In early February 2025, the Mikhail Khodorkovsky Foundation and the Boris Zimin Foundation launched a program to support Russian-language projects left without American funding in the wake of the US State Department temporarily freezing all foreign aid.

According to protocol, the following projects could apply for funding under the program:
• media projects;
• human rights projects;
• analytical projects;
• humanitarian aid projects operating in Ukraine.

Under the program’s conditions, the projects had to submit an application for funding approved by an American foundation, a letter to confirm the freezing of financing, plus a detailed budget and a list of other grant-givers.

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Boris Zimin, head of Zimin Foundation:
"I understand that the work being done by projects paralyzed by Trump's executive order is critical. This includes the work of media, human rights activists, and analysts. Our money will help them (I hope) adapt to the new conditions and survive right now."

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In two weeks, we received over 60 applications.These were examined by a special council, including economists Sergey Aleksashenko and Sergey Guriev, journalists Evgenia Albats and Ilya Ber, writers Boris Akunin and Oleg Radzinsky, and co-founder of the Boris Nemtsov Foundation Olga Shorina.  

Eventually the council selected 28 projects that are guaranteed to receive financial aid from the Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Boris Zimin foundations.Their names will not be published in order to keep the distribution of funds private.

The total amount of aid to be distributed under the program is $600,000.

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Ilya Ber, member of the council, journalist, fact-checker:‍

“I am satisfied with the procedure and with the most decisions my colleagues and I made together. I cannot imagine a better outcome, considering that all members of the council are adult people with distinct ideas about which projects need to be helped first. I can attest that both Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Boris Zimin stayed away from the decision-making process. All the mistakes, if any were made during the selection process, are the council’s fault.”

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