Briefly
Program description
The BLOOM (Building Livelihoods and Opportunities for Optimised Markets) grant programme is implemented by the international humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps. The project is delivered by the non-governmental organisation West Ukraine Digital.
The programme supports small and medium-sized enterprises that:
- contribute to the development of local economies;
- aim to preserve and create jobs;
- expand their activities with a focus on social impact and inclusiveness.
The programme aims to support SMEs whose activities combine commercial sustainability with measurable positive social or environmental impact, create new employment opportunities, and strengthen community resilience, with particular attention to the most vulnerable and marginalised groups.
Main Information
Eligibility
The programme is open to legal entities of any ownership form and sole proprietors (FOPs) operating in the designated regions of Ukraine.
The programme is implemented in:
- Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
For sole proprietors (FOPs), the target groups include:
- internally displaced persons (IDPs) registered after 2022;
- veterans with documented proof of status;
- local residents registered and living in the programme implementation regions.
Key participation requirements include:
- official business registration;
- qualification as a small business (10–49 employees) or medium-sized business (50–249 employees), supported by documentary evidence;
- a socially oriented business model;
- creation or retention of jobs for IDPs or local residents;
- a business idea implementation period of 3–4 months.
Co-financing with the applicant's own funds is permitted but is not mandatory.
Financing
The programme provides financial support ranging from USD 17,000 to USD 30,000, paid in the hryvnia equivalent at the current exchange rate of the National Bank of Ukraine. The grant is intended for the purchase of production fixed assets.
The funding amount depends on the size of the business:
- small businesses (10–49 officially employed staff) — USD 17,000 to USD 23,000;
- medium-sized businesses (50–249 officially employed staff) — USD 17,000 to USD 30,000.
Legal entities, regardless of their ownership structure, are responsible for paying income tax on the grant funds received in accordance with their chosen taxation system.
Supported Activities
The programme supports projects with a social focus that contribute to addressing societal challenges and strengthening community recovery.
Priority sectors include:
- healthcare and medical services;
- rehabilitation and psychological support;
- education and training;
- social care;
- environmental protection, waste recycling, and renewable energy;
- food production and processing;
- light industry and textile manufacturing;
- manufacturing and industrial production;
- arts and culture;
- the creation and development of local value chains through the engagement of local suppliers of goods and services.
The list of priority sectors is not exhaustive. The key consideration remains the social orientation of the business and its tangible contribution to solving community challenges and supporting recovery.
How to Apply
To participate in the programme, applicants should complete the following steps:
- Register on the programme's main website, as applications can only be submitted after mandatory registration.
- Complete the application form by providing information about:
- the history of the business;
- the current state of business operations;
- the proposed business idea;
- the project's social and inclusive impact.
- Submit the completed application for consideration under the programme.
The application form is used to help the organisers understand the applicant's current business activities and business needs.
Evaluation Criteria
Applicants are selected through a competitive process. Applications are assessed against a set of criteria that evaluate both the quality of the business idea and the applicant's capacity to implement the proposed project.
The evaluation considers:
- a business idea that demonstrates potential to increase profits and create or preserve jobs;
- a clear justification for the requested financial support;
- the project's social or environmental impact;
- business experience and a clear understanding of how the proposed business idea will be implemented;
- business sustainability and risk management;
- the absence of concerns regarding the applicant's business reputation.
It is expected that small businesses will create at least one new job, while medium-sized businesses will create two to three new jobs.