Developing a local target program, launching a social service, applying for a grant, calculating a budget — all of this can be done faster and more effectively if the community has a social passport. This is evidenced by the results of a survey we conducted among representatives of local self-government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and IDP Сouncils in 13 communities.

A community social passport is a working document that contains information about the community’s resources and social characteristics, allowing its potential to be assessed. 

During 2023–2025, we helped develop social passports for 98 communities across 19 regions.

Yuliana Hasanbekova, project coordinator for the development of social passports, noted: “The community social passport is the key to strategic planning for local self-government bodies and non-governmental organizations. For IDP Сouncils, it is a data-driven advocacy tool, a step toward partnership and participation in self-government.”

This year, we plan to support 12 more communities in developing social passports in collaboration with local self-government bodies, IDP Сouncils, and non-governmental organizations. The survey we conducted allowed us to assess their readiness and capacity to participate in this work and to develop an updated structure for the document.

Up next are training sessions on developing and updating social passports, led by our team for communities and non-governmental organizations.

Key Survey Findings

Willingness to participate in developing the community social passport:

1. Local self-government bodies, IDP Councils, and non-governmental organizations are ready to actively participate in compiling the community social passport (IDP Councils show the highest level of motivation to participate).
2. The main obstacle for non-governmental organizations and IDP councils is a lack of resources for autonomous work.
3. Local self-government bodies prefer to use internal administrative resources rather than engage external experts.
4. All stakeholders require training on developing the social passport, analyzing, and utilizing the collected data.

Priority management decisions that can be made based on social passport data:

1. Development of local targeted programs and strategic documents.
2. Introduction of new social services.
3. Project activities and grant proposal writing.
4. Budget formulation.

Data that should be included in the social passport, first and foremost:

1. Social vulnerability and registration of vulnerable groups (IDPs, veterans and their family members, families with war-related status, people with disabilities).
2. Social service providers of all forms of ownership.
3. General characteristics of the community.
4. Inclusivity and accessibility.
5. Demographic profile of the community.

What data communities lack for compiling a social passport:

1. Actual number of community residents (including unregistered residents).
2. The actual number of internally displaced persons (including displaced persons who are not registered as IDPs).
3. The unmet needs of residents who do not seek assistance.
4. Data on the professional profiles and qualifications of IDPs.

A survey on working with the community’s social passport was conducted by the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” in February–March 2026 as part of the Support to the Capacity of Government Institutions and Local Hromadas to Strengthen Social Protection Systems in Ukraine project, implemented with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.

Translated using AI.