Municipal Exchange Fund Austria for Ukraine (A4U): 2nd call for Austrian-Ukrainian municipal partnership projects
Verified by the editorial team 25 October 2026
Added to the catalogue Added to the catalogue from the 16 October GetGrant export, terms verified on the KDZ call page and in the application guideline
Summary
EUR 25,000 to 50,000 for a joint knowledge exchange project between an Austrian and a Ukrainian municipality: expertise, mentoring, study visits, internships and pilot solutions. The Austrian partner applies and the Ukrainian municipality is the beneficiary. Deadline - 30 November 2026.
About the call
The Municipal Exchange Fund Austria for Ukraine (A4U) is run by the Vienna-based KDZ and funded by the Austrian Development Agency and the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns; it is part of U-LEAD with Europe. Its goal is to pass practical Austrian experience in local governance, service delivery, recovery and EU integration to Ukrainian municipalities. Six partnerships from the first call are already working on waste management, renewable energy, transparent finance and sustainable urban development.
The second call has a budget of EUR 220,752, with grants of EUR 25,000 to 50,000 per project and a duration of 6-8 months. It covers expert fees, travel, per diems, events and translation; pre-financing of up to 20% is available on request, and the rest is paid after reporting. Topics: local governance and digitalisation, decentralisation and EU integration, recovery and basic services, gender equality and inclusion, environment (water, waste) and spatial planning. Large infrastructure investments, humanitarian aid and defence activities are not funded.
A Ukrainian municipality cannot apply on its own - it needs an Austrian partner (a municipality, an inter-municipal arrangement or a relevant organisation with a letter of support from an Austrian municipality) as lead applicant. KDZ helps with matchmaking, so municipalities without existing twinning ties can take part. Local NGOs, universities and experts can join as supporting partners, and their involvement is explicitly recommended.
Who can apply
- Ukrainian local governments - as project partner and sole beneficiary
- Inter-municipal arrangements of Ukrainian municipalities established at least 12 months ago
- Lead applicant - an Austrian municipality, inter-municipal arrangement, communal enterprise, local authority association, CSO or educational institution
- Ukrainian NGOs, universities and communal enterprises - only as supporting partners, established at least 12 months ago
Who cannot apply
- Ukrainian municipalities without an Austrian partner - only the Austrian side submits
- Ukrainian NGOs as the main partner in place of a municipality
What the funds are for
- Expert support and mentoring between Austrian and Ukrainian municipal staff
- Short internships of Ukrainian municipal staff in the Austrian partner municipality
- Workshops, trainings and exchange activities (in person, hybrid or online)
- Preparation of strategies, roadmaps, draft decisions and procedures
- Small pilots of new approaches to municipal services
What is not funded
- Large-scale infrastructure investments
- Military or defence-related activities
- Humanitarian assistance
- Stand-alone events or trips without a capacity-building objective
- Project management costs
Documents required
Forms and templates are on the call page
How to apply
- 1Find an Austrian partner or ask KDZ for matchmaking support
- 2Download the call package (application form, guideline, partnership agreement template) from the KDZ page
- 3Develop the project and budget together and complete the Baseline Information Form
- 4The Austrian partner emails the full package in English to a4ucall@kdz.or.at by 30 November 2026
Timeline
Questions and answers
- Can a Ukrainian municipality apply to A4U on its own?
- No. The Austrian partner, a municipality or a relevant organisation, submits the application, and the Ukrainian municipality is the project partner and sole beneficiary. KDZ helps find an Austrian partner.
- Which costs does an A4U grant cover?
- Expert fees, travel, per diems, events and translation. Pre-financing of up to 20% is possible, and the rest is paid after the report is approved.
Change history
- Added: Added to the catalogue from the 16 October GetGrant export, terms verified on the KDZ call page and in the application guideline
Donor contacts
Email: hatsenko@kdz.or.at
Website: www.municipalexchangea4u.eu
