The meeting of the “Act Locally in Ukraine Summer School” was attended by representatives of the following non-governmental organizations from Ukraine:

• Berezan Community Foundation based in Berezan;
• Gostynets Association based in Nowojaworowsk;
• Bari Community Foundation based in Bar;
• Community Foundation of Voznesensk based in Vozniesiensk;
• Unity of community – wealthy village PO (Vita-Poshtova)
• Buslav Sich PO based in Bohuslav,
• Institute of communities’ development PO based in Obuchov;
• Effective Community PO Center of joint activities based in Starobielsk;
• Sobornist (Unity) PO based in Svatove;
• Agency of Vugledar Development based in Vugledar;

The meeting, held at the seat of PAFF’s Representative Office, was opened by Joanna Lempart, the PAFF Program Director, and Paweł Łukasiak, the President of the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy. The participants were then welcomed by Olga Nikolska, the representative of ISAR Ednannia, that is the organization acting as the Ukrainian manager of the project.

The event was an opportunity for the guests from Ukraine to learn about PAFF international programs implemented with partners from the East, which were presented by Agnieszka Mazur, a PAFF Program Manager. In turn,  Marzena Kacprowicz of the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland, an Act Locally in Ukraine project coordinator, presented the results of pilot program implemented from September 2016 to August 2017, under which 10 selected Act Locally Centers cooperated with NGOs in Ukraine. What that cooperation looked like in practice was presented by Marcin Rechulicz, the President of Czajnia Association (Act Locally Center based in Tomaszów Lubelski) and Anna Oksanichenko of the Good Cases Alliance, who spoke about the re-granting project carried out in Vasilkov.

An important item of the meeting was the presentation of the “Act Locally” Program development over 18 years, given by Kalina Grzeszuk-Zajączkowska, a PAFF Program Manager. In turn, Paweł Zań, an Act Locally Program Coordinator, and Tomasz Bruski, the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland Finance Director spoke about the program’s main components and procedures, and presented the ways the program benefits local communities. The representatives of Ukrainian NGOs participated also in the workshop on the “Ways to Involve Local Communities Based on Local Resources”  conducted by Iwona Olkowicz of STOPA Association in Ełk. Mapping the local community resources, the participants of the workshop worked out ideas of interesting initiatives and activating various groups of recipients.

The last item on the agenda of the two-day meeting in Warsaw was the presentation by Rafał Rudnicki of Unit of Social Innovation and Research – “Shipyard” Foundation of a tool allowing to measure an impact on social capital. Inspired by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation BOX was used by four Act Locally Centers. One of them was Biłgoraj Region Local Fund, whose President Irena Gadaj together with Maciej Mulawa told the Ukrainian guests about their work with that tool when they presented the results of a transborder project carried out in cooperation with the Ukrainian Chervonohrad Local Fund.

Then the participants of the “Act Locally Summer School” went on a study tour to Nidzica, where they were hosted by Krzysztof Margol, the President of the Nida Nidzica Development Foundation. The guests had an opportunity to get acquainted with the Pottery Village social enterprise in Kamionka near Nidzica. The enterprise was established in 2007 as an initiative of Nidzica partnership under the “Towards Polish Model Of Social Economy – We Build New Lisków” project financed from the European Union funds and based on a pilot project implemented under the “Act Locally” Program. The Pottery Village employs people who deal with crafts – tailors, potters, souvenir and handmade paper manufacturers. The enterprise holds workshops and training courses for those who want to learn craft. It was established to activate long-term unemployed and at the same time to combine entrepreneurship and promotion of history and regional culture.

The guests attended also a workshop on methods of fundraising for social activities. Paweł Łukasiak and Olga Nikolska conducted a session on Local Fundraising: Trends in Poland and Ukraine. Next Artur Rajkowski, the Generations Foundation President (Act Locally Center based in Tczew) spoke about the ways of raising the fund of PLN 1 million for local grants by his ALC as a result of cooperation with various institutions. The fundraising session was summed up by Paweł Łukasiak, who conducted a workshop on “How To Choose The Best Fundraising Method And Test It In Practice”. During that workshop the participants worked out a method that they found most suitable in their local conditions and prepared the plan of its implementation.

The Act Locally in Ukraine project is a continuation of the pilot project implemented by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland from September 2016 to August, which was the result of synergy of two programs – “Act Locally” and “Region in Transition” (RITA) – carried out by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation. The objective is to transmit “Act Locally” experience to Ukraine and start building there a network of NGOs similar to the Act Locally Centers network operating in Poland. The Ukrainian partner of the project is ISAR Ednannia.