The Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research (UCIPR) continues to work on strengthening civil society, developing local democracy, and improving the operating environment for CSOs.
At the beginning of 2026, we prepared the UCIPR 2025 Annual Report, highlighting key results in civil society development, analytical work, and reform advocacy. It summarizes our activities while outlining priorities for further support of civil society organizations and communities.
In parallel, since the start of the year, we have focused our efforts on legislative analytics, practical support for communities, and the development of participatory tools. In this digest, we have compiled the main results of our work.
Analyzing Legislative Initiatives for CSOs
From January to March, our team conducted systematic monitoring of legislative changes affecting civil society organizations. We prepared 4 legislative digests and 9 in-depth legislative analyses regarding:
- The opportunities and challenges posed by the 2026 State Budget for the civic sector;
- The updated approach to the verification of humanitarian organizations;
- Draft Law No. 14372, aimed at strengthening the protection of state and public figures from threats, violence, and public incitement, particularly in the digital environment;
- Opportunities and risks for the civic sector within Draft Labor Code No. 14386;
- Draft New Civil Code of Ukraine No. 14394 and its potential impact on CSOs;
- New rules of interaction with communities for non-state social service providers;
- Simplification of procedures for foreign volunteers in Ukraine;
- Improving the accessibility of specialized transport for persons with disabilities;
- The Draft National Strategy for Human Rights for the period until 2035.
These materials were distributed among CSOs, international partners, and donors, serving as a practical tool for informed management decisions.
Developing Local Democracy
We selected five regional partners to develop public participation tools in the communities of Southern and Eastern Ukraine. A two-day training was held for them with the participation of Robert Dekker, Head of the Political Department at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine. He emphasized the key role of active citizen participation in democratic governance.
Additionally, our team completed the first stage of selecting territorial communities for the development and implementation of Community Charters in the Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv oblasts; selection is ongoing in the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions. This work is part of a project supported by the MATRA Program of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine.
Simultaneously, work continues on the Charters of communities in the Ternopil region. In March, the Ternopil City Council approved a new version of its Community Charter, prepared with UCIPR expert support. UCIPR experts Maksym Lukiniuk and Maksym Latsyba provided professional support throughout all stages of development. This cooperation is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation.
The importance of Charters and how communities can influence local government decisions was discussed by Maksym Latsyba, Head of the UCIPR Civil Society Development Program, on the morning show "The Same Morning with Andriy Kulykov" on Hromadske Radio.
Social Services Without VAT: Clarifications from UCIPR
Our expert on CSO taxation and charitable activities, Yulia Panura, held a webinar for CSO representatives on current issues regarding the provision of social services in 2026.
During the event, participants reviewed regulatory changes in the social services sector, requirements for non-state providers, and practical aspects of work organization: from determining the legal status of a provider to accounting and reporting specifics.
As a reminder, Yulia Panura and Maksym Latsyba participated in the preparation and advocacy of legislative changes regarding the exemption of social services from VAT. For the convenience of CSOs, the UCIPR team also prepared an infographic with key explanations.
School Participatory Budgeting: A Participation Tool for Students
Maksym Latsyba also appeared on Hromadske Radio to discuss the School Participatory Budget (SPB)—explaining what this tool is, how it works, and how widespread it is in Ukraine.
To further promote this tool, the UCIPR team launched the #SPB_in_action series on its Facebook page, showcasing best practices for implementing school budgets across Ukraine.
More Important News
- Within the framework of the National Platform for Resilience and Cohesion, we collaborated with partners to prepare the report "Resilience and Cohesion of Ukrainian Society During the War" for November–December 2025.
- At the beginning of the year, UCIPR’s work was recognized by the International Renaissance Foundation—the organization was included in the TOP 25 partners for its contribution to the development of public participation.
Read also: Legislative Changes for the Public Sector - Digest for the first half of March 2026 from the UCIPR