History of the fund

One of its first areas of work was supporting the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine. The initiative group launched the development of a network of advisors on internally displaced persons. These advisors worked across all regions of Ukraine and supported public authorities in responding to the new social challenges caused by internal displacement.
The network of IDP advisors became one of the first mechanisms for cooperation between state institutions, local communities, and internally displaced persons, gradually building substantial practical experience in addressing internal displacement at both national and regional levels.

The Foundation’s team continued working with state institutions and local communities, focusing on supporting internally displaced persons and developing tools for their integration.

The team conducted needs assessments of IDPs, prepared analytical materials for government institutions, and contributed to the development of decisions that improved access to social protection, housing, employment, and administrative services.
During this year, the Foundation established an expert team working at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, public policy, and community development.

At the same time, the Foundation continued its analytical and advocacy work aimed at improving public policy in the field of internal displacement.

The first IDP Councils were established in five regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia. Their experience laid the groundwork for scaling the model to other regions and for the development of a future national network of IDP Councils.
At the same time, the Foundation launched a number of innovative projects aimed at supporting people affected by war. These included the use of educational games to address sensitive social issues, the development of social protection programs and veteran rehabilitation initiatives, as well as other activities focused on strengthening social cohesion and supporting communities.

The Foundation supported communities in establishing IDP Councils, trained those joining them, developed methodological materials, and facilitated dialogue between displaced women and men and local authorities. The first methodological recommendations and support tools for IDP Councils were also developed.

Across different regions of Ukraine, new IDP Councils emerged while existing ones continued to grow, laying the foundation for a national system of displaced people’s participation in local decision-making.
The Foundation also approved its development plan through 2024. Its key priorities included protecting the socio-economic and democratic rights of internally displaced people, strengthening the capacity of local authorities through the IDP Council mechanism, expanding a regional network of civil society partner organisations, and reinforcing the Foundation’s own organisational capacity.
During the year, more than 10,000 people received humanitarian assistance, hundreds benefited from legal, psychological, and social support, and many also took part in the Foundation’s training programmes and civic initiative development activities.

In response, the Foundation revised its organisational structure and priorities. All programmes and projects were reoriented toward addressing urgent humanitarian needs. A dedicated humanitarian unit was established within the organisation to provide rapid support to people affected by war.
The Foundation’s teams launched large-scale humanitarian operations in communities across the country. During the year, more than 325,000 people received humanitarian assistance, and over 165,000 food and non-food item kits were distributed. At the same time, the organisation provided legal, social, and psychological support to people affected by war: more than 16,000 people received legal assistance, while thousands benefited from social and psychological support programmes.
The Foundation also launched cash assistance programmes to help thousands of people cover their basic needs.
Support to the social protection system became another important area of work. During the year, 132 social protection offices received office equipment and were able to restore operations in communities hosting large numbers of internally displaced people.
The Foundation continued its advocacy work as well: during the year, 52 advocacy interventions were carried out, and more than 60 new IDP Councils were established.

After the period of emergency assistance, the team gradually resumed advocacy projects aimed at improving policies in the areas of social protection and support for internally displaced people, while continuing to strengthen its humanitarian response work.
A major focus of the year was support to the social protection system in war-affected communities. The Foundation implemented rapid repair programmes, supported the restoration of social infrastructure and the functioning of social protection institutions, and also contributed to the creation of new jobs within social institutions.
During the year, more than 121,000 people received humanitarian assistance, and over 51,000 food and non-food item kits were distributed. More than 33,000 people received legal support, while thousands also benefited from cash assistance programmes.
The Foundation continued to provide systematic support to social protection institutions: 118 social protection offices were equipped with office equipment, and 760 repairs of varying complexity were carried out in social institutions.
At the same time, advocacy work and the development of the IDP Council network continued. During the year, 53 advocacy interventions were carried out, 131 new IDP Councils were established, and 84 strategic sessions were organised to support their work.

During the year, the first nationwide mapping of IDP Councils was conducted. It gathered basic information about their work and helped create an interactive map and catalogue of councils across the country.
The Foundation continued its advocacy work to protect the rights of people affected by war. Over the course of the year, 8 national-level advocacy interventions were carried out to improve policies in the areas of social protection and support for internally displaced persons.
During the year, more than 15,000 people received legal assistance, more than 65,000 received humanitarian support, and more than 3,500 received cash assistance. In addition, 825 repairs of varying complexity were completed in social institutions, helping restore their operations and improve access to social services in war-affected communities.

The Foundation continued implementing humanitarian support programmes and initiatives aimed at strengthening social services. During the year, more than 44,000 people received humanitarian assistance, including the distribution of over 32,000 food and non-food item kits. More than 23,000 people received legal support, and thousands benefited from cash assistance programmes.
The Foundation also continued supporting the social protection system: 518 social protection offices were equipped with office equipment, and 336 repairs of varying complexity were completed in social institutions. Support for basic services remained another important area of work — nearly 19,000 people used laundry, shower, and social hub services.