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Fundraising appeals launched for Ukraine

Guest Blogger | 27 February 2022 | Blogs

Ukraine map in blue and yellow. Source: Techtotherescue.org
Ukraine map in blue and yellow. Source: Techtotherescue.org

The Ukrainian charity sector is providing emergency support to the Ukrainian people following the Russian invasion of the country on 24th February, and is seeking support. UK and international charities are helping too and have launched fundraising appeals.

UK Fundraising in collaboration with others has put together a list of organisations providing support and seeking donations.

If you want to donate money

The following registered organisations are appealing for donations:

Support for other civil society activities

Support for Ukraine’s armed forces

The UK has many ‘service charities’ that support members of the armed services and their families while they serve and when they leave the service. It is not clear if the following appeals reflect that model but we include them for completeness.

Ukrainian philanthropy


UK and international charity appeals

DEC Ukraine appeal. A man hugs his daughter and grandaughter after they crossed the border from Ukraine to Poland. Image: Michael Kappeler/dpa.
A man hugs his daughter and granddaughter after they crossed the border from Ukraine to Poland. Main image: Michael Kappeler/dpa

Habitat for Humanity Great Britain has launched an appeal to support refugees arriving into neighbouring countries at the borders.

Habitat for Humanity Romania staff at the tents on the border that refugees are staying in until more permanent solutions can be found
Habitat for Humanity Romania staff at the tents on the border that refugees are staying in until more permanent solutions can be found.

To donate skills and time

It also organises ‘Spring for Impact’ where individuals can join teams on particular projects.

Other sources for appeals

The Ukraine Crisis Media Center has published a list of recommendations of charities in Ukraine to support.

The Ukrainian Institute lists ways of supporting Ukraine, staying informed and making your voice heard:

Nino Ugrekhelidze has published a Twitter thread list of “organisations led by and working with people with disabilities in Ukraine to donate to”. The crowdsourced list was initiated by Jen Bokoff.

Civil Society Media has published two lists of charities launching appeals and which accept donations:

Other support provided

Some countries are providing extensive and rapid support to Ukrainian refugees, including Slovakia, so supporting relevant charities in those countries is also an option:

Others are fundraising for some of the many citizens of other countries who have become trapped in Ukraine or are facing difficulties leaving the country.

Some have faced racial discrimination and abuse in addition to all their other difficulties, so one GoFundMe campaign is fundraising to Support Black people fleeing Ukraine. Organiser Tokunbo Koiki has raised £43,000 in three days against an original target of £10,000. Over 1,400 people have given, including one donation of £500.

Rob Blackie is raising funds on Crowdfunder to show independent news about the war in Ukraine to Russians using digital ads to get around Putin’s censorship. He says £10 buys about 1,000 ad views.

Other ways to help

The Government of Canada is offering matched giving to encourage citizens to make donations. It will match all eligible donations made by individual Canadians (so not businesses) to the Canadian Red Cross’ Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal from 24 February to 18 March 2022. It has pledged a maximum of $10 million.

British Telecom has announced that “for anyone wanting to contact loved ones in Ukraine, we’ve made mobile and landline calls, texts and data to and from the region free from today, 25 February”. You can let Ukrainian friends and contacts know about this.

Other telecomms companies have made similar changes, including Vodafone UK (and related companies like Voxi), EE, O2 and Three:

https://twitter.com/AhmedShelbaya/status/1497191194887135269

Nectar points can now be donated to any UK charity. If you have points you can choose to donate them to a UK charity supporting people in the Ukraine.

Marks and Spencer are inviting customers to donate their Sparks points to Unicef UK to support its work with Ukrainian children. “Select UNICEF UK as your chosen Sparks charity”, the company suggested, “and from today we’ll give a double donation every time you shop with Sparks”.


You might also want to support Ukrainian companies. There is a strong technology sector based in Ukraine or founded by Ukrainians. UK Fundraising uses Kiev-based MacPaw’s CleanMyMac and Gemini II.

MacPaw Development Foundation's call for support
MacPaw Development Foundation’s call for support

MacPaw for example set up a foundation in 2016 and is now highlighting its ability to to source and distribute large quantities of food, medical supplies, hygiene products, and other humanitarian aid to those in need. It is appealing for donations to extend this, listing its bank details. They plan to purchase and distribute seven truckloads of aid every day.

Here is a thread on the many technology platforms and services that were founded, are run by or contributed to by Ukrainian entrepreneurs and companies:

You can share stock photos of Ukraine for free (in return for a credit and link) via the Ukraine Imagebank, a partnership between Ukraine Now and DepositPhotos:

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in Winter - Anton Cherkio
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in winter – photo: Anton Cherkio, via DepositPhotos and Ukraine Imagebank.

One charity ‘benefit’?

The transfer of ‘stewardship’ of Chelsea FC by owner Roman Abramovich to Chelsea’s charitable foundation appears at first glance to give the charity the benefit of running and owning a Premier League football club and global grand.

But… his terse announcement – “I am today giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC” – leaves many questions unanswered. For how long will he transfer the club to the charity? Does it open the charity to financial losses? What does ‘stewardship’ mean, if anything, in charity law? Are the trustees of the foundation allowed under charity law to accept such a ‘gift’, and equally, to return the gift of a company?

The statement made no reference to Ukraine or Russia’s invasion.

Other overviews of the UK charity sector’s response

Madeleine Sugden has published Charity sector’s response to the Ukraine crisis (3 March 2022).

Laura Croudace is Head of Impact, Cirrico. She has worked in fundraising for 13 years and supports nonprofits to grow through technology. She stands with Ukraine and its people. 

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