Briefly
Program description
The competition is organized by the Ukrainian Veterans Fund. The goal is to select the most promising projects aimed at developing veteran entrepreneurship in the field of food services for general secondary education institutions (school meals). Funding is provided in the form of budget grants from the Ukrainian Veterans Fund, with support from the “MHP-Gromadi” Charitable Foundation. The competition is being implemented in partnership with the School Meal Reform Team as part of the “MHP Poruch” program. Projects should contribute to the development of veteran-owned businesses and the participation of veterans in providing school meals.
Main Information
Eligibility
The grant programme is open to veteran-owned businesses that meet the eligibility requirements established by the programme.
Eligible applicants include:
- war veterans registered as individual entrepreneurs (sole proprietors);
- war veterans engaged in independent professional activities and registered as self-employed taxpayers;
- legal entities registered in Ukraine where veterans are beneficial owners or hold ownership interests in accordance with the programme requirements;
- veteran-owned businesses operating in the food service sector and possessing the eligible business activity codes specified by the programme.
Important: applicants must hold the status of a veteran-owned business entity in accordance with Ukrainian legislation.
The following applicants are not eligible to participate, including those:
- subject to bankruptcy proceedings or undergoing liquidation;
- having overdue tax or fee liabilities;
- found to have unlawfully obtained or misused budget grant funds;
- subject to sanctions;
- conducting business activities in states that have committed or are committing armed aggression against Ukraine;
- operating as financial institutions, professional securities market participants, or businesses involved in the production or sale of weapons, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, or currency exchange services;
- involved in court proceedings, including criminal cases in which the applicant is an accused, suspect, or convicted party.
Applicants may also be deemed ineligible if they have court decisions related to corruption offences, are listed in the Unified Register of Debtors, have violated previous grant agreements with the Fund, or have received certain types of state support specified by the programme rules.
Repeat participation is allowed only under the conditions established by the Fund, including completion of previous grant obligations and compliance with the programme’s waiting-period requirements.
Financing
Within the grant programme, successful applicants may receive a budget grant ranging from UAH 500,000 to UAH 3,000,000. The funds are provided under a budget grant agreement and transferred to a dedicated bank account opened exclusively for project implementation.
The grant is disbursed in stages through separate tranches according to the approved project budget. The first tranche may amount to up to 30% of the total grant value. If the first tranche is used exclusively for the purchase of equipment, its amount may be increased to up to 60% of the total grant amount.
Each subsequent tranche is transferred only after the approval of reports for the previous implementation stage and subject to compliance with the terms of the grant agreement.
Grant funds cannot be used for a number of expenditures, including salary payments, rent or renovation of premises, repayment of debts, fines and penalties, or other costs not directly related to project implementation.
Important: budget grant funds cannot be used to finance salary expenses.
Supported Activities
The programme supports projects aimed at equipping food service facilities through the purchase of specified equipment, inventory, and related items.
Grant funding may be used to purchase dining area equipment, including furniture, tables, chairs, as well as kitchenware, tableware, and catering inventory.
A key area of support is food preparation facility equipment, including:
- thermal equipment (combi steam ovens, convection ovens, multifunctional cooking units, industrial frying pans, food boilers, and electric stoves);
- refrigeration equipment (refrigerators and freezers);
- dishwashing equipment and water filtration systems;
- electromechanical equipment (electronic scales, potato peelers, meat grinders, vegetable cutters, and related accessories).
The programme also supports the purchase of equipment for food serving and distribution, including serving trolleys, bain-maries, refrigerated display units, and serving-line components.
Eligible expenditures additionally include accessories for thermal equipment, gastronorm containers, baking trays and moulds, equipment trolleys, and other related components specified by the programme.
In addition, applicants may purchase selected cleaning and maintenance products, including cleaning agents for combi ovens, steam generators, and tableware.
Roadmap
The programme roadmap includes several consecutive stages, from application submission to the selection of winners and the start of the negotiation process.
- 2 June 2026 – launch of the call for proposals and opening of the application period.
- Applications will be accepted until 17 June 2026 (6:00 PM).
- From 2 June to 3 July 2026, the Fund will review submitted documents and verify their compliance with programme requirements.
- On 3 July 2026, projects that successfully pass the technical review will be forwarded to experts and the Fund’s financial department.
- Between 3 and 13 July 2026, project budgets will be reviewed and recommendations regarding ineligible expenditures will be provided.
- 6–12 July 2026 – training sessions for applicants who successfully pass the technical selection stage.
- On 13 July 2026, experts will provide recommendations on the type of support, implementation mechanism, and funding scope for projects.
Following the expert assessment stage, applicants will receive comments and recommendations for project improvement, while 18–19 July 2026 will be dedicated to the public presentation (defence) of submitted projects.
Final project evaluation and scoring will take place on 20–21 July 2026. Based on the resulting ranking, the list of winning projects will be approved on 22 July 2026.
23 July 2026 is scheduled for the announcement and publication of the competition results, while the negotiation process with successful applicants will begin on 24 July 2026.
How to Apply
The application process for participation in the grant programme is conducted electronically and includes several mandatory steps.
- The applicant prepares an application package and compiles all required documents in accordance with the programme requirements.
- The application package must be submitted electronically no later than 6:00 PM on 17 June 2026.
- Before submission, the applicant should ensure that:
- the project corresponds to the programme’s objectives and goals;
- the proposed implementation period is justified;
- the budget does not contain any ineligible expenditures;
- all required documents are included in the application package.
- All application materials must be prepared in Ukrainian. Documents issued in other languages must be accompanied by a Ukrainian translation.
- Each document (scanned copy) and the complete application package must be signed using the applicant’s electronic digital signature (EDS) within the Fund’s CRM system.
Important: incomplete applications or submissions that do not meet the established requirements will not satisfy the programme’s eligibility criteria.
Evaluation Criteria
Application assessment under the grant programme is conducted in several stages and includes technical screening, expert evaluation, budget review, and final scoring.
First, each application undergoes a technical review to verify the completeness of submitted documents and compliance with programme requirements. If deficiencies are identified, applicants may submit corrected documents within five working days.
Projects that successfully pass the technical screening are forwarded to the Expert Council and the Fund’s financial department. Experts conduct a preliminary assessment and provide recommendations regarding the implementation approach, type of support, and funding scope. The financial department additionally reviews project budgets and provides recommendations concerning planned expenditures.
Applicants are required to consider these recommendations and resubmit the revised application package through the Fund’s CRM system. Failure to submit the revised application before the public presentation stage results in disqualification and exclusion from the final evaluation.
The final assessment takes place after the public project presentation. Applicants are given up to 10 minutes to present and defend their projects, after which experts may ask questions and provide comments.
Based on the presentation results, members of the Expert Council conduct the final evaluation and assign final scores, while also providing overall comments on the project. Winning projects are selected according to the ranking formed from the expert assessment results.
Required Documents
To participate in the grant programme, applicants must submit a complete application package through the Fund’s CRM system. All documents must be valid at the time of submission, prepared in Ukrainian (or accompanied by a Ukrainian translation), and comply with the programme requirements.
The core application package includes:
- an extract from the Unified State Register of War Veterans confirming veteran business status;
- registration documents for an individual entrepreneur or legal entity containing up-to-date registration information;
- for individuals engaged in independent professional activities, a document confirming tax registration;
- a project application form (project description) in the prescribed format;
- a project budget completed within the CRM system;
- résumés of the project team members, including the applicant;
- documentation indicating the project implementation period (from 6 to 12 months).
Depending on the applicant’s status and project specifics, additional documents may be required, including:
- a copy of the combat veteran certificate or disability certificate resulting from war;
- a description containing the access code to the current version of the company charter (for legal entities);
- a decision of the authorised governing body approving participation in the competition (where required by the charter);
- a certificate confirming the formation of share capital (for legal entities);
- a guarantee letter confirming the absence of unlawful receipt or misuse of public funds;
- a guarantee letter confirming that the applicant does not receive other forms of state financial support specified by the programme;
- a co-financing commitment letter (where co-financing is planned);
- documents confirming the availability of premises or production facilities, where applicable.
To confirm financial standing, applicants must provide:
- financial statements for the latest reporting period or an explanation if such reporting has not yet been submitted;
- a certificate of no outstanding tax liabilities, valid on the date of application submission.
Important: each applicant may submit only one application package within this competition. If multiple applications are submitted, only the first application registered in the Fund’s CRM system will be considered.
Updates / Announcements
- Training for applicants who have successfully passed the technical screening: July 6–12, 2026.
- Information regarding the date, time, and procedure for the open presentation will be posted on the Foundation’s website no later than 3 business days prior to the event.
- Applicants will be notified of the procedure and time of the presentation via email.
Reporting and Compliance
Under the grant programme, grant recipients are required to ensure proper reporting on project implementation and the use of budget grant funds. The programme предусматриes two types of reporting: interim and final reporting.
Interim reporting includes:
- a quarterly narrative report describing project implementation progress, achievement of objectives, completion of activities, and risk management;
- a quarterly financial report supported by documentation for all expenditures made from the project account.
Within 10 calendar days after project completion, successful applicants must submit final reporting, including both financial and final narrative reports.
The final narrative report must include information on:
- actual results achieved against the declared objectives and indicators;
- risks and forecasts for future development after project completion;
- an organisational capacity development plan;
- project priorities and expected outcomes from the continued use of the support received.
The financial report must be accompanied by duly certified copies of bank statements, primary accounting documents, market price monitoring materials, and other supporting documents required by the programme.
Failure to submit reports in the prescribed format and in accordance with the Fund’s requirements constitutes a material breach of the grant agreement and may serve as grounds for its termination.
The Fund reviews and approves submitted reports within up to 20 working days. Upon completion of the project, its results must be publicly presented, and information on the use of the budget grant is published on the Fund’s official website.
Legal Terms
The grant programme establishes specific legal and regulatory requirements that successful applicants must comply with throughout project implementation.
If changes to the approved project budget become necessary, any reallocation of funds between major expenditure categories must be approved by the Fund. To do so, the grant recipient is required to submit an updated budget version together with a formal request detailing the proposed changes and revised expenditure figures.
Any amendments to the project budget require prior approval from the Fund.
Following project completion, any unspent grant funds must be returned to the Fund before the final narrative and financial reports are approved.
If project implementation becomes impossible, the successful applicant must notify the Fund within 10 calendar days of the circumstances that prevent implementation.
Should the Fund make a corresponding decision, the grant recipient must return the grant funds within 20 calendar days from the date of receiving that decision.
Accordingly, project implementation requires compliance with the grant agreement, proper approval of budget amendments, and fulfilment of all obligations related to the use and return of grant funds in the cases specified by the programme.