International actors such as the European Union seek to spread their norms and practices in states like Ukraine by funding projects of international organizations, which are implemented by national or local NGOs. This contribution analyzes the usage of international funds by actors of the non-state asylum sector in Ukraine. It questions the concept of empowerment and shows that the NGOs which are funded by international donors increase their access and influence on domestic public policies and their members acquire various competences namely of fundraising and project management. However, the EU funds do not reach the migrants’ diaspora networks and very rarely organizations of activists who had been active on asylum for longer. Instead, they lead to the creation of DONGOs, of NGOs founded or restructured due to the offer of international funds. Dependent on these funds, these NGOs adapt to the donors’ expectations. This increases the international donors’ power in Ukraine and standardizes the NGOs’ practices. Moreover, this situation increases the differences between the NGOs with an institutionalized source of funding and those whose funding is unstable. The first ones have substantial means to offer legal and material support to asylum seekers and have privileged access to the domestic authorities. They adopt, apply and spread the international asylum norms. The second ones do not refer to them and have more limited means, resorting to improvisation for their activities.