Support for media and civil society
Internews Ukraine establishes the Ukrainian Media and Society Fund
The fund will assist independent media and information organizations in securing grant resources, provide educational opportunities, and conduct media research.
The “Internews Ukraine” NGO is launching the Ukrainian Media and Society Fund (UMSF) to support independent media and information environment players for Ukraine's resilience during the war.
Following the sudden suspension of activities of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), numerous media outlets and civil society organizations found themselves in a challenging situation. Independent newsrooms and organizations have faced an even more significant shortage of funds and other resources, the lack of which was already acute due to the Russian invasion and dissemination of hostile narratives by malign actors.
National and regional media are crucial in defending Ukraine's information space. And they urgently need both institutional and project-based support. Meanwhile, donors interested in supporting these organizations often lack administrative resources. The Ukrainian Media and Society Fund will help both parties resolve these issues.
"Our goal is to form a healthy information system and develop a resilient society based on free media and social interaction in an independent European Ukraine," emphasized Kostiantyn Kvurt, Internews Ukraine Head of the Board.
The key Fund’s objectives and activities:
- Pool and manage donor funds to support independent Ukrainian media and civil society organizations;
- Strengthen community voices through training and assistance programs for journalists;
- Enhance the financial sustainability of national and regional media through institutional support;
- Inform beneficiaries about the state of the information environment through annual media consumption surveys and analytical reports;
- Develop and regularly update comprehensive mappings of Ukraine’s media and civil society sectors for both national and international stakeholders.
UMSF will be overseen by a supervisory board. It will meet at least thrice yearly to evaluate the Fund’s work, approve subgrants, and ensure programmatic and financial accountability. The Fund will collaborate with independent media and civil society experts to assess subgrant proposals.
"The media community and international organizations are grateful to our European colleagues, who promptly extended their support when the 'basic construction' — the Media Program in Ukraine — ceased operations. Despite the reduced resources, this crisis presents new opportunities to build a national institution so that independent players in the information space could continue their work," said Oksana Maydan, Deputy Chief of Party of the largest USAID media project, which has been terminated.
The Ukrainian Media and Society Fund is based on the capacities of the "Internews Ukraine" NGO, which possesses 30 years of experience in the media sector and has successfully implemented over 800 projects. Founded in 1996, Internews Ukraine quickly became a reliable partner for media, journalists, and non-governmental organizations striving to enhance information resilience, reduce risks of information manipulations, and promote democratic values.
UMSF invites media, civil society institutions, and international donors to partner in strengthening Ukraine's media landscape.