Aim & Objectives

Aim of the Institution:

The Grassroots Institute aims to undertake education, capacity building, innovative research, human development and appropriate grassroots field action to conserve the natural environment, to promote sustainable development, and to serve and empower deprived and marginalized communities, ethnic groups, and threatened and vulnerable peoples.

Objectives of the Institution:

1. To conduct the educational programs through structured trainings, vocational courses, summer schools, internships, certificates or diplomas and on-field exposure programs for the youths, working professionals, interested students and others on the issues/themes related to economic development, environment, natural resources, agriculture and rural development, law & policy and governance, social work/change, human rights, and public health.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 1 >

   1. Designing, planning, executing and imparting structured certificate and diploma programs/courses in online, flexible, in-person and hybrid modes for the youths, working professionals, interested students and others on topics of environment, natural resources, agriculture and rural development,;
   2. Designing, planning, executing and imparting structured certificate and diploma programs/courses in online, flexible, in-person and hybrid modes for the youths, working professionals, interested students and others on topics of law, policy and governance;
   3. Designing, planning, executing and imparting structured certificate and diploma programs/courses in online, flexible, in-person and hybrid modes for the youths, working professionals, interested students and others on topics of sustainable economic development, rural management, innovative social networks & development, green urban systems;
   4. Designing, planning, executing and imparting structured certificate and diploma programs/courses in online, flexible, in-person and hybrid modes for the youths, working professionals, interested students and others on topics of citizen action, human rights, environmental and resource rights, food & water rights, public health, democratic public institutions, and civic rights;
   5. Devising innovative and new vocational courses, summer/winter schools, internships and field exposures for the youths, young professionals, students and trainees on the topics of environment, forests, land ecorestoration, wetlands, food & agriculture, rural development, and natural resources;
   6. Devising innovative and new vocational courses, summer/winter schools, internships and field exposures for the youths, young professionals, students and trainees on the topics of law, policy, institutional mechanisms, and local governance;
   7. Devising innovative and new vocational courses, summer/winter schools, internships and field exposures for the youths, young professionals, students and trainees on the topics of sustainable economic development, rural development/management, innovative social networks & development, youth-led community networks, green urban systems, social innovations and local marketing;
   8. Devising innovative and new vocational courses, summer/winter schools, internships and field exposures for the youths, young professionals, students and trainees on the topics of (young) citizen action, human rights, environmental and resource rights, food & water rights, public health, democratic public institutions, and civic rights;
   9. Performing all requisite procedures for accreditation, authentication, validation and evaluation of the trainings, certificates, diplomas, summer schools, vocations courses, field exposures, internships, etc. from national and international certification, regulatory and accreditation bodies.
2. To organize and deliver trainings, consultations, counseling and capacity building activities on the issues/ themes related to rural & urban development, environmental conservation, natural resources management, policy, law and governance, grassroots action, social work/change, communication, sustainable economic development, human rights, legal issues and public health for strengthening the capacities of public organizations, academic institutions, governance authorities, local self-governance entities, students, youths, teachers, citizen groups, and local/ethnic communities.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 2 >

   1. Identifying, planning, preparing, executing and imparting innovative trainings and capacity building activities in order to strengthen the capacities, hone the skills, build new perspectives, overcome knowledge gaps, and develop leaderships of public organizations, academic institutions, governance authorities, local self-governance entities, students, youths, teachers, citizen groups, responsible citizens, and local/ethnic communities on the issues of or themes related to rural management/development, environmental conservation, food & agriculture, and natural resources management;
   2. Identifying, planning, preparing, executing and imparting innovative trainings and capacity building activities in order to strengthen the capacities, hone the skills, build new perspectives, overcome knowledge gaps, and develop leaderships of public organizations, academic institutions, governance authorities, local self-governance entities, students, youths, teachers, citizen groups, responsible citizens, and local/ethnic communities on the issues of or themes related to public policy, public-interest law and local self-governance, grassroots field action, human rights, and resource rights;
   3. Identifying, planning, preparing, executing and imparting innovative trainings and capacity building activities in order to strengthen the capacities, hone the skills, build new perspectives, overcome knowledge gaps, and develop leaderships of public organizations, academic institutions, governance authorities, local self-governance entities, students, youths, teachers, citizen groups, responsible citizens, and local/ethnic communities on the issues of or themes related to sustainable urban environment, social development & change, development communication, sustainable economic development, and public health;
   4. Holding/conducting consultations, dialogues, counseling sessions, awareness activities, public meetings, transacts, group works and interactive discussions in a bid to build right perspectives, sharpen the capacities, catalyze the collective strengths, and evolve alternative stewardships among the public organizations, academic institutions, governance authorities, local self-governance entities, students, youths, teachers, citizen groups, responsible citizens, and local/ethnic communities on the issues of or themes related to rural management/development, environmental conservation, food & agriculture, and natural resources management;
   5. Holding/conducting consultations, dialogues, counseling sessions, awareness activities, public meetings, transacts, group works and interactive discussions in a bid to build right perspectives, sharpen the capacities, catalyze the collective strengths, and evolve alternative stewardships among the public organizations, academic institutions, governance authorities, local self-governance entities, students, youths, teachers, citizen groups, responsible citizens, and local/ethnic communities on the issues of or themes related to public policy, public-interest law and local self-governance, grassroots field action, human rights, and resource rights;
   6. Holding/conducting consultations, dialogues, counseling sessions, awareness activities, public meetings, transacts, group works and interactive discussions in a bid to build right perspectives, sharpen the capacities, catalyze the collective strengths, and evolve alternative stewardships among the public organizations, academic institutions, governance authorities, local self-governance entities, students, youths, teachers, citizen groups, responsible citizens, and local/ethnic communities on the issues of or themes related to sustainable urban environment, social development & change, development communication, sustainable economic development, and public health;
   7. Sourcing funding opportunities and developing projects of varied types in framework of above listed activities on given issues/themes;
   8. Creating partnerships and collaborations with entities in Ukraine, EU countries and internationally to evolve and implement related projects in aforesaid areas;
   9. Building internal technical, managerial and financial capacities of the organization.
3. To conduct research, studies, inquiries and discourses on the subjects/themes related to environment, natural resources, agriculture, food resources, governance, policy, development, livestock/economics, human rights, legal issues and public health to galvanize the change in human society and global ecology. To commission policy-oriented research, legal analysis, social study and recommendations on domestic and international issues (including resulting publications) concerning environment, ethnic people, local & rural resources, governance, biocultural rights, regional development, public health, human rights, legal issues and allied spheres.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 3 >

   1. Conceptualizing, designing, conducting and disseminating new research, studies, inquiries, evaluations, and discourses on the subjects/themes related to environment and ecosystems, natural resources, food 7 agriculture, sustainable development, global ecology, and green economy;
   2. Conceptualizing, designing, conducting and disseminating new research, studies, inquiries, evaluations, and discourses on the subjects/themes related to rural development, livestock/economics, and public health to galvanize the change in rural society;
   3. Conceptualizing, designing, conducting and disseminating new research, studies, inquiries, evaluations, and discourses on the subjects/themes related to public & local governance, public policy, regional development, human and resource rights, and other legal issues affecting the citizens and civil society;
   4. Planning, developing and conducting policy-oriented research, legal analysis, social study and recommendations on domestic and international issues (including resulting publications) concerning environment, natural resources, transboundary landscapes, agriculture and food, and biocultural resources;
   5. Planning, developing and conducting policy-oriented research, legal analysis, social study and recommendations on domestic and international issues (including resulting publications) concerning ethnic people, local & rural resources, local governance, biocultural rights, regional development, public health, human rights, and allied spheres;
   6. Taking part in the policy appraisal, formation, evaluation and dissemination processes and liaising with concerned state authorities, departments and local self-government bodies in contexts of environment; sustainable regional & local development, natural resources, ethnic people, agriculture & food, rural development, urban energy & resources, public health, and civil society and democratization.
   7. Participation in the processes of creating research organizations, conformity assessment bodies, information media, data bank, archive, books library, photo and video library with the purpose of attracting broad masses to the issues of ecology and environmental problems, as well as to solve problems of environmental and cultural education, and development of informational, informational-consultative and methodical materials;
   8. Devising and conducting action research projects inculcating policy and participatory perspectives and involving the communities, and sharing/exchanging the learning globally with the multiple stakeholders;
   9. Planning, preparing and conducting workshops and field schools on participatory research, action research, policy research, participatory learning & action, and legal research tools and techniques.
4. To undertake development and field action projects and activities for environmental conservation, sustainable development, community empowerment, economic development, sustainable agriculture, water resources management, bioresources protection, sustainable urban development, local governance reform, cultural preservation, livestock development & health, human rights, the rights of ethnic people, public health, and social work/change.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 4 >

   1. Developing, executing and supporting environmental awareness activities to increase the level of environmental education, knowledge about the state of the natural environment, and realizing responsibilities of citizens;
   2. Promoting the development and implementation of advanced ecologically balanced, energy- and resource-saving technologies in all branches of economic activity; promoting the development of sustainable energy, energy saving and energy efficiency, alternative and renewable energy sources;
   3. Mobilization, empowerment and organization of rural, urban, youth, student, and others to understand the issues at local, national and international level, and to act to solving ecological, environmental, social, economic and energy problems;
   4. Planning, developing, implementing, evaluating and internalizing development and field action projects and activities for environmental conservation, forest & biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, community empowerment, economic development, sustainable agriculture, water resources management, bioresources protection, sustainable urban development, local governance reform, cultural preservation, livestock development & health, human rights, the rights of ethnic people, public health, and social work/change.
   5. Promoting and deepening the dialogue between authorities, business, and the public in order to cultivate a joint solution of social, economic, and environmental problems;
   6. Conceptualization, development, writing and composing technical manuals to educate and train the target groups so that they can efficiently work for environmental protection, use of natural resources, ensuring environmental safety, sustainable agriculture, safety and quality adherence of food products;
   7. Promoting the development of ecological and organic certification systems, ecological and organic labeling of food products, goods, works, services in accordance with the requirements of European and international standards, the development of systems of other types of labeling (“natural”, “bio”, CE labeling, energy labeling, etc. );
   8. Promoting the development of sustainable and ecological tourism while ensuring protection and preservation of biological and landscape diversity;
   9. Exchanging information and direct experiences with other organization within Ukraine and internationally on the issues of greening of industrial economy, development of sustainable production and consumption, development of ecological culture and the culture of sustainable consumption in society, environmental conservation, forest & biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, community empowerment, economic development, sustainable agriculture, water resources management, bioresources protection, sustainable urban development, local governance reform, cultural preservation, livestock development & health, human rights, the rights of ethnic people, public health, and social work/change
5. To provide social services to local communities, war-affected people, war-affected veterans, vulnerable and marginalized peoples, oppressed and excluded groups, and ethnic communities by providing them with culturally appropriate development programs, focusing on their traditions and customs or their particular cultural, spiritual or linguistic needs, and on facilitating their development based on agriculture, water resources, bioresources, crafts, foods, animals, etc.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 5 >

   1. Developing community services or outlets for local rural/urban dwellers to cater needs of families, women, older people, disabled, youths, and students by providing them with culturally appropriate development programs, focusing on their traditions and customs or their particular cultural, spiritual or linguistic needs;
   2. Developing community services or outlets preferably in cooperative mode for local rural/urban families through development of agriculture, water resources, bioresources, crafts, foods, animal rearing, etc.;
   3. Developing community services or outlets for war-affected people, war-affected veterans to cater needs of families, women, older people, disabled, youths, and students through rehabilitation activities, psycho-therapies, counselling, empowerment, and other cultural, spiritual or linguistic engagements;
   4. Developing community services or outlets for vulnerable and marginalized peoples, oppressed and excluded groups, and ethnic communities to cater needs of families, women, older people, disabled, youths, and students by providing them with culturally appropriate development programs, focusing on their traditions and customs or their particular cultural, spiritual or linguistic needs;
   5. Developing community services or outlets preferably in cooperative mode for vulnerable and marginalized peoples, oppressed and excluded groups, and ethnic communities through development of agriculture, water resources, bioresources, crafts, foods, animal rearing, etc.;
   6. Participation and collaboration in similar activities and projects organized by other networking organizations.
6. To hold workshops, seminars, symposia, congress, forums, consultations, meetings, forums, conferences, meetings, exhibitions, contests, other informational and consulting and informational and educational activities in order to promote ecological security, sustainable development, social/economic development, sustainable agriculture, rural development, green urban systems, sustainable energy systems, social justice, legal & governance reform, peace and people’s rights, democratization of public institutions, and public health.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 6 >

   1. Organizing workshops, seminars, symposia, congress, forums, consultations, meetings, conferences, etc. in order to promote ecological security, sustainable development, social/economic development, sustainable agriculture, rural development, green urban systems, sustainable energy systems, social justice, legal & governance reform, peace and people’s rights, democratization of public institutions, and public health;
   2. Organizing public meetings, exhibitions, contests, other informational and consulting and informational and educational activities for the fulfillment of the statutory purpose in order to promote ecological security, sustainable development, social/economic development, sustainable agriculture, rural development, green urban systems, sustainable energy systems, social justice, legal & governance reform, peace and people’s rights, democratization of public institutions, and public health;
   3. Compiling, composing and publishing reports, proceedings, serials, blogs, or other forms of documents based on the progress and presentations of above-listed workshops, seminars, symposia, congress, forums, consultations, , conferences, meetings, exhibitions, contests, other informational and consulting and informational and educational activities.
7. To promote and host academic and practitioner networks, alliances, associations, federations and collectives for collective and coordinated action, participatory initiatives, and information/ knowledge transfer, sharing, exchange and management in the spheres and interests of environmental conservation, sustainable development, community empowerment, economic development, sustainable agriculture, water resources management, bioresources protection, sustainable urban development, local governance reform, cultural preservation, livestock development & health, human rights, the rights of ethnic people, public health, and social work/change.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 7 >

   1. Forming and fostering academic and practitioner networks, alliances, associations, federations and collectives for collective and coordinated action, participatory initiatives, and information/ knowledge transfer, sharing, exchange and management in the spheres and interests of environmental conservation, sustainable development, community empowerment, economic development, sustainable agriculture, water resources management, bioresources protection, sustainable urban development, local governance reform, cultural preservation, livestock development & health, human rights, the rights of ethnic people, public health, and social work/change;
   2. Taking part in academic and practitioner networks, alliances, associations, federations and collectives for collective and coordinated action, participatory initiatives, and information/ knowledge transfer, sharing, exchange and management in the spheres and interests of environmental conservation, sustainable development, community empowerment, economic development, sustainable agriculture, water resources management, bioresources protection, sustainable urban development, local governance reform, cultural preservation, livestock development & health, human rights, the rights of ethnic people, public health, and social work/change.
   3. Maintaining and creating database and website or portal for information dissemination, membership management and public discourse of such academic and practitioner networks, alliances, associations, federations and collectives in the spheres and interests of environmental conservation, sustainable development, community empowerment, economic development, sustainable agriculture, water resources management, bioresources protection, sustainable urban development, local governance reform, cultural preservation, livestock development & health, human rights, the rights of ethnic people, public health, and social work/change.
8. To network, build alliances and make coalitions with like-minded organizations and individuals for promoting and realizing the above-mentioned objectives of the organization at national and international level, particularly EU countries, cross-border countries and Eurasian countries.

   Proposed Activities under Objective 8 >

   1. Creating and appreciating networks, alliances and coalitions of students, youths, communities, practitioners, scientists, scholars, lawyers, NGOs, citizen groups, universities, research institutes, museums, libraries, local self-governance bodies, and others for realizing the stated objectives of the public organization at national and international level;
   2. Joining the networks, alliances and coalitions of students, youths, communities, practitioners, scientists, scholars, lawyers, NGOs, citizen groups, universities, research institutes, museums, libraries, local self-governance bodies, and others for realizing the stated objectives of the public organization at national and international level;
   3. Setting up awards, prizes, scholarships, other incentives for involving various stakeholders and realizing the stated objectives.
9. To undertake activities proposed under each of preceding objectives in Ukraine and internationally (particularly EU countries, cross-border countries and Eurasian countries) through direct operations as well as by involving intermediaries as permitted by laws of Ukraine.