Ukraine–France: Twin NGOs Initiative
Twin NGOs is part of ONM's signature Human-to-Human (H2H) methodology — linking people at the most basic level of society, reflecting the way society actually works, not how it looks from the top of a diplomatic ladder. Change doesn't begin with summits. It begins with people finding each other.
Ukraine's civil society is one of the most vibrant, resilient forces in the world today. The Twin NGOs initiative pairs French associations with Ukrainian organizations in structured, long-term partnerships — equals who mentor each other, build each other up, and act together for a democratic Europe. Practical. Reciprocal. Human.
Mutual Mentorship
Share contacts, resources, insights, and lessons learned across your fields.
Joint Projects
Brainstorm initiatives together, apply for grants jointly, and co-advocate on shared issues.
Human Friendship
Build genuine relationships between your teams. New translation tools make rich exchanges accessible across language barriers.
Europe's Civic Shield
Counter disinformation, preserve culture, strengthen democratic institutions, fight corruption — together.
Reciprocal Energy
A French fundraiser directs a share of proceeds to its Twin NGO in Ukraine; the Ukrainian partner promotes the work in return.
Civil Society Alignment
Support Ukraine's EU accession through people-to-people engagement, beyond government-to-government channels.
Who Can Apply
We are looking for organizations genuinely curious about their counterparts across the border and ready to invest in a transnational, grassroots relationship.
Formal associations (loi 1901) working in:
Nonviolent movements, volunteer hubs, NGOs, associations, and trusted and vetted informal groups. Admitted by referral through:
The Commitment
Organizations themselves know what they need and what they can give. A Twin NGO partnership might look something like 1.5 hours total interaction per month, a 12-month commitment, any of four collaboration frameworks (forthcoming) to choose from, and 0 euros cost to participate.
When matched, each pair receives the Twin NGO Blueprint — a practical guide covering your first five steps together and your chosen collaboration framework. The formal commitment is a letter of intent. ONM asks all participants for a brief progress report at 6 and 12 months, and to share the initiative with your networks.
How to Apply
We ask you to record a short video (maximum 5 minutes) so we can hear directly from you — your voice, your energy, your mission. Videos may be in English, Ukrainian, or French.
① Upload your video to our shared Google Drive folder →
② Send an email in Ukrainian, French, or English to contact@nonviolent-movements.org with: your organization's name, website and social media, a point of contact (name & email), and the exact file name of your uploaded video.
Free to apply — no fees, ever.
Timeline — Three Rounds of Pairings
July 1, 2026 — First submission deadline
Applications close for Cohort 1. Linked to the July 2 networking event in Paris, where attendees from French NGOs and other civil society actors will watch videos together.
July 16, 2026 — Matchmaking notifications
All Cohort 1 applicants notified of their match (or waitlist status). Matched pairs have 3 weeks to complete the Twin NGO Blueprint and confirm their 12-month commitment.
October 2, 2026 — Second submission deadline
Applications open for Cohort 2.
January 2, 2027 — Third submission deadline
Applications open for Cohort 3.
Transnational civil society, stronger together
Upload your video and send us your details. We'll take it from there. Under the patronage of the Embassy of Ukraine in France.
