This report is based on the Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index (CSOSI) methodology, which assesses the sustainability of civil society organizations (CSOs). The CSOSI methodology was developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and, as of 2022, was implemented by FHI 360 in partnership with the International Center for Not-for- Profit Law (ICNL) in 73 countries.
Since 2023, CSOSI reports for Ukraine have been prepared by the Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research (UCIPR) with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.
The Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index (the Index) covers the following seven dimensions that are critical to sectoral sustainability:
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legal environment,
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organizational capacity,
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financial viability,
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advocacy,
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service provision,
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sectoral infrastructure,
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public image.
Expert panel members from different oblasts of Ukraine and representing various areas of CSO activity discuss changes in each dimension during the year under review, assess them against the previous year, and propose scores for each dimension. The seven dimension scores are then averaged to produce a preliminary overall CSO sustainability score. The CSOSI uses a scale from 1, representing the highest level of sustainability, to 7, representing the lowest. The minimum score change is 0.1 point, while changes of up to 0.5 point may be proposed in cases of significant developments with a substantial impact on the sector.
The expert panel’s assessments are supplemented by desk research covering each of the seven dimensions and by focus group discussions conducted by UCIPR experts with representatives of CSOs from different oblasts of Ukraine and different areas of activity.
This report draws on data from six focus groups involving representatives of 31 civil society organizations and an online survey completed by representatives of 40 CSOs.
Further details on the findings of previous studies are available through the Interactive Dashboard of the Civil Society Organizations Sustainability Index in Ukraine.
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