The war forces frontline regions to respond to new threats every day. But recovery cannot be limited to responding to destruction. It requires teams that can identify the needs of communities, develop projects, work with the business sector, and build partnerships.

This was the topic of discussion on the second day of the Summer School for regional development agencies, organised in Uzhhorod by the Swiss-Ukrainian “Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development” (UCORD) project in cooperation with EURADA.

The school brought together representatives of the RDAs from Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Odesa regions. Alongside European case studies, the participants also examined Ukrainian experiences. Presentations by agencies from Sumy and Odesa regions gave other agencies in frontline regions the opportunity to compare their own approaches: how to work with communities in conditions of constant risk, how to maintain a strategic outlook, and how to prepare the region for investment.

 

Sumy region: Combining security, recovery, and development

 

 

For Sumy region, the topic of resilience has a very specific dimension. The region shares a 563.8-kilometre border with the aggressor state, and 51 communities are located predominantly in the border zone. Under these circumstances, the Regional Development Agency operates in an environment where the needs of communities can change literally overnight.

The Sumy Regional Development Agency was created at the end of 2021 and started operating in August 2022. Its founders were the Sumy Regional Military Administration, the Regional Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sumy State University, Sumy National Agrarian University, and the A. S. Makarenko Sumy State Pedagogical University.

 

 

In its presentation, the Agency demonstrated how it structures its work at the intersection of several areas: strategic planning, community support, business development, international cooperation, and the preparation of recovery projects.

With the support of UCORD, the Agency has developed a strategy for its activities for 2025–2027. The Project is also mentioned amongst the RDA’s international partners. The presentation makes special mention of the systematic support provided by UCORD and the Swiss Government in strengthening the team's institutional capacity.

At the same time, the RDA supports communities in preparing development strategies and recovery plans. Examples include the Popivka, Svesa, Yampil, Bilopillia, and Korovyntsi communities. An important part of this work involves the use of data and digital tools to ensure that decisions are based not only on a general vision, but also on the actual needs of the territories.

 

 

Support for small and medium-sized businesses takes practical form. The agency has created the ‘Business of Sumy Region’ catalogue, which features 50+ manufacturers; has conducted 170+ consultations for entrepreneurs via a helpline; and provides assistance with mentoring and grant applications. It also supports cluster initiatives in mechanical engineering, hemp cultivation, and the agro-industrial sector.

The international projects of the Sumy Regional Development Agency also cover the medical and social sectors. For a frontline region, this serves as an important reminder: international partnerships can be not only a source of funding, but also a way to bring in expertise, equipment, new service models, and build trust in the region.

 

 

For other Regional Development Agencies, this case study raised a practical question: which functions should the team perform independently, and where is it more appropriate to build a network with communities, universities, businesses, and international partners? This is particularly true when resources are limited and the number of requests far exceeds the team’s capacity.

 

Odesa region: Creating conditions for investors even before they make a decision

The Odesa Regional Development Agency has presented a different operating model – with a clear focus on investment, international presence, and the development of a high-quality project portfolio.

 

 

The Agency’s structure comprises offices of communities, investment, grants, European integration, and regional branding. The Branch Office of the Interreg NEXT “Romania–Ukraine” Programme operates in the Odesa Regional Development Agency. This specialisation helps to establish distinct professional engagement with communities, donors, investors, and international programmes.

The agency takes part in UCORD project. The presentation identifies this as one of the tools for promoting the harmonious development of regions, transforming agencies, and strengthening their capacity.

The Odesa Regional Development Agency’s areas of work include supporting community strategies, preparing investment passports, catalogues of craft products and public-private partnership projects, developing industrial parks and clusters, spatial planning, and preparing regional development and recovery strategies.

 

 

The presentation indicated that the Agency had helped to prepare 19 community development strategies. The Catalogue of Public Investment Projects in Odesa Region includes 100+ projects. The Agency also presented 10 community investment projects worth UAH 6.8 billion and 31 supported private investment projects worth UAH 7.3 billion.

Investment promotion begins long before a meeting with a potential investor: with a well-prepared project, reliable data, clear communication, and professional support.

 

 

The RDA’s international presence is strengthened by its Odesa Regional Office in Brussels, its cooperation with EURADA, and a network of 12 RDA ambassadors across European countries. This provides the region with additional channels for finding partners, presenting projects, and becoming part of European cooperation networks.

For other frontline agencies, the experience of the Odesa Regional Development Agency has provided a basis for considering which investment products are already ready in their regions and which still require further development. It has also prompted them to consider whether there is a clear division of responsibility in the team for working with investors, from the initial enquiry through to project implementation.

 

A shared lesson for frontline regional development agencies

The agencies in Sumy and Odesa regions work in different conditions and have different priorities. However, both examples have shown that the RDA should not merely be an implementer of individual projects. It can bring together communities, regional authorities, businesses, universities, and international partners; help communities turn their needs into projects; build a portfolio that is clear to donors and investors; and maintain a strategic direction.

Herein lies the value of the UCORD Summer School. Its participants not only listened to presentations by their colleagues but also related this experience to their own work: which services the Regional Development Agency should strengthen, where partnerships are lacking, which projects can be prepared right now, and what should be included in the action plan for the near future.

 

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Read more about the UCORD Summer School in the articles on the “Decentralisation” portal:

• From regional policy to specific decisions: Lessons learned by regional development agencies from frontline regions on the first day of UCORD Summer School
• UCORD Summer School: How Regional Development Agencies can turn regional needs into viable projects