Grant activities are rapidly gaining momentum – especially in Ukraine, where post-war recovery and European integration are increasing the demand for professionals who can design strong projects. In 2026, a wide audience can access a range of free online courses that help beginners master the fundamentals of grant applications, grant project management, and fundraising. Below, we have compiled a selection of relevant courses across key areas of grant work – from preparing applications and using the logical framework matrix to fundraising, crowdfunding, and business English. These beginner-friendly courses will help you start your grant journey with confidence.
Grant application preparation
• “Preparing and Implementing Community Development Projects” (Prometheus) – A massive open online course by the Association of Ukrainian Cities that provides essential guidance on how to develop a project proposal, manage a project, and prepare an implementation report. The course explains the key elements of successful applications and answers the most common beginner questions in project management. Demand for these skills continues to grow each year – decentralization and reforms have increased the need for project managers even at the community level, so the knowledge from this course will remain highly relevant in 2026.
• EU4Culture online course on grant writing for cultural and creative industries (case.media platform) – The EU4Culture programme launched a free course for artists and cultural managers from Eastern Partnership countries, including Ukraine. The course includes a series of English-language video lectures with subtitles and covers topics ranging from grant types and writing skills to finding international partners. Materials are available on the case.media platform (simple registration required). In 2026, Ukraine’s creative sector will have unprecedented support opportunities, so this course will help beginners prepare strong applications for international cultural grants.
Logical Framework Matrix (LFM)
• “Logical Framework Approach in Developing a Project Application” (Prometheus) – A specialized course focused on mastering the Logical Framework Matrix (LFM), one of the core sections of many grant applications. The course offers theory and practical cases on how to develop and complete an LFM for submitting projects to international donors. This approach underpins applications for many European support programmes, so LFM competence remains essential in 2026 for successful participation in international grant competitions.
Project budgeting
• Introduction to Project Budgets (Candid Learning) – A short free video course by the grant and philanthropy network Candid (available via NonprofitReady) that explains how to prepare a convincing project budget for a grant application. The instructor walks through how to build a standard budget – from estimating realistic income and expenses to understanding which financial documents a donor may require. By learning these skills, beginners can avoid common financial mistakes – especially important in 2026, when donors closely scrutinize the justification of budgets attached to applications.
Project management
• “Grant Management by the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation (UCF)” – A comprehensive video course created by UCF in partnership with the NGO “Insha Osvita.” It includes 10 YouTube lectures and covers the full project cycle: planning tools, team roles, budgeting, and risk management. Some lectures focus on copyright compliance as well as fundraising and crowdfunding specifics in cultural projects. The course strengthens competencies of cultural project managers, but its guidance is valuable for any beginner who in 2026 wants to manage grant projects confidently – from idea to implementation and reporting.
International cooperation
• “International Cooperation for Communities” (Cities4Cities Academy) – An intensive online course developed by the Cities4Cities initiative together with international partners. In the context of Ukraine’s European integration, it helps communities build partnerships, participate in European competitions, and deepen their expertise in this area. Across five video-based modules, it covers how to establish inter-municipal partnerships (how to find a sister city in Europe and why it matters), first steps toward international projects, transforming one-off humanitarian aid into long-term cooperation, and an overview of key European events for networking. The course is especially useful for communities that are just starting international cooperation and is free with registration. In 2026, when international support and cooperation are crucial for local development, this knowledge is highly valuable.
Fundraising
• “Right to Business: How to Attract Resources for Your Own Venture” (Prometheus) – A course by the charitable foundation “Right to Protection” that helps learners find effective and safe funding opportunities to start or grow a small business. Participants learn how to use support instruments available in Ukraine, obtain grants or other resources, and take the first step toward financial stability and self-reliance. The topic is particularly relevant today – many Ukrainians have lost everything due to the war and must rebuild from scratch, so they need guidance on where to find funding and how to attract resources safely. The course presents this knowledge in an accessible way, useful both for beginner grant writers and aspiring entrepreneurs.
• Local Fundraising (Change the Game Academy) – An international online course on local fundraising consisting of 12 modules. It provides a broad overview of all key aspects of mobilizing local resources and gives learners a strong foundation to build their own fundraising plan. The programme covers working with different support sources: individual donors, business sponsors, local campaigns and charity events, community communication, and long-term donor relationship-building. The course is available in English (also in Spanish) and is structured very clearly, so Ukrainian organizations can use it as well. In 2026, the ability to diversify project funding through local fundraising can help nonprofits become more resilient amid limited grant resources.
Crowdfunding
• Crowdfunding for Nonprofits (Grassroots Collective) – A complete free course on crowdfunding for nonprofit initiatives and social projects. It includes 10 modules that provide strategies for designing, launching, and running a successful crowdfunding campaign. You will learn how to choose the right online platform, set realistic fundraising goals, and build a communication strategy to engage supporters – everything needed to reach your financial target and grow a community around your project. The course is available in English (also in Spanish) and is offered as open access. For beginners in 2026, it serves as a practical guide to online fundraising campaigns – an increasingly popular tool for both civil society organizations and business projects.
English for grant applications
• Business English for Non-Native Speakers (Coursera) – A Business English specialization from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on Coursera, designed to improve professional communication in English. The course introduces methods for developing language skills for work, business, and intercultural interaction. It covers both speaking (business presentations, negotiations) and writing – teaching learners to craft clear emails, reports, and proposals in English, with attention to appropriate style and tone. For grant work in 2026, English proficiency is effectively essential: international grant applications are predominantly completed in English, and communication with donors and partners is also conducted in English. This course is therefore useful for anyone who wants to write and present projects confidently on a global level.
These courses are only part of the opportunities available for self-study in grant work. They cover the core competencies a beginner needs – from writing a competitive application with a solid logical framework and a realistic budget to effective project management and fundraising through multiple channels. By using these free resources in 2026, you can strengthen your project literacy and start your grant journey with confidence – whether you aim to implement a social initiative, develop your community, or launch a business with grant support.
You can find more materials and courses by registering on our grant search service GetGrant.