During the reporting event, the head of the Project Agency, Olena Yampolska, spoke about the way of formation and the experience of institutionalizing the project team in the community. From
At the reporting event, Olena Yampolska, Head of the Agency, spoke about the project team’s journey and the institutionalisation experience in the municipality. From the idea and having it green-lit to its practical implementation — the entire process took just a few months.
Using a local subsidy from U-LEAD and following the guidance of U-LEAD’s experts, the Agency developed its own development strategy. They also worked out an algorithm for engaging and training local public activists, who were to contribute to attracting projects for the development of the municipality. In addition to being selected using a custom-designed method (including a questionnaire), they were also additionally trained. Those who passed the selection had the chance to learn more about project management, fundraising, writing grant applications, public relations and project marketing.
The work brought the first results: nine local development projects prepared and submitted to competitions and programmes with the possibility of co-financing by the beginning of September. In the last incomplete month, the number of applications has already increased to 14.
“We submitted application forms for nine grant initiatives. The potential funding involved is 2 million. These are programmes to support IDPs, increase women’s IT skills, prevent sexual and gender-based violence, promote urban development, etc. — each submitted project is designed to contribute to the growth and improvement of the municipality of Irpin. We will receive the first decisions on the submitted applications as early as in October. Whatever the answer, the path of transformation together with the Irpin Development Agency has already begun. I am grateful to Olena Yampolska, the inspirer and head of the Irpin Development Agency, the U-LEAD with Europe Programme and our enterprising and talented citizens!” said Oleksandr Markushyn, Mayor of Irpin.
The priority areas of the Agency’s work today are digitisation, rehabilitation of wounded servicepersons and civilians, energy management and environment protection. In the near future, the alumni of the project are to submit more than two dozen grant funding applications to relevant projects.
“At the current stage, this ambitious project has already achieved its goals — it has trained project managers from among civil society actors. Soon, the Agency will train project managers not only for the municipality of Irpin, but also for the neighbouring ones. We will be able to scale this successful experience to other municipalities,” said Maria Palchuk, Advisor of the Regional Office of U-LEAD in the Kyiv Oblast.
