According to CASE Ukraine, civic and charitable organisations together with individual volunteers provide 4-4.5% of Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The overall contribution is estimated at 3.2-5.2% of GDP
The overall contribution of the civic sector, according to the study, ranges from 3.2% to 5.2% of GDP, with the most likely figure being 4-4.5% of GDP. The largest share of added value is created by individual volunteers - their contribution is estimated at 2.5-3.7% of GDP, while civic organisations and charitable foundations provide a further 0.7-1.5% of GDP.
At the same time, only about 0.4% of the civic sector’s contribution to GDP is reflected in the official system of national accounts. “Only about 0.4% of the civic sector’s contribution to GDP is recorded in the system of national accounts. But we understand that the role of civil society in the economy is much greater. Civic and charitable organisations create jobs, attract resources to Ukraine, mobilise volunteers and help solve tasks important for the country,” said Volodymyr Sheigus, Executive Director of ISAR Ednannia.
43.6% of Ukrainians took part in volunteering in 2025
Population surveys showed that in 2025 43.6% of Ukrainians participated in volunteer activity in one form or another. Around 5 million people collected funds, and 10.3 million directly provided aid; some respondents combined both types of activity.
The author of the study notes the comparability of the civic sector’s contribution with major sectors of the economy. “By our estimates, the civic sector’s contribution to social welfare can be conditionally compared with sectors such as construction, the extractive industry, education and healthcare. At the same time, the vast majority of this contribution is unrecorded and does not appear in official statistics,” emphasised Volodymyr Dubrovskyi, author of the study, economist at CASE Ukraine.
