Entrepreneurs from frontline regions will be able to receive up to 8,000 euros to develop or restore microbusinesses
The program “Move Forward: Grants and Consulting for Micro-Enterprises” was presented in Kyiv. It provides financial support of up to 8,000 euros for the development or restoration of micro-businesses in the regions of Ukraine that were most affected by the war. This was reported at an Ukrinform press conference.
The program is funded by the German government. Women entrepreneurs, veterans, and internally displaced persons from Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and Odessa regions can join it.
Applications will start on May 21 and will last three weeks. During the competitive selection, preference will be given to enterprises that have suffered the most from hostilities, operate in de-occupied territories, or create jobs for veterans and people with disabilities.
Entrepreneurs will also receive practical support within the framework of the program. In particular, 50 selected micro-enterprises will receive individual mentoring on taxation, accounting, finance and legislation.
At least 200 businesses will be able to participate in thematic seminars on finance, lending, marketing, sales and operational management.
Chairman of the Board of the National Development Agency Andriy Gapon noted that the grant program is the first step towards overcoming the imbalance in the business environment, since the western regions now have more financial instruments to work with.
“After such projects as we are now offering to businesses in these regions, entrepreneurs become more proactive. And their doubts about further work are gradually decreasing. This is an effect that we have already observed in our previous projects implemented with the support of the German government,” he emphasized.
Grant funds can be used to purchase or repair equipment, implement energy-efficient solutions, purchase raw materials and supplies, marketing services, as well as restore operations after damage or relocation of the business.
“The size of the grant will depend on the needs of the business, for example, on the equipment it has chosen. Perhaps there are some funds that it is ready to invest on its part. This may be a combined situation when it can purchase part of the services or goods,” said Yevgeny Glaus, head of the state program management unit of the National Development Agency.
Program “Moving Forward: Grants and Consulting for Microenterprises” is implemented within the framework of the project “Strengthening War-Affected Communities in Ukraine through Local Initiatives (EMPOWER)”. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). The program is implemented by the National Development Agency, and the financial infrastructure partner is Oschadbank.
