The Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) is launching the Financial Resilience of Civil Society through the Lens of Ukraine’s EU Integration Project, aimed at strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) requirements and to actively participate in Ukraine’s European integration processes.

The project will run for 10 months and will be implemented throughout the territory under the control of the Government of Ukraine.

Adapting to EU requirements in the area of financial monitoring (AML/CFT) is a critical component of Ukraine’s European integration path. At the same time, current financial monitoring procedures often create unintended consequences for the civil society sector, complicating the day-to-day operations of CSOs. These challenges include enhanced bank scrutiny, banking and auditors’ derisking, restrictions of access to donor funding, and potential obstacles to crowdfunding activities.

The project aims to increase CSOs’ understanding of legal requirements related to banking services and the functioning of the financial monitoring system. As a result, it seeks to reduce operational and legal risks for CSOs, strengthen their financial self-reliance, and enhance their ability to safely attract and use financial resources.

Within the framework of the project, CEDEM’s team will:

• conduct an online training program “School of Financial Monitoring for CSOs” in partnership with the Academy of Financial Monitoring, as well as online trainings on CSOs’ advocacy capacities in the areas of AML/CFT and financial inclusion;
• coordinate an informal coalition of expert Ukrainian CSOs working to combat unintended consequences of AML/CFT legislation for NPOs;
• carry out an analytical study titled “European Trends in the Regulation of Crowdfunding Platforms.”

Why is this important?

Today, CSOs – and, consequently, the people and communities they support – remain largely unaware of changes in the legal environment governing banking services and financial monitoring procedures. Understanding AML/CFT-related challenges and developing the capacity to prevent and address them is an essential element of CSOs’ financial self-reliance and a key component of their financial security at all levels.

The project seeks to strengthen the role of CSOs as active and knowledgeable participants in Ukraine’s European integration processes, particularly in the areas of financial transparency, financial security, and compliance with AML/CFT legislation.

Stay tuned for updates, and we will share research findings, recommendations, and opportunities to join the discussion.

The project is implemented by the NGO Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) within the framework of the EU Unity4Community project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by the European Union.