances, are important reminders for all of us. 

  1. Cut the bureaucracy. 
  2. Let local civil society actors decide their priorities and how they wish to act in solidarity. 
  3. Invest in ways to help local people tell their own stories and to help them explain what they are doing to help. This supports deeper understanding and helps them secure access to resources directly. 
  4. Start to learn from them. 

Read the full article about supporting Ukraine in the winter by Maggi Alexander at The Philanthropic Initiative.