I_CAN (CARMC) Project Documentation

Inter-institutional Capacity Building / Center for Capacity Building for Ukraine's Recovery and Modernization

As part of the project, consultations were held and documents were prepared in accordance with the World Bank’s environmental and social policies.

The Center for Advancement in Restoration and Modernization Capacity (CARMC) was established on the initiative of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE Institute), with the support of the World Bank.

The project also operates under the name I_CAN (Interinstitutional Capacity Nurturing).
This name symbolizes the capacity of state bodies, executive authorities, local self-government bodies, and communities to prepare, submit, evaluate, and implement recovery projects, including the full public investment management (PIM) cycle.

Goal

To strengthen Ukraine’s capacity for effective recovery by training specialists involved in reconstruction processes and establishing a professional community. The project aims to build the capacity of public authorities, local self-government bodies, and civil society to implement reconstruction projects, with a focus on innovation, transparency, efficiency, and coordination.

Project goal

To provide training on the processes and procedures of the Public Investment Management (PIM) system being implemented by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The CARMC project is being implemented under the Grant Agreement (URTF Grant No. TF0C4831) signed on May 7, 2024, between the KSE Institute and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association (World Bank), acting as administrators of the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund (URTF). The project duration was extended until June 30, 2028, pursuant to the Amendment (Amendment No. 1) dated April 29, 2025.

The Kyiv School of Economics is implementing the national I_CAN (Interinstitutional Capacity Nurturing) project with the support of the World Bank and in cooperation with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The project aims to strengthen the country's institutional and human resource capacity for recovery and modernization. It is designed to assist local self-government bodies and regional state administrations in developing, evaluating, and implementing high-quality investment projects that align with national priorities, donor requirements, and European integration objectives.

The uniqueness of I_CAN lies in the combination of international support from the World Bank (URTF), the local expertise of the Kyiv School of Economics, and direct alignment with the public investment management (PIM) reform (CMU Resolution No. 527). I_CAN aims to establish a unified framework of knowledge, standards, and tools for the effective management of public investments.

Problem

Ukraine requires enormous resources; however, there are obstacles to the preparation and implementation of projects:

• Shortage of qualified specialists in the fields of investment and finance.

• Inadequate quality of project preparation and assessment.

• Limited access to funding for communities.

• Lack of sustainable support mechanisms and institutional capacity.

The I_CAN project offers comprehensive support that enables overcoming these challenges and establishing a sustainable system for project preparation and implementation:

• strengthening local and regional capacity to prepare investment projects;

• aligning community priorities with national strategies;

• expanding access to finance through training on working with state funds, donor grants, concessional loans, and PPP mechanisms;

• establishment of a robust support infrastructure through a Virtual Data Room, a hotline, and a professional community of 8,000 practitioners for continuous learning and experience sharing.