Authorities and communities in Ukraine lack the capacity to jointly plan, budget and implement local development strategies. Such limited capacities create a scenario where local development priorities attract insufficient focus and resources; poverty levels remain high, local living conditions continue to deteriorate and worrying social trends often remain unaddressed. First phase of CBA succeeded in scaling up the community led approach to local development countrywide. It contributed to strengthening participatory governance, supported and developed local capacities for community-based development, and facilitated a collaborative relationship between communities and local authorities. While some progress has been achieved to improve transparency, accountability and quality of public services, there remains room for further improvement and dissemination of the approach.

CBA-II Project is funded by the European Union and is co-financed and implemented by UNDP, with the support of the Government of Ukraine and in partnership with local executive bodies/ bodies of self-governance. The Project’s total budget is €17 million with 98.4% contribution from EU and 1.6% cost sharing from UNDP. Project time frame is 4 years (June 2011 – June 2015).

To promote sustainable socio-economic development at local level by strengthening participatory governance and encouraging community-based initiatives throughout Ukraine. CBA Project specifically aims to promote community based approach to local governance and sustainable development and to enhance energy efficiency at local level.

The Project will be implemented in all 25 regions of Ukraine. Each region will organize a competition to choose pilot rayons and local councils. It is expected that around 60% of the successful pilot rayons of the first phase of the project will have an opportunity to continue the cooperation. In total, 200 rayons and 900 local councils are expected to partner with the Project.

At national level the project works with line ministries, parliamentary committees and other counterparts. The Project is supported by the Government of Ukraine; technical coordination is ensured by the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

Partnership Agreements will be signed with 24 oblasts and AR Crimea, as well as with 200 pilot rayons and 900 village councils.

900 local communities will be selected through a competitive process based on criteria of hardships, such as poverty, availability of basic services (health, water, energy saving, waste management) and level of commitment to share their resources.

CBA-II will support pilot rural communities in solving the most pressing problems of their development, helping them to organize, develop their potential and implement minor community initiatives (micro-projects) within major project priority:

■  Health (local health posts network);

■  Environnent;

■  Energy (energy conservation measures at local level, etc.);

■  Water management;

■  Small business promotion (through agricultural/service cooperative development

The Project will work in villages, settlements and small towns with less than 10,000 residents.

The maximum amount of grant for communal infrastructure rehabilitation will be $10000. The Project will be implemented through co-financing scheme. Accordingly, CBA will provide 50%, the local budget – 45%, and the communities – 5%.

The ceiling of grant for energy efficiency projects will be up to $20000 with CBA cost sharing up to 70%, local budget 25% and community’s share 5%. About 30% of the total project budget will be allocated to promote alternative energy and innovative technologies in energy saving.

Through training support, capacity of 6000 community members and 2000 state/elected officials will be enhanced enabling them to understand CBA methodology, prepare sound technical documents and proposals, mobilise resources and implement micro-projects that will ultimately improve their living condition. To bring citizens and authorities together in joint decision-making and joint action for local development, networks such as development forum and coordination council will be promoted and strengthened.

An important aspect of the Project activities in the second phase will be its focus on the consolidation of knowledge and experience acquired in course of its and implementation. For this purpose, knowledge management will play a central role. A knowledge hub will gather, analyze and store valuable knowledge and experience. Cooperation with universities will aim to introduce the knowledge on community based development into the curriculum and to encourage research on this topic.

First phase of the CBA Project was initiated in 2007. Since then, the Project has helped over 1000 Ukrainian communities in improving their living condition through collective actions and partnership with local authorities to realize community initiatives such as energy conservation in schools and kindergartens, renovation and purchase of equipment for medical centers, and water supply.

The first phase of CBA Project operated since December 2007 to 6 June 2011 with a budget of EUR 13.5 million. During this period, it partnered with 25 regions, 209 rayons and more than 1100 local councils (village/city councils with less than 10,000 populations). It mobilized 418,000 men and women from over 1100 rural communities and and got them organised into ‘community organisations (CO)’ which are founded on norms of good governance. These COs served as a strong venue for initiating local development that is based on aspiration of the people.

Over 25’000 rural activists and 7000 representatives of local councils and civil servants underwent trainings in various aspect of sustainable local development. As a result, the community members identified local priorities in form of community development plan (CDP) that became integral part of local development plan and served as basis for micro-project development

1303 micro-projects were implemented by COs. 59% of the communities prioritized energy saving in local schools and kindergartens, 21% repairing local outpatients’ clinics and procuring necessary medical equipment; 15% laying out or repairing water supply systems, while 5% purchased school buses, and 1% implemented environmental projects. The average cost of a community micro-project is UAH 150,000.

To finance community projects, about UAH 91 million was spent from the EU/UNDP resources and further UAH 88 million was allocated by the local authorities as parallel financing. In addition, the beneficiary communities themselves mobilized resources of above UAH 14 million, and private sector invested around UAH 3 mln.

The CBA approach methodology contributed to qualitative enhancement of local government, increase in trust towards authorities and establishment of effective cooperation between communities and authorities. The key instruments of the methodology are established structures that ensure regular dialogue in joint decision making.

Oblast coordination councils and local development forums are a platform for discussion of local priorities. They also assist in the coordination of activities of communities, authorities and businesses as partners in project implementation.

Oblast and rayon community resource centres provide valuable informational support to communities seeking self-organisation and looking for partners to fulfil joint initiatives. These centres accumulate the experience gained and information about potential donors, help communities to implement other initiatives beyond CBA project. These organisations help reproduce the community based development approach model in non-pilot communities.

Both communities and authorities assess these structures as highly effective, they are willing to support their work in the future and give a positive prediction of their high sustainability.

Watch the video from signing of Financing Agreement

Download CBA leaflet