Center Grants Program

For the past five years, this has been our main way of providing direct financial support to the five Community Centers in Ukraine. So far, this program has provided $57,000 to fund 24 projects at the Centers. These projects have mainly focused on living healthier and safer lives in the contaminated areas, providing guidance to the young people of Ukraine to prepare them for life as productive adults, and encouraging citizens to become active in strengthening their local communities.

All of these projects were made possible only because of the funding that was provided by FOCCUS. FOCCUS funds were used to pay for developing and distributing printed material, publishing information on the web, costs associated with putting on the various training sessions and round-table discussions, office equipment needed for the projects, and transportation costs for outreach into the local schools and to reach individuals living in the remote villages. These are all costs that the Centers do not receive funding for from the Ministry of Emergency Services – the Centers primary funder. The Ministry is responsible for funding salaries of Center Staff and location costs such as utilities and rent for their buildings. Without this additional funding, the Centers would not have the resources to carry out these important activities in their communities.

At the beginning of each year, FOCCUS sends a grant application to each of the Centers. This application consists of a project description, project budget, a needs analysis, and a plan for how the Center will evaluate the effectiveness of the project. FOCCUS has a committee which then evaluates the grant applications and makes their recommendation of whether or not to fund them. At the conclusion of each project, each Center is required to complete a final report which shows how the funds were used and evaluates the success of the project.

Throughout this whole process, the Committee members work with Center staff to make sure that the information that they are providing to us meets our program guidelines. FOCCUS is using this program to not only provide funding to the Centers but to also use this as an educational experience for the Centers so that they can learn how to write strong grant applications. This will enable the Centers to go out and approach other funding sources as well. Each year the quality of information that the Centers provide to FOCCUS improves.

For 2011, the grant applications were sent out to the Centers on January 3, 2011. The deadline for them to submit the application is February 15, 2011. By March 1st, the Committee will have reviewed all the grant applications and we will know the specifics about each of the five projects and whether they meet the criteria for FOCCUS funding. The FOCCUS board will officially approve the grants at our meeting on April 2, 2011 and funds will be sent to the Centers in June 2011.

Here is a summary of the 2011 programs that FOCCUS is proud to support:

To make these vital programs real we need your support. FOCCUS' goal this year is to provide $2,000 for each of these programs. The math is easy - $10,000 is needed to fund five programs in 2011.

If you are interested in supporting these projects, please visit our Donate page or send a check to FOCCUS,
P.O. Box 5342, Madison, WI 53705

Project: Youth Leaders In Community Development

A democracy is effective when citizens are able to influence the making and carrying out of policy. High school students, who will soon become voters, are one of the groups most isolated from the political process. This project continues the work begun in 2010, aiming to strengthen youth leadership and the capacity of young individuals to participate in the development and decision making at the local level. With this project we strengthen civil society, promote transformational changes, and help shape the region's youth elite.

Number of Participants - 300

Objectives:

Project: Safe Behavior

Healthy lifestyle is an important issue in Ukraine, especially in Chernobyl-affected areas. The number of young people that engage in smoking and drinking is on the rise and Ukraine has seen an unprecedented growth in drug addiction. This project aims to teach teens how to resist those who would involve them in unsafe and unhealthy behaviors. The project is a collaborative effort involving the Boyarka school administrations, Kiev Oblast Children's Hospital, and Boyarka City Hall. Through specially designed sessions, teens will learn about the dangers that await them in the society, recognize the true goals of those who seek to engage them in dangerous behaviors and unhealthy lifestyles, and ultimately learn to say "no."

Participants – 300 teenagers

Events of project will include 8 training sessions at all 6 schools in Boyarka, and 30 mini-training sessions for teenagers undergoing treatment in the Kyiv Oblast Children's Hospital.

Project: School of Development

Modern life demands that young people possess knowledge, skills and qualities that will allow them to be competitive in the labor market and take their rightful place in society. About 1/6 of all children in Ivankiv are living in homes where parents may be struggling with substance abuse, unemployment or minimal/unstable income. These socially vulnerable families are not able to provide for the comprehensive development of children. The School of Development project will provide classes to address the needs of these children. Classes will focus on teaching English language skills, basic computer literacy, strong values and healthy life style choices.

Participants - 120 children and teenagers from the city of Ivankiv and the villages of Shpyli, Zaprudka, and Sukachi

Project will include 120 classes and 3 main events (school opening, celebrating Christmas and graduation)

Project: Choice of a Profession is like a Second Birth

Building on the success of their 2010 project, they will continue efforts to advise students on career choices. The project seeks to provide support to students of senior classes in solving problems that may arise in the way of their professional choice, ensuring effective personal self determination and preparedness for the future. Educators and psychologists will act as facilitators in settings that encourage conversation among the youth. The Center will collaborate with the Korosten City Executive Committee, Education Department, thirteen public schools and the Korosten Job Center.

Participants - 1,400 students ages 15-17

Project Goals:

Project: Getting Older Is Fun

It is a challenge for the elderly population of Slavutich to participate in community and public life. This project continues the work commenced in 2010 under the project titled “At 60, Life Is Just Starting.” The project aims to continue the connections established between older citizens and young people through a series of joint activities. These projects allow for better inter-generational understanding, an open exchange to share life experiences, opportunities for self-realization, and public acknowledgement of the achievements of older people, all helping the senior population overcome their social isolation. Last year’s project helped identify the most effective activities for this level of engagement, including round tables, contests, charity events, social evenings, hobby groups, sports events and nature outings.

Participants - 200 elderly and 120 young people

There will be over 20 events held as a part of this project.

Project Goals:

If you are interested in supporting these projects, please go to our Donate page or send a check to FOCCUS,
P.O. Box 5342, Madison, WI 53705.