program Director, ISAR Ednannia, Kyiv, Ukraine, E-mail: ruda@isar.net.ua, LinkedIn profile of Oksana Ruda

Your experience with the CFs and your professional relevance to the theme of CFs

Since 2011 I have been coordinating the CF development program in Ukraine. During this time I have studied experience of CF in the world and worked on adopting of best practices in Ukraine. I have visited CF in Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Canada.

Key characteristics and information about the CFs and community philanthropy in your country:

Ukraine has already 21 CF. They differ in the territory they cover (rural and urban with population from 3 000 to 1 million people), work experience (from 1 to 10 years), size of annual budgets (from UAH 10 000 to UAH 3 million), size of the team, etc. Some of them are successful CF that have gained trust in their communities, successfully raise local funds and cooperate with all sectors in communities. Currently Ukraine is in a very difficult political and economic situation. Many civic organizations and charitable foundations have ceased their work but CF continue their work, react to the needs in their communities immediately and develop local philanthropy.

Area of your particular interest in the CF development/ CF management/ practice (please specify if this is a theme where you are interested to learn more, bring your own expertise or both)

Slovakia has 20 years of successful experience of the CF development and this experience is very useful for Ukraine. I am interested in the work of the Center of Philanthropy of Slovakia with CF: how to meet educational needs of CF, needs in organizational development, networking. I am also interested in practical work of CF: governance and rotation; sustainability; organizational development; work with donors, government and community; ensuring leadership in a community; attraction of volunteers; youth banks, etc.