This article provides a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the mechanisms for determining the capacity levels of territorial communities in Ukraine. It delves into the evolution of the legal framework governing community operations and critically evaluates the current criteria for assessing community capacity, as defined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine within the "Methodology for the Formation of Capable Territorial Communities." The study specifically assesses the compliance of territorial communities in Lviv region with these established criteria. It analyzes their capacity levels using both an integral capacity index and various sub-indices.

The research outcomes include a detailed ranking of the territorial communities in Lviv region, categorizing them based on their capacity levels. Significant differentiation was observed among the communities in terms of fiscal capacity of the budget, territorial area, and the proportion of local taxes and fees in the budget revenues. These criteria revealed that several communities fall into the low-capacity category. Conversely, in terms of other criteria—such as the number of permanent residents and the number of students in general secondary education institutions—most communities in the region were classified as highly capable.

Based on the ranking results, it was found that all communities in Lviv region fall into categories with either average or high capacity levels. Notably, the Skhidnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Pidberiztsi communities exhibited the highest capacity indicators, while the Zabolottsi, Shehyni, and Khyriv communities showed the lowest. The average capacity indicator for the region's communities is 3.9. This index reflects a generally high level of capacity across Lviv region.