Projects

The project aims to improve geospatial analysis and support decision-making on the state of infrastructure in combat zones. ToP experts supported the development of innovative digital tools for the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

A key challenge was the Kakhovka HPP disaster — the project responded promptly and documented over 60,000 flooded sites. The results were integrated with the Heoportal and damaged.in.ua platforms via API.

The project aims to extend damage assessment to all war-affected regions of Ukraine and to build a reliable evidence base for reconstruction. Of more than 1,093,000 buildings surveyed, 75,525 (6.9%) were found to be damaged.

ToP experts contributed to developing the methodology, integrating AI analysis and engaging stakeholders. The project demonstrated adaptability, in particular by promptly responding to the Kakhovka HPP disaster.

The project was implemented in support of the Republic of Guatemala as part of the international promotion of Ukraine's experience in the digital transformation of public services. The team conducted a comprehensive assessment of the current state of public service delivery, identified priorities for digitalization and developed a conceptual vision for a user-oriented mobile application.

NGO ToP, in partnership with MK-Consulting, is helping to establish a Central Procurement Organization within Ukraine's Agency for Restoration.

Over four months, a strategic and regulatory package was developed that will enable the CPO to operate transparently, sustainably and in line with international standards — as a contribution to the accountable and ethical recovery of Ukraine.

NGO ToP, in partnership with the Kyiv School of Economics, takes part in implementing business recovery projects in Ukraine aimed at improving SME support policy, strengthening relevant institutions and scaling up programmes for the sector.

The project works closely with the Ministry of Economy, the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office and the Ministry of Digital Transformation. It covers structured and innovative approaches to business support during wartime and the post-war period — focusing on adaptation to new conditions, export support, logistics recovery and the development of business services.

The project creates a sustainable cybersecurity ecosystem for SMEs, which are vulnerable to cyber threats and have limited resources to counter them. The mechanism is the issuance of vouchers of $3,000–5,000 each, which businesses use to pay for the services of authorized providers (cyber audits, etc.). The programme envisages issuing around 100–150 vouchers over the year.

After a successful pilot phase, the platform may evolve into a full-fledged marketplace for businesses to independently purchase cyber services without grant support.

Systemic implementation of accessibility standards in Ukraine. Within the projects, three accessibility guides and a checklist for verifying facilities' compliance with barrier-free standards were developed.

Guide 1 covers schools, preschools, hospitals, administrative service centers and museums. Guide 2 — railway stations, libraries and public spaces. Guide 3 — supermarkets, shops and pharmacies.

The methodological materials were presented to civil society, authorities and municipalities and gained wide recognition: they were presented at the 7th International Forum "Creative Ukraine", endorsed by the "Superheroes" Center and disseminated by the NGO "League of the Strong" across its partner network.

Thanks to ToP's advocacy efforts, cooperation with municipal authorities was established. The Lviv City Council is implementing a programme to bring around 800 municipal facilities into compliance with accessibility standards using the developed checklist and guides — the organization's experts take part in inspection groups.

The growth of cross-border e-commerce requires adapting Ukraine's tax legislation to international standards, in particular the IOSS mechanism operating in the EU. The existing regulatory framework has gaps that complicate VAT administration for distance sales of imported goods and reduce the competitiveness of the Ukrainian market.

Within the project, the feasibility of introducing the IOSS model in Ukraine was assessed, gaps in the current tax and customs legislation were analyzed, a conceptual model for VAT administration on distance sales of imported goods was developed, and legislative recommendations were prepared for aligning Ukrainian regulation with EU standards.

State institutions managing geological data and subsoil resources require modernization: existing processes have gaps in legal compliance, inefficiencies in data handling and potential corruption vulnerabilities. The project responds to this need through a comprehensive audit of the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine and related institutions.

The team analyzes and documents key business processes, assesses their compliance with current legislation and regulatory requirements, and identifies inefficiencies and bottlenecks in data handling and services. A separate strand is the identification of corruption risks and vulnerabilities in existing procedures. Based on the audit, practical recommendations are developed for optimizing processes and the digital transformation of geological information systems.

The project is built on a dual approach: a top-down analytical framework assesses public investment management policy, budget execution and institutional efficiency; a bottom-up monitoring mechanism enables CSOs to oversee projects at the local level. This integrated model ensures both strategic alignment of investments and real-time accountability.

A key component is the further development of BRP and its integration into the DREAM ecosystem for transparent tracking of public investment projects throughout their entire lifecycle. The platform will gain user-friendly dashboards, machine-readable monitoring tools and mechanisms for public feedback and complaints.

The project is structured around five interconnected work areas: analytics for reform — monthly monitoring reports and policy briefs; digital transparency — BRP updates and integration with national systems; local capacity building — supporting authorities in applying public investment management standards; CSO monitoring through subgranting — field oversight of projects; strategic communication — public dialogue and visibility of results.

Through the subgranting mechanism, at least 10 CSOs will monitor around 50 public investment projects with on-site visits, verification of implementation processes and reporting via BRP. This will contribute to building a national network of civic monitoring based on shared methodologies and standards.

The Infobox for transparent and inclusive recovery will become a structured and continuously updated knowledge hub on BRP.org.ua. It will contain verified materials — templates, checklists, guidelines, FAQs, cases, reports, presentations and videos on recovery, public investment management, transparency, procurement, accessibility and inclusion. The goal is to transform fragmented expertise into a single practical resource for municipalities, CSOs, activists, journalists and development partners, and to prevent typical implementation mistakes before they are detected during monitoring.

The Recovery Competence Center will function as an expert hub combining analytical capacity, advisory services, a helpdesk and peer learning. The Center will provide case-based mentoring to local authorities and CSOs, help apply public investment management standards, and resolve legal, procedural and procurement issues. The helpdesk will combine AI support with direct expert consultation for more complex cases. Recurring requests will be analyzed and turned into updated Infobox content — forming a continuous loop between monitoring, correction and learning.

A key feature of the project is its risk-based and preventive approach. All Center services are prioritized based on the typical risks and gaps identified through more than 800 field monitoring reports. This makes it possible to shift from ad hoc support to systemic prevention of governance errors in recovery.

The project also includes thematic trainings, workshops and peer-learning sessions on the practical application of public investment management standards, recovery planning, procurement, the use of national recovery systems, accessibility and inclusive design standards, and the prevention of corruption risks.

The research covered institutional functions, legal gaps and reform dynamics in Ukraine's customs system compared with EU standards. ToP experts also provided support during consultations and contributed to shaping targeted recommendations for strategic planning.

The project was carried out in line with the NACP methodology for analyzing high-risk sectors and supports Ukraine's anti-corruption reforms and European integration goals under Chapter 29 of the EU acquis.

The project develops the concept of identity-based governance — a model in which local policy and development initiatives are shaped by the cultural DNA, values and symbolic infrastructure of the community itself. It builds on previous work within the Terra Integritatis initiative, implemented with the support of U-LEAD with Europe and EUACI.

Communities receive practical tools to articulate their strategic identity — cultural heritage, collective narratives and shared values are transformed into real resources for development. Combining participatory facilitation with analytical methodologies makes it possible to translate abstract notions of identity into concrete, community-driven initiatives.

Fieldwork and strategic facilitation are carried out in two communities. The research combines interviews, archival analysis, interpretive anthropology and cultural analysis. Based on the results, "Maps of Meanings and Assets" and "Local Development Roadmaps" are co-created with active community groups. The findings are integrated into recovery strategies in line with Cabinet of Ministers resolutions No. 1159 and No. 816.

The methodology is systematized as a scalable framework for use by other municipalities and civil society organizations across Ukraine.

Effective recovery of Ukraine at the local level depends on understanding the complex political, institutional and social dynamics that shape decisions in communities. The project fills this gap through comprehensive field analysis that combines political economy tools with conflict-sensitivity approaches adapted to the Ukrainian context.

ToP is responsible for developing the research methodology, conducting fieldwork, synthesizing insights from authorities, civil society and the private sector, and validating the results with project partners.

The analysis covers hidden and informal power structures that influence recovery planning; the risks of excluding vulnerable groups, including women's CSOs; the capacity and integrity of local contractors; the potential of participatory planning to strengthen social cohesion; and trends that may affect recovery outcomes.

The project analyzes tender processes for small and medium-sized social infrastructure projects — schools, outpatient clinics, community centers — in terms of fairness, transparency and corruption risks. It separately examines the impact of decentralization on the implementation of local recovery plans in selected regions.

Developed within the project “YOUA – Shaping New Paths, Building Ukraine’s Future”, implemented on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and carried out by GIZ Ukraine.

Project Rationale

The project responds to a systemic challenge — the lack of a coordinated approach among state, municipal, international, and civil society actors involved in return processes. Despite the presence of multiple initiatives, Ukrainians lack a single digital entry point that would consolidate information, services, and support contacts across Ukraine and EU countries.

Project Approach

The project combines analytical, consultative, and technical components and includes:

Key Activities:

• analysis of user profiles to identify the needs of different groups (including vulnerable populations);
• mapping of stakeholders and services in Ukraine and countries of residence, identifying gaps, overlaps, and responsibilities;
• assessment of existing digital and offline services (e.g. Diia, UISSS, e-Consul, UNHCR, NGO initiatives) to identify integration potential;
• development of the platform concept, including key functional components: personalised guidance plan; service catalogue; municipality profiles; partner ecosystem;
• preparation of technical documentation (architecture, MVP, ToR, security approaches) for further development and scaling;
• organisation of consultations and validation processes with government institutions, donors, and international partners.

Expected Results

• a developed and validated concept of the integrated digital platform, including functionalities and user journeys;
• a complete technical documentation package for further development and piloting;
• an analytical foundation for policy development in return and reintegration;
• strengthened coordination and interaction among stakeholders;
• increased readiness of municipalities to receive returnees through identification of pilot locations and development of roadmaps.

The project lays the foundation for an integrated digital ecosystem that enables a shift from fragmented information to structured decision-making, supporting safe, informed, and dignified return, as well as effective reintegration of Ukrainians in local communities.

Проєкт спрямований на системне підвищення рівня безбар’єрності у громадах через поєднання фактичної оцінки доступності, аналітики та створення умов для інвестиційного планування.

У межах ініціативи буде проведено оцінку рівня безбар’єрності 60 об’єктів соціальної інфраструктури у чотирьох громадах України, за результатами якої сформовано дорожню карту з обґрунтованою пріоритизацією об’єктів, що потребують першочергових інфраструктурних інвестицій.

Важливою складовою проєкту є підвищення обізнаності громад та ключових стейкхолдерів щодо проблем доступності через проведення навчальних, презентаційних, діалогових заходів, вебінарів та адвокаційних кампаній.

Паралельно проєкт передбачає розроблення аналітичних матеріалів, які стануть основою для прийняття управлінських рішень у сфері відновлення та розвитку соціальної інфраструктури.

Окремий фокус — підтримка органів місцевого самоврядування у підготовці грантових заявок і проєктних пропозицій для залучення ресурсів соціально відповідального бізнесу та донорських програм. У результаті буде подано інвестиційні проєкти, спрямовані на практичне впровадження рішень із підвищення доступності.

Проєкт формує комплексний підхід до створення безбар’єрного середовища — від збору даних і визначення пріоритетів до залучення фінансування та впровадження змін — і створює практичні інструменти для довгострокового планування розвитку громад на засадах інклюзії та рівного доступу.

In 2025, as part of the broader EU support to public administration reform in Ukraine (EU4PAR 2), ToP experts undertook a strategically important study to explore the impact of integrity assessment practices on the recruitment of top-level civil servants (Category A positions).

Ukraine has made significant strides in building a professional and politically neutral civil service. One of the key instruments in this transformation is the introduction of merit-based recruitment, with a strong emphasis on transparency, integrity, and accountability — principles that align with OECD and EU standards. However, as Ukraine continues to adapt its public service to meet international expectations and its own internal challenges, concerns have emerged that the current interpretation of “transparency” may produce unintended negative effects.

This study addressed a core policy dilemma: Does maximum transparency in recruitment always lead to the best outcomes — or can it deter strong candidates and reduce the quality of public leadership?

The research specifically examined whether practices such as early public disclosure of candidate information, mandatory asset declarations, open interviews, and intense media scrutiny discourage highly qualified individuals — particularly from the private sector — from applying to civil service roles. It also questioned whether integrity assessments today measure ethical leadership and professional reputation, or merely confirm the absence of past violations.

Key objectives of the study included:

• Evaluating the real-life impact of transparency practices on candidate motivation and recruitment outcomes;
• Exploring how reputational risks, privacy concerns, and long-term digital footprints influence career decisions;
• Comparing Ukraine’s approach to integrity screening with best practices from OECD countries, the EU, and selected democratic systems;
• Analyzing the gap between public and private sector recruitment standards and incentives;
• Proposing evidence-based policy recommendations for a more balanced, fair, and effective selection system.

Methodology:

• The study employed a mixed-methods research design, including:
• 25 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a total of 27 respondents, including former candidates, executive search professionals, HR directors, business leaders, civil society representatives, and members of selection committees;
• A comparative analysis of Ukrainian legislation and international recruitment models;
• A review of integrity assessment mechanisms and their application in both public and private sectors;
• Documentation of unintended consequences (e.g., loss of talent, underrepresentation of private sector experts, fear of reputational damage).

Outputs included:

• A comprehensive research report with findings and policy recommendations;
• A summary brief tailored for policymakers and international partners;
• Guidance on developing integrity screening tools that ensure fairness, preserve dignity, and enhance merit-based recruitment.

This project contributed to the EU4PAR 2 goal of strengthening Ukraine’s public administration in line with EU integration and recovery priorities. The reinstatement of competitive selection procedures for Category A positions is a commitment undertaken by Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility Plan, scheduled for implementation by the third quarter of 2026. This requires the state to develop an effective and high-quality model for conducting such competitions. A mechanical adoption of external models without accounting for the Ukrainian context, or a return to previous procedural configurations, is unlikely to deliver meaningful results. At the same time, there is currently a lack of sufficient public expertise and professional discourse in Ukraine regarding what the renewed model for senior civil service selection should look like. This study represents the first attempt at a comprehensive analysis of transparency and integrity verification practices, collecting primary data and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the existing approach. The findings may serve as a valuable foundation for future discussions and decisions on modernising the competitive selection model.The findings of the study were also incorporated into a policy dialogue conducted in the format of an Aspen seminar dedicated to the subject of this research.

The project was implemented by experts from the NGO “Technologies of Progress” with the support of the EU project EU4PAR 2. The content of the research is the sole responsibility of the experts from “Technologies of Progress” and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union

In June 2025, the NGO “Technologies of Progress” experts launched the project “AI for Efficient Public Governance” within the framework of the EU funded project “Continued support of the comprehensive public administration reform in Ukraine” (EU4PAR 2), aimed at supporting Ukraine’s civil service in developing practical skills for the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in public administration. The primary focus is on the practical application of large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, to enhance:

• administrative efficiency;
• the quality of public service delivery;
• and data-driven decision-making.

Through this initiative, public officials gain the knowledge and tools necessary to integrate AI into their daily work processes while adhering to legal requirements, ethical standards, and personal data protection regulations.

The project envisions the implementation of a structured, multi-phase programme of training and deployment, targeting policy and administrative managers, legal experts, HR professionals, and civil servants from central and regional government bodies. Participants receive task-specific, tailored knowledge for AI applications in:

• document processing;
• public communication;
• regulatory drafting;
• and internal reporting.

A particular emphasis is placed on data protection, legal compliance, and responsible technology use. The training is complemented by individual consultations, the creation of micro-tool prototypes, and the development of institutional AI implementation roadmaps. Additionally, the project includes the development of applied solutions based on real-life use cases: templates for automation, prompts for response generation, or tools for workflow optimization — tailored to the operational context of each institution.

The project’s methodology is designed to be scalable to meet the needs of Ukraine’s public sector and holds potential for integration into training programmes via the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (NAUCS) and for the dissemination of practices through professional public service networks.

The initiative directly contributes to Ukraine’s commitments under Chapter 10 of the EU acquis (Information Society and Media), the Law of Ukraine “On Digital Development”, and the Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2030. Furthermore, it supports reforms under the Ukraine Facility financing plan and the IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme by strengthening the capacity of public authorities for more efficient, transparent, and citizen-oriented governance.

The project was implemented as a joint initiative of the EU4PAR project and the NGO “Technologies of Progress”

NGO ToP launched the Fiscal Watch Ukraine initiative by the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) to strengthen parliamentary oversight and integrity in fiscal governance. The project addresses critical information and coordination gaps in Ukraine’s public finance system, particularly in tax administration, state audit, and the activities of the Accounting Chamber.

Through the production and dissemination of monthly analytical digests, the project provides structured, data-driven insights into fiscal reform progress, corruption risks, institutional performance, and Ukraine’s alignment with EU and IMF benchmarks — especially under Chapters 16 (Taxation) and 32 (Financial Control) of the EU acquis.

The tax digests offer comparative monitoring of the reform process, tracking policy implementation, personnel changes, legislative developments, and oversight of public spending. Thematic areas will include anti-corruption safeguards in tax administration, audit independence, transparency of public expenditures, and an assessment of how the transformation of the Bureau of Economic Security affects tax compliance. The digests will also provide corruption risk assessments aimed at improving integrity mechanisms and strengthening accountability within Ukraine’s public financial management system. In parallel, the project facilitates closed-door expert discussions with MPs, government institutions, civil society, and international partners, and conducts stakeholder surveys among business leaders and policy experts to assess the perceived progress and relevance of ongoing reforms.

By promoting informed decision-making and enhancing evidence-based public dialogue, the project contributes to building a more transparent, accountable, and EU-aligned system of fiscal governance in Ukraine. The digest series will continue to serve as a public good through the ToP analytics platform.

The project is supported by the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) – the leading anti-corruption support program in Ukraine funded by the EU, co-funded, and implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The views expressed in the project do not necessarily represent official views of the EUACI, European Union, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

Key problem: The business traditionally lists the fight against corruption, the need for judicial reform, the establishment of the rule of law, and ensuring macroeconomic stability as the top three priorities for the Government. Law enforcement and judicial bodies often lack capacity for quality investigation and processing of white-collar crime as well as are often accused of corruption and Soviet-style anti-entrepreneurial mindset. As a result, only 56% of people consider criminal cases against business to be evidence of attempts to fight against real violations and 30% believe this is outright pressure or extortion attempts. While the ongoing anticorruption and judiciary reforms show promise, the country is in dire need of innovative solutions in this area.

Project background: 22/01 government and parliament leaders held a closed meeting with entrepreneurs regarding allegations of pressure from law enforcement agencies after the arrest of Ihor Mazepa and searches of the Concorde Capital offices. On 23/01, the National Security and Defense Council published a list of steps to establish a dialogue with business, including establishment of the Council on Support of Entrepreneurship under Martial Law, temporary moratorium on investigation of business-related criminal cases, audit of key scandalous cases, etc. Better data access for analysis of status of investigations, number of searches, arrests, confiscations became one of key initiatives for the newly established Council. This project was supported personally by General prosecutor Andriy Kostin, and received political sponsorship from Andriy Yermak. The project team conducted thorough analysis of availability and quality of data, interoperability of key data sources, legal framework for data integration, major risk factors as defined by lawyers and law enforcement specialists. At a later stage the team proceeded with designing, developing and launching the MVP of the Dashboard, including establishing new classification of investigations by the GPO as well as developing separate interconnection modules financed by EU4DIGITAL. The MVP Dashboard is currently based on data primarily from the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations and Central database of the State Court Administration. It allows filtering data for various investigative agencies (Police, NABU, BES, SBI, SBU), periods, articles of the criminal code, etc. MVP Dashboard was presented on 31/07/2024 and received warm welcome from the public, business and experts.

NGO Technology of Progress started cooperation with DAI Global to support the implementation of the USAID/Ukraine Revenue and Expenditure Governance Reforms Operationalized (RevGRO) Activity.

The USAID/Ukraine Revenue and Expenditure Governance Reforms Operationalized (RevGRO) Activity, implemented by DAI Global, is a five-year (2024-2029) Public Financial Management project that aims to promote fiscal resilience, transparency, and accountability by enhancing state revenue generation and financial management through advancing three core objectives:

• Increase national revenue mobilization through support to tax and customs policy, administration, and institutional reforms.
• Strengthen public investment management, expenditure management, and audits in line with international standards.
• Enhance civic oversight and private sector engagement in fiscal policy. The Activity’s objectives will be accomplished by providing support to the Government of Ukraine (GOU) with its ongoing reform efforts in public finance, in particular the implementation of its National Revenue Strategy, Strategy for Public Finance Management System Reform, Public Investment Management Roadmap, and other strategic documents.

The role of NGO Technology of Progress is to support:

• Objective One: Revenue Mobilization:
  • Co-lead the preparation of a State Customs Service Institutional Reform Roadmap.
  • Provide technical advice and support to advance discrete tasks within the State Customs Service Institutional Reform Roadmap, particularly those related to the planned re-attestation process, operations/business process, and systems modernization in the customs area, including regulatory, procedural, or technological improvements.
• Objective Three: Fiscal Policy Engagement and Oversight:
  • Support private sector engagement activities related to tax and customs, and initiatives that promote civic engagement, transparency, and accountability, including enhancements to the Big Recovery Portal.

NGO Technology of Progress launched a project “Advancing Accountability: Strengthening Ukraine’s Policy Framework and Tracking Ukraine’s Obligations before International Partners” backed by the Pro-Integrity (Promoting Integrity in the Public Sector Activity) program funded by the USAID and UK FCDO.

The Project aims to close knowledge and communication gaps among the Ukrainian and international stakeholders about Ukraine's progress in reforms and international obligations under the current financial support programs by the IMF (Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility), the European Union (Ukraine Plan under the new financial instrument Ukraine Facility), the World Bank (the Development Policy Loan – DPL), the United States of America and other foreign governments and/or international organizations.

The primary goal of this project is to provide analytical support to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (including the Parliamentary Temporary Investigative Commission on Economic Security); to facilitate professional dialogue among MPs, government officials, subject matter experts and civil society; to offer qualitative policy analysis and to track Ukraine's progress in implementing its international obligations.

In pursuit of the above goal the Project will:

• Produce Weekly Newsletters to cover Ukraine’s progress and challenges in implementing reforms and its key international obligations, fiscal capacity, growth potential and other defined topics that currently lack proper research coverage and independent evaluation
• Produce Monthly Analytical Reports on the defined topics to showcase Ukraine’s progress and challenges in implementing reforms and its key international obligations
• Develop the Online Tracker of Ukraine’s international obligations before IFIs and other international partners to visually demonstrate the current status of Ukraine’s implementing these obligations
• Organize Expert Surveys on progress in fighting corruption, potential business pressure, integrity and other topics of interest
• Organize events to foster dialogue among lawmakers, government officials, subject matter experts, civil society, IFI and development partners’ representatives on Ukraine’s progress and challenges in implementing its international obligations

With this project, NGO Technology of Progress seeks to strengthen Ukraine’s policy framework and to advance transparency and accountability in Ukraine’s interaction with IFIs and other international partners.

ToP has successfully implemented a project of conducting a research and developing a report on the current status of provision of aid to Ukraine with the focus on safeguarding human rights, addressing basic humanitarian needs, creating conditions for social development and restoring economic capacity. The project was sponsored by the Save the Children International organization, was launched in June 2023 and completed in September 2023.

The project was designed to analyze some of the available research and publications on providing aid to facilitate Ukraine’s recovery from the massive losses caused by the Russian invasion and to advance the discussion forward and outline the principles of Ukraine’s recovery that is human-centric, child-centric, transparent, and built back better for future generations.

The developed report has provided a clear Ukraine’s economy snapshot, focusing on forecasts on a gradual recovery of the Ukrainian economy, with the EBRD’s estimates for external financing to be sufficient to cover large external and fiscal financing gaps and the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) improved its economic growth forecast for 2023 (from 0.3% to 2.0%), as well as the World Bank expecting 0.5% GDP growth in 2023.

The paper also provided the timely assessment of damages and recovery needs, addressed the current and target recovery mechanisms and proposed key principles of recovery as a set of criteria that may be used to test specific recovery mechanisms, ideas and projects, which include:

1. Ongoing financial support is needed to keep the Ukrainian economy running in parallel to any major reconstruction.
2. Aligned with EU accession (reconstruction plans should be used to bring the country’s infrastructure as well as institutions to the EU standards and the recovery process must be aligned with critical reforms)
3. Owned by Ukraine coordinated by the government and partners.
4. Transparent and accountable. The recovery process should use open and efficient systems that allow international donors to follow along, monitor spending, and be assured that their money is being spent fairly and efficiently.
5. Equitable and inclusive. Recovery should be human-centered and child-centered. It should include extensive consultations to respond to the needs of affected populations.
6. Renewal and not repairs.
7. Balancing urgent needs and medium- to long-term goals.
8. Maximising private financing for green and resilient recovery. The scale of investment needed for Ukraine’s reconstruction will be substantial and will require leveraging limited public and donor funding with private investment.

The report developed key human-centric recovery suggestions:

1. Participation of affected populations in relevant decision-making processes.
2. Setting specific human-centric objectives related to the inclusion of children, women, IDPs, and other marginalized groups in decision-making processes in various program documents and the National Recovery Plan.
3. Prioritizing policies and measures that will protect and ensure equitable access of children, women of all ages, girls, and marginalized groups to services they need and opportunities to rebuild their lives.
4. Expanding community engagement activities, such as focus-group discussions, as well as sharing relevant data and analysis by civil society, and local and international humanitarian actors, who currently have the greatest access to communities affected by the war.
5. Educational activities aimed at accelerated and catch-up learning.
6. Mental health and psychosocial support.
7. Ensure care reform efforts are holistic and inclusive of persons with disabilities.
8. Build-Back-Better approaches to ensure reconstruction beyond pre-war capacity - i.e. restoring public services, and rural and urban infrastructure with regard to children, immobile people, girls, and women’s needs.
9. Increasing the volume and improve on the quality of funding to CSOs representing marginalized groups, including to WROs/WLOs, to help them restart their pre-war programs, ensuring hard-won gains on gender equality are not lost while continuing to deliver critical life-saving services as long as necessary.

To enhance possibilities of the civil society to exercise oversight over recovery processes, ToP has designed and is currently implementing the project of Creating risk-management possibilities for civil monitoring of the reconstruction in Ukraine. The Project sponsored by the USAID Support to Anti-Corruption Champion Institutions (SACCI) Program in Ukraine was launched in April 2023 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

The idea is to incorporate a supplementary anti-corruption and risk management mechanism into the Big Recovery Portal (BRP) development of which is a part of a separate EU-backed project (Big Recovery Watchdog). The Big Recovery Portal (BRP) will collect data on recovery processes, their lifecycle, and financing and will present this information in a user-friendly and understandable way.

Civic engagement is critical for effective recovery spending. It is vital to provide civil society with digital instruments and data to engage in monitoring and controlling Ukraine’s recovery. This will help stakeholders manage the risks of corruption, fraud, and potential misuse of public and donor-provided funds; advocate for effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the recovery; and, hence, build trust and cooperation among potential donors, investors, and the Ukrainian government.

The main goal of the Project is to strengthen transparency and accountability of future recovery initiatives by developing a risk-management methodology and Online module for risk management that will be further integrated into the BRP. The expected results are as follows:

• to develop a risk-management methodology to detect potentially risky or low-quality projects based on input from different pre-existing data systems (i.e. Prozorro, spending.gov.ua, Dozorro, Geoportal, RISE’s DRMS, etc.), CSOs, media reports, citizens, etc. This information may be used to identify risk levels of selected recovery projects to provide donors, anti-corruption bodies, journalists, and Ukrainian citizens with clear actionable information needed for further monitoring, improvement or investigation them.
• to implement the above methodology as an online tool for calculating, tracking, and comparing risk profiles of different reconstruction projects to prioritize and automate monitoring. The user will have the possibility to search for and review detailed information on specific objects, filter data by certain risk criteria, recalculate metrics at selected time intervals, receive alert notifications for risky procurements and other potentially risky developments, etc. The online module will provide properly visualized analytics to all key stakeholders (CSOs, journalists, anti-corruption activists, law enforcement bodies, NACP, etc.).
• to educate BRP users (especially CSOs, journalists, local community, anti-corruption/ law enforcement representatives) on the BPR risk-management and anti-corruption toolkit and mechanisms for corruption and other wrongdoing reporting.

To sum up, the project team will:

• Provide risk-management capabilities to identify potentially risky/underprepared reconstruction projects for further review or investigation, and
• Increase awareness within the CSO, media, local community, and anti-corruption/ law enforcement bodies on the BRP risk-management toolkit to ensure transparency and accountability.

ToP has teamed up with the NGO Centre for Economic Strategy (CES) and the NGO Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting to implement a large-scale EU-backed project “The Recovery Spending Watchdog”. The Project was launched in June 2023 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

The Project was launched in the wake of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The ongoing hostilities have devastated the country and inflicted grave damage on the Ukrainian infrastructure, production, social, residential, and other facilities.

In response, the international community is providing Ukraine with emergency financial support. The recovery of Ukraine promises to be one of the most challenging undertakings which requires an environment of trust among donors, policymakers, and the Ukrainian society based on transparency and accountability. Thus, well-organized and real-time monitoring by the civil society of recovery spending is of paramount importance.

To meet the above challenge the Project team will:

• ensure open access to reconstruction information within the Ukrainian society by creating a special online instrument – the Big Recovery Portal;
• educate BRP users (especially CSOs, journalists, local community, and anti-corruption/ law enforcement representatives) on the BPR functionality to present mechanisms needed for corruption and other wrongdoing reporting;
• monitor the reconstruction spending from publicly available sources; and
• assist the Ukrainian government in making better decisions on funding the recovery by providing regular monitoring reports on reconstruction spending.

ToP is responsible for the software development of the Big Recovery Portal (BRP) which is a central pillar of the Project. BRP will collect holistic data on recovery projects, their lifecycle, and financing and will present this information in a user-friendly and understandable way.

The portal will collect data (reports, complaints, pictures, etc.) from the state, crowdsourced, and NGO sources. It will be integrated with other state-owned and partner project management platforms and data systems (DREAM, damaged.in.ua, Dozorro, opendatabot, etc.) to process and combine all available information about recovery projects. Moreover, BRP plans to provide the possibility for external users to upload community feedback and risk-related data to be taken into account by the state bodies.

BRP will have a BI tool for producing independent analytics - statistics, reconstruction progress, reports, etc., that will provide better access and visibility for all actors (citizens, SMEs, NGOs, journalists, government officials, etc.). As a result, anyone will have an opportunity to monitor the reconstruction process, its timeline, and quality, identify typical problems and challenges facing recovery processes, and assess the efficiency of recovery spending. This will lead to better civil engagement in recovery oversight and whistleblowing. Potential whistleblowers will have better instruments to report wrongdoings. We believe better civil engagement will contribute to more accountable and transparent decision-making by the state agencies.

BRP will also have an automated risk-management system that will calculate risk profiles of reconstruction projects by certain risk indicators and range them by risk levels, which will allow for prioritizing monitoring.

BRP will collect and present info on business opportunities and potential reconstruction tenders for businesses. Among other features, it will maintain a database of suppliers for typical works and highlight areas of poor supply or above-average prices for prospective suppliers. BRP is expected to become an important part of Ukraine’s post-war recovery infrastructure.

Implementation of the “Recovery Spending Watchdog” project goes in line with the values of integrity, sustainability, and efficiency of the RISE coalition, which was created by the leading civil society organizations (including ToP, CES, and IER) to support the recovery of Ukraine.

ToP has successfully implemented the project Damage assessment for Mykolayiv on verifying the information collected by authorities on damages sustained by the city, calculating the damages and providing a basis for most critical emergency relief aid and post-war recovery support. The project was conducted with the help of the European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI), implemented by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (DMFA), launched in October 2022 and completed in June 2023.

The project was designed to verify information collected by city authorities using recent satellite imagery from MAXAR, map and compare geospatial data on damages, calculate the amount of damages by different sectors and provide initial estimates of reconstruction needs.

The project team selected 3 high-quality (50 cm per pixel resolution and low clowd mask) images from the commercial MAXAR satellite imagery, combining them to receive blended image of the 100% of the city territory, cutting and replacing pieces covered by clouds, smoke or other visual defects. A proprietary AI model was used with a twofold goal: a) preliminary object detection - attempt to automatically find polygons corresponding to buildings, and b) preliminary damage detection - attempt to automatically find polygons that may have characteristics that correspond to damage pattern. Further, the received data has been used to determine damaged buildings (under the methodology developed by International Working Group on Satellite-based Emergency Mapping) and conduct the evaluation of damages on a per-sector basis using the damaged.in.ua key methodology principles and approaches to calculations.

The results of the project have established damage evaluation to Mykolaiv’s infrastructure amounted to €852m, including €220m of damages that can be independently verified using satellite image. The project also allowed independently to confirm visually from 30% to 90% of destruction. The project has showcased the recovery needs assessment for the city - urgent needs in 6 key sectors (power supply, water supply, heating, healthcare, housing and public safety) and a need for long-term recovery in infrastructure, green transition, urban planning, transport, maritime sector, business development and investment attraction, youth, education and culture and good governance.

The results of the analysis are an important evidence of Russia’s aggression and the scale of destruction as well provide a basis for providing most critical emergency relief aid and post-war recovery support.

"Technology of Progress" in cooperation with the "Kyiv School of Economics" started implementation of a fundamental research project on the readiness of Ukraine`s construction materials market for the recovery process. Russia`s military invasion has led to an unprecedented scale of destruction in modern Ukrainian history, primarily due to daily missile and artillery attacks. In this context, it is crucial to analyze the current state of Ukraine`s building materials market and its ability to meet the needs of both ongoing and future rebuilding efforts, taking into the account the following priority goals:

• Rebuild better than before, considering key principles of urban planning, human capital development, comfort, and safety;
• Ensure that reconstruction complies with environmental standards at all stages of construction;
• Increase the capacity of Ukraine`s construction industry to meet current needs;
• Enable immediate start of emergency reconstruction.

The project research will include an analysis of the main types of construction materials, key trends, and construction companies. Each construction materials sector segment will be analyzed according to the following structure:

• What was the state of the industry in general (as well as details on specific types of materials) before the full-scale invasion?
• How has the full-scale invasion impacted the construction materials industry?
• What is the extent of the destruction caused by Russian aggression from the perspective of the construction sector?
• What materials will be in the highest demand during the recovery process?
• What is the current demand from construction companies for various types of materials?
• What are the main challenges facing the construction materials industry (or specific types of materials) in the context of recovery?
• What measures should be taken to avoid materials shortages in Ukraine?
• How to take into account not just the restoration of old facilities but the development of a new Ukraine vision with a strong emphasis on ecology and sustainability? Who are the frontrunners in this process? What are the prospects for development?

The research also includes providing recommendations pertaining to the building materials industry as a whole to avoid risks that existing production capacities may prove insufficient during the recovery process. Potential shortages could be addressed through import, which may be less efficient in terms of logistics and cost. Consequently, research will partially cover collaboration needs with governmental bodies to support local construction materials producers and jobs creation.

ToP implemented the first-level assessment project on the “DIIA.ENGINE” EXPORT strategy. The project aimed to support the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine initiative to export governmental IT solutions and public services abroad. The GIZ-backed project was launched in October 2023.

The digitalization of the public sphere is a global mainstream today. Hence, there is a high and constantly growing demand for relevant IT solutions and services to guarantee the sustainable and smooth functioning of the state’s bureaucratic machine, economy, and society. The widespread adoption of digital services creates a market for G2B/G2C IT solutions worldwide.

Ukraine is well-known for its huge IT potential and boasts a wealth of internationally acclaimed IT solutions that are used by the government (Diia, Prozorro, Prozorro.Sale, eHealth, and others). The Ministry of Digital Transformation has accumulated substantial expertise and experience in efficient (both cost-wise and time-wise) digitalization of public services.

The idea of the Project is to leverage accumulated expertise and to meet the growing demand for IT solutions and services worldwide, that is to promote the export of DIIA.ENGINE as a Ukrainian-developed IT solution and to position Ukraine as a global player in providing G2B/G2C digital services.

The project aims to analyze the needs of key stakeholders and verify the following assumptions: Political stakeholders: governments worldwide seek competent advice, cost-effective solutions, turnkey implementation, local business engagement, and guarantees of ongoing IT support. Civil society/business/media: these non-governmental participants welcome the digitalization of the public sphere, seeking access to convenient, inexpensive, and transparent public services. International stakeholders: financial agencies and donors aim for clearly defined results in reform projects, reducing dependence on local capability, and control over project outcomes.

The Project aims to analyze the needs of key stakeholders and check following assumptions:

• Political Stakeholders: governments worldwide seek competent advice, cost-effective solutions, turnkey implementations, local business involvement, and guarantees of continuous support.
• Civil Society/ Business/ Media: these non-government actors welcome digitalization of public sphere, aspiring for user-friendly low-cost and transparent public services.
• International Stakeholders: funding agencies and donors seek clearly defined outcomes in reform projects, decreased dependency on local capacity, and control over project deliverables.

The Key Value Propositions assumptions:

• the solution Itself: easy and fast implementation, reliability, adaptability, open data, transparency, standardized design patterns, and a value-for-money concept;
• implementation advantages: cost efficiency, short implementation time, and reduced vendor lock-in risk;
• technical features: hosting platform independence, high security, widespread technologies, and addressing interoperability issues.

ToP team (possessing huge expertise in investment banking, sales, managing implementation of large-scale IT projects, and relations with international financial and funding institutions) is providing consultancy for the Ministry of Digital Transformation, namely:

• to analyze DIIA.ENGINE export potential, its strong features, adaptability, and limitations;
• to define perspective and priority markets, key stakeholders - including clients and export partners - and their needs, etc.;
• to analyze DIIA.ENGINE export bottle necks and key risks - to be mitigated;
• to define the value proposition, the scope of product/ services to be proposed for export
• to define main avenues of partnerships (for example, with international financial and funding organizations, institutional and private donors, etc.).

Project objectives:

Established in 2023, the Agency is responsible for implementing reconstruction projects and procuring the respective works needed for the country’s rapid recovery and post-war reconstruction. Given the substantial recovery budget and the complexity of procurement procedures, such activities shall be in the public sector’s and international donors’ spotlight. Thus, the Project enhances governance and accountability in the Agency’s public procurement processes.

The Project aims to achieve:

• Enhanced competitive environment and transparency,
• Prevention of fraud and corruption,
• Identification of weaknesses in procurements,
• Enhanced monitoring of Agency procurements.

Integrated with the Prozorro public e-procurement system, the Procurement Risk Management, Monitoring, and Efficiency Evaluation System will have the following core functions:

• Rapidly identify high-risk procurements by automated checks of the tender data versus predefined risk-criteria,
• Automatic verification of tenders for procedural violations and highlighting such tenders for the Agency’s management team,
• Comprehensive evaluation of procurement results in comparison with average/median procurement metrics,
• Monitoring and evaluating contract execution,
• Generating reports for stakeholders to assess procurement quality.

This Project aligns with the NGO ToP efforts to digitalize public services, fight corruption, and bring efficiency and transparency to public recovery spending. We believe that this Project is vital for fostering a culture of integrity and accountability in public procurement, which is essential for rebuilding and strengthening trust in public institutions.

**The European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) in Ukraine that is a joint EU and Government of Denmark financed programme aimed at supporting Ukraine in its efforts to reduce corruption through the empowerment of citizens, the civil society, businesses and state institutions.

Partnering with the "Institute of Analytics and Advocacy", the ToP team started implementation of the project "Accountability and Capacity-building for Customs Oversight and Reform Development". This initiative was launched at the end of 2023 in response to the challenges in front of Ukrainian customs, including the ongoing war and the expected start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. The project’s duration is 3 years and is funded by the EU.

The main tasks of the project are focused on improving transparency, accountability and efficiency of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, as well as on recommendations for the modernization of its activities in accordance with EU standards and requirements. It will contribute to strengthening the economic security of Ukraine, which is important in the context of post-war reconstruction.

The project tasks are focused on the four main areas:

• Increasing awareness and competences of non-governmental organizations and anti-corruption watchdogs regarding customs operations, which will allow to better recognize and respond to possible deviations from optimal procedures;
• Implementation of public analytical tools for objective assessment of the effectiveness of customs authorities and the activities of the customs service as a whole;
• Monitoring the progress of legislative and institutional reforms on the path to bring Ukrainian customs closer to EU standards (for example, regular assessment of the effectiveness of the criminalization of smuggling recently introduced by the Parliament, preparation of shadow reports on the assessment of progress of negotiations under chapter 29 regarding the Customs Union, etc.);
• Strengthening dialogue and cooperation between the government, general public and business aimed at effective customs reform and bringing customs operations up to the EU standards.

Within the framework of the project, sub-grants will also be provided to several non-governmental organizations aiming at strengthening capacities and including wider civil society in the monitoring of the customs service operation.