DESPRO is proactively responsive to challenges of each stage of the reform of local self-government, at national, regional, and local level.

The result of DESPRO’s support of national stakeholders in increasing their capacities to regulate, guide and implement the LSG reform, is 92,1% satisfaction with legislative and regulatory environment in local self-government (based on the survey of LSG representatives and key stakeholders, with purpose of evaluation project’s achievements).

DESPRO has contributed to drafting over 10 laws and regulatory documents, produced more than 50 educational and analytical publications, and organized or contributed to over 200 events in support of national policy. The project supported the launch and activities of the Decentralization web portal which is the key resource covering all major activities, achievements, challenges and prospects in the decentralisation sector, attracting more than 2 million users since its inception. In 2017 and 2018 in support of national policy in part of decentralization, DESPRO organized a series of public debates in different regions of Ukraine, involvong experts, local self-government and activists in a dialogue on amalgamation of communities.

DESPRO continues to support communities in partner regions and beyond in developing high-quality public services, implemented through sustainable models of decentralized service provision. So far, 159 communities have worked, jointly with DESPRO, on water supply and waste water treatment projects, and 5 communities participated in solid waste management inter-municipal projects.

Working on strengthening the capacities of local self-government associations DESPRO established a system of knowledge dissemination: the web platform Community of Practice: Sustainable Development currently has over 9000 participants, and the Local Self-Governance School, founded in 2014, has 228 graduates and 57 certified trainers who successfully finished the curriculum.

Project phases

PHASE І. 2007-2010

Budget CHF 2,840,850

Areas of work:
Preparation of conceptual and legislative basis for the reform of local self-government and territorial organisation of power

Development and dissemination of models of decentralized public services on local level – rural water supply.
Community based organizations were mobilized, rayon groups were engaged, and water supply and waste water treatment projects in 40 communities were implemented.

PHASE ІІ. 2010-2013

Budget CHF 4,967,905

Areas of work:
Preparation of the reform of local self-government and territorial organisation of power, disseminating knowledge on implementation of decentralization for stakeholders


Adaptation of decentralized public services models on local level to legislative changes. Scaling-up the models.
Water supply and waste water treatment projects in 38 communities were implemented.

Introduction of inter-municipal cooperation for provision of quality public services, in particular in water supply and municipal solid waste (MSW) management.
2 such MSW projects were implemented.

Start of knowledge management branch with purpose of effective accumulation and transfer of knowledge in the reform support and decenralized public services: web platform Community of Practice: Sustainable Development was launched.

PHASE ІІІ. 2013-2017

Budget CHF 9,277,003

Areas of work:
Support of the LSG reform implementation. Communication support of the reform.

Dissemination of achievements of the reform among citizens.

Capacity building for representatives of local self-government and state bodies to provide preparation to work under the reformed system. Annual Local Self-Government School was launched.

Dissemination of inter-municipal cooperation as a tool to provide quality public services: water supply, waste water treatment, and municipal solid waste management, in villages, towns, and amalgamated communities.
3 MSW projects were implemented on the basis of inter-municipal cooperation.

Integration of knowledge management into state institutions education process.

PHASE ІV. 2017-2020

Budget CHF 6,200,000

Areas of work:
Public discussions of the reform of local self-government and territorial organisation of power. Wide communication support of the reform.

Consolidation of DESPRO’s experience in public services (water supply, waste water treatment, and municipal solid waste management). Expansion of experience towards quality service provision in amalgamated communities.

Scaling-up experience via public events, publications, media.

Participation in developing conceptual documents and draft laws in strategic planning for solid waste management at regional and national level.