Estonia and Zhytomyr Region Launch IMPACT-Zhytomyr 3.0 Programme to Strengthen Local Development and Investment Planning

Visionest Institute, with the support of the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), in partnership with the Zhytomyr Regional Military Administration and the Regional Development Agency of Zhytomyr Region, has officially launched IMPACT-Zhytomyr 3.0.

The programme brings together 11 municipalities from Zhytomyr Region to strengthen their capacity for strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and investment project development. Over the coming months, municipal teams will work with Ukrainian and Estonian experts to turn local priorities and data into practical development plans and investment projects.

The programme comes at a time when Ukrainian municipalities continue to manage the consequences of Russia’s war while also preparing for recovery and longer-term development. IMPACT-Zhytomyr 3.0 is designed to help local governments move from responding to immediate challenges towards more systematic planning, stronger project preparation, and better use of available resources and partnerships.

“During wartime, local territorial governments must address immediate crises while also considering what life in their communities should look like in seven years from now. They need to foresee how to preserve jobs, ensure essential services, and secure funding for development. They need residents, businesses and academia involved to create a clear plan to turn shared priorities into action.
Our previous cooperation with businesses and local governments in the Zhytomyr region gives the IMPACT programme a strong foundation. We are bringing the practical experience of Estonian local governments and the local knowledge of Ukrainian experts to help communities prepare projects that fit funding requirements.
For me, the most important outcome is that local governments can implement the strategies they develop,” said Anu-Mall Naarits, CEO of Visionest Institute.

Two tracks for 11 municipalities

To maximise impact, IMPACT-Zhytomyr 3.0 tailors its support to the current planning capacity of the 11 participating municipalities across two dedicated tracks:

• Track 1 (Strategy Development): Four municipalities that do not yet have an approved development strategy — Berezivka Hromada, Vyshevychi Hromada, Semenivka Hromada, and Stryieva Hromada — will work through the process of developing new strategies and action plans, including local analysis, priority setting, and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA).

• Track 2 (Implementation & Investment Readiness): Seven municipalities with existing strategies — Popilnia Hromada, Barashivka Hromada, Vilshanka Hromada, Hlybochytska Hromada, Horshchyky Hromada, Starosiltsi Hromada, and Chyzhivka Hromada — will focus on implementation, updating action plans, strengthening budget alignment, and preparing donor-ready project proposals.

All 11 municipalities will also receive support in developing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools to track progress and adjust their plans during implementation.

Learning connected to real municipal work

Over the coming months, each participating hromada will work directly with a dedicated Ukrainian expert.

“The first two Impact.Zhytomyr projects demonstrated that practical project development is a crucial skill for the sustainable development of local governments. This development must be grounded in actual local needs to ensure that future development strategies align with recovery and growth objectives. With Impact.Zhytomyr 3.0, we aim to equip Zhytomyr’s municipalities with the confidence and skills to link their current day-to-day crisis management with a long-term vision. The goal is simple: to help them develop robust projects that attract international support to the region, facilitate local reconstruction, and improve people's lives,” said ESTDEV’s executive director Andrea Kivi.

Another key feature of IMPACT-Zhytomyr 3.0 is the direct connection between learning and ongoing municipal development work. The programme combines interactive training, practical workshops, individual mentoring, expert consultations, and hands-on work on strategies and investment projects. Each workshop will produce concrete deliverables — from analytical profiles and planning tables to action-plan components and budget models.

The programme will begin with a comprehensive needs analysis across all 11 municipalities to evaluate planning capacity, priorities, and local stakeholder networks, which will directly inform the subsequent training and mentoring activities. This hands-on approach ensures that new knowledge contributes directly to official documents and projects developed throughout the programme.

From kick-off forum to closing forum

The programme will officially open with the IMPACT-Zhytomyr 3.0 Kick-Off Forum in Zhytomyr on 24 September 2026, bringing together representatives of participating municipalities, regional authorities, Estonian partners, international organisations, and local development stakeholders. The initiative will run through June 2027, concluding with a Closing Forum where the final strategic results and investment profiles will be presented to international donors and partners.

Read more about the programme and apply.