In peacetime, civil society — educational and cultural institutions, professional and religious associations, foundations, professional associations and more — sit outside government. But in times of war, the “third sector” can provide a critical basis for government to reestablish peace and normalcy, deliver some semblance of the services government can’t, and use its collective influence to set priorities when it’s time to rebuild.
As the war in Ukraine stretches past a month, we asked Ross Maclaren, program officer for civil society at the C. S. Mott Foundation, to shed some light on the foundation’s nearly three decades of engagement there, through work focused on supporting civil society, and more specifically, justice.
Founded in 1926, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is headquartered in Flint, Michigan. At the turn of the 20th century, its founder parlayed early ventures in manufacturing axles to a director’s seat at General Motors, then the world’s largest automaker. Initially focused on improving community education in Flint, today, Mott funds domestically and globally in civil society, education and environment, while sustaining a commitment to its hometown. Since inception, it has awarded grants totaling more than $3.2 billion to organizations in 62 countries.
Maclaren said that the courage of the Ukrainian people to “stand up for democracy and what’s important to their county has been remarkable from the first day.” Here are four things to know about the foundation’s Ukraine funding.
1. It stems from post-Cold War efforts to support civil society
Mott’s work in Ukraine sits within the foundation’s civil society focus area, which has four aims: strengthening civil space, enhancing community philanthropy, increasing access to justice, and backing special initiatives.
Strengthening civic space—“protecting, expanding and enhancing the environment for civic engagement”—involves advocacy and outreach to boost policy and infrastructure, as well as research that seeks innovative solutions to broadening public participation.
The Mott Foundation’s civil society team began making grants in Central and Eastern Europe and South Africa during the 1990s, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and in conjunction with huge changes in all three regions.
Beyond Ukraine, Mott currently supports organizations in other Eastern European countries like Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic and Serbia, though those are “principally for specific organizations working on regional initiatives, rather than part of a broader country program.”
2. In Ukraine, justice is the focus
As previously reported in IP, philanthropic giving for Ukraine has been robust in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion and the resulting humanitarian crisis. But grantmakers like Mott and the Open Society Foundations have been on the ground for decades.
The C.S. Mott Foundation has granted a total of more than $35 million to support Ukrainian civil society since the 1990s. Grantmaking this year totals around $600,000, and “centers on access to justice and support for internally displaced persons.” There is also some level of “legacy support for civil society organizations.”
Maclaren said the foundation’s primary funding objective in Ukraine is “a little bit different,” from other geographies, and focuses mainly on access to justice. That means building the public’s capacity to engage on issues of law and justice in practical terms, through work to promote the rule of law and judicial reform. Mott collaborates from “the ground up” through community based organizations, while cooperating with government.
3. Mott funds community-based partnerships
Maclaren reported that the average grant under the Increasing Access to Justice umbrella in Ukraine is about $125,000—and that grants usually span two years. That reflects the foundation’s belief that longer-term funding offers grantees stability and the ability to focus on important projects and innovation.
As an example of representative work, Maclaren pointed to a two-year, $200,000 partnership with the Legal Development Network, which provides the Ukrainian public with community-based access to legal aid and other justice-related resources.
The Legal Development Network focuses on decentralization reforms as new local entities began assuming financial authority and service responsibility after a process launched in 2014 to lower dependence on centralized government and build community-based trust. Its 25 members operate 29 community legal centers based in 15 regions of Ukraine. Each engages the community by offering online access to public information and advisory resources, while providing free legal advice and assistance in matters like accessing health and social services, and property registration.
4. Standing in solidarity
As the conflict escalates, Mott remains “committed to supporting democratic civil society in Ukraine as the peaceful country faces down a hostile invasion,” and recently issued a statement of solidarity.
While it has not made new grants since the conflict began, the foundation is speaking with “current and past grantees, as well as other contacts on the ground, to understand when and where additional Mott Foundation support would be most useful.”
Right now, Maclaren said safety and security ranks above all else, and that the foundation is relying on its community-based network of grantees to stay connected, monitor rights and abuses “to the extent possible,” and sustain engagement.
In a rare upside to a global pandemic, virtual connections established during COVID have been part of the solution to staying connected, as people are “shunted about offices,” evacuated and moved to other parts of the country. “Upping the game through mobile apps and online information sharing has sure come in handy,” Maclaren said, while citing a commitment to providing as much flexibility as possible.
For now, Mott is focusing on organizations still operating in the country. “We want our partners to stand as long as they can,” he said. As the situation evolves, the foundation is in a special position to put its deep local knowledge to work supporting the displaced, and one day, those who return home.