Municipal Exchange Fund Austria - Ukraine
Municipal Exchange Fund A4U in a nutshell
A4U is a two-year international cooperation project (2025–2027) that connects Ukrainian local governments with Austrian local governments and municipal partners. The project aims to strengthen Ukrainian local governments by supporting recovery efforts and accompanying municipalities on their path towards European integration. Through structured municipal partnerships, A4U facilitates exchange, mutual learning, and hands-on cooperation. Austria and Ukraine work together to develop practical solutions, share expertise at local level, and build long-lasting partnerships that extend beyond the project’s duration.
A4U is implemented by KDZ – Centre for Public Administration Research, with funding from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) as part of International Partnerships Austria and from the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns (AACT). The project is part of U-LEAD with Europe, ensuring strong alignment with ongoing international support initiatives.
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Launched in 2016, U-LEAD with Europe is a joint initiative between Ukraine and the European Union and its Member States – Germany, Denmark, France, Austria, Poland and Slovenia – to create a multi-level governance system that is transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of Ukrainian citizens. The third phase of U-LEAD started in 2025, focusing on strengthening local self-government and ensuring sustainable recovery at the local and regional levels in the context of Ukraine’s EU integration goals.
What does A4U do?
A4U supports 10–20 structured municipal partnerships between Austria and Ukraine. Each partnership can receive funding of up to €50,000 to implement joint municipal projects (among others, eligible costs include expert support, travel and accommodation, translation and interpretation services).
The programme encourages the development of practical, transferable, and sustainable project results that can be applied by Ukrainian local governments and serve as inspiration for others.
Why A4U matters
Local governments play a crucial role in rebuilding communities and shaping Ukraine’s future. A4U strengthens sustainable local governance and supports socio-economic recovery in Ukraine by building solid cooperation with Austrian municipal partners.
Through peer exchange and practical guidance, the project helps Ukrainian municipalities adopt EU standards and practices, while strengthening resilience and recovery.
Who can apply?
Municipalities and related municipal partners, including: municipal enterprises, NGOs closely cooperating with municipalities, universities, and municipal consortia.
How to apply?
Two Calls for Proposals will be launched during the project period (2025–2027).
Applications must be submitted as joint project proposals involving:
- one Austrian municipality or municipal partner.
- and one Ukrainian municipality.
Given the programme’s focus on knowledge transfer, Austrian partners act as Lead Partners and are responsible for submitting the application.
Both existing and newly established partnerships are welcome. KDZ actively supports partner matching and is available to assist interested Austrian and Ukrainian municipal partner in developing joint project ideas.
Which projects can be developed?
Projects may address, inter alia:
Urban and sustainable development EU integration and EU standards Climate change and local resilience Public administration reform Socio-economic recovery and resilient local development Open governance and digitalisation Gender equality and social inclusion …and related topics relevant to municipal recovery and development. | Examples Strengthening Citizen Participation through Digital Services and Open Governance The Austrian city of (X) partners with the Ukrainian Municipality of (Y) to improve how citizens can access information, provide feedback, and actively participate in local recovery decisions. The cooperation focuses on developing a simple, integrated digital participation system for (Y), combining an online citizen platform with improved transparency tools. Through exchange visits, Ukrainian municipal staff visit the Austrian city to explore how digital services are organised, including online service portals, participatory budgeting tools, and open data dashboards. Based on this collaboration, a digitalisation roadmap and a pilot e-platform are developed, building on and integrating existing Ukrainian digital tools (e.g. Diia). The platform will allow residents to submit service requests, report local issues, and provide feedback on reconstruction priorities. To ensure effective use, municipal staff receive hands-on training in managing digital tools, responding to citizen input, and using data for decision-making. The approach serves as a replicable model for other Ukrainian municipalities seeking to make recovery processes more transparent, inclusive, and data-driven. Developing a Pilot Neighbourhood Plan for Sustainable Urban Regeneration The Austrian communal enterprise (X), acting in cooperation with the Austrian municipality (Y) under a signed Letter of Intent (LoI), partners with the Ukrainian Municipality of (Z) to support the sustainable regeneration of a war-affected urban neighbourhood through practical planning and knowledge exchange. The cooperation focuses on a damaged residential area in (Z) where public spaces and transport connections need improvement. The project aims to develop a feasible, step-by-step neighbourhood plan that can guide future investments. During an exchange visit, Ukrainian municipal staff learn how integrated urban development is approached in practice, focusing on compact planning, reuse of existing spaces, and low-cost improvements to public areas. Through a hands-on workshop, a pilot neighbourhood concept is developed. The project tests one small-scale pilot intervention, temporarily redesigning a public square using modular elements, to demonstrate how the future vision can be implemented step by step. By the end of the project, (Z) has an implementable neighbourhood plan, a tested pilot action, and improved internal capacity to manage urban regeneration processes. |
