Grant for CSOs to strengthen public institutions’ readiness to engage veterans

The UVRR program, implemented by IREX with support from the U.S. Department of State, aims at establishing a support system for veterans and facilitating their reintegration into civilian life. It combines strengthening institutional capacity of public authorities with practical pathways for engaging veterans through training, internships, and professional development in cooperation with NACS.

Program objectives:

• Strengthening institutional capacity of the veteran service system and enhancing cooperation with government partners.
• Increasing access to mental health and psychosocial services, particularly for vulnerable veteran groups.
• Expanding opportunities for employment and professional training for veterans.

Purpose of the call for proposals: to support comprehensive initiatives that enhance the readiness of public institutions to engage veterans and create practical mechanisms for their involvement in public service.

Exit Strategy indicators:

• sustainability of results after project completion;
• potential for institutionalization of implemented approaches;
• continued capacity development for civil servants and local government representatives.

Applicants must meet established criteria that define their eligibility to participate in the grant program.

Key requirements:

• Official registration in Ukraine as a legal entity operating in compliance with national legislation.
• Applicants must not be organizations or individuals from the U.S. or other third countries (only Ukrainian legal entities are eligible).
• Applicants must operate in Ukraine and hold non-profit status.

Alignment with program goals:

• Proposed activities must align with the objectives and principles of UVRR.
• Expected results and long-term impact must be clearly defined and linked to project goals.

Partnership and cooperation:

• Formal cooperation with government authorities is required.
• Such cooperation must be documented (letters of support, memoranda, agreements, etc.).

Restrictions:

• No affiliation with political parties or elected officials is allowed.
• Organizations must not be suspended, debarred, or otherwise ineligible.
• Compliance with U.S. government regulations and standards is required.
• Funds must not be used for transactions involving financial support or transfers to UNRWA.

Additional conditions:

• Applications must be submitted in Ukrainian or English.
• Project timelines must not exceed the specified limits.

Eligible applicants:

• Civil society organizations (including NGOs, charitable organizations, and foundations).
• Consortia of CSOs with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and budget allocations.

Within the program, IREX plans to award one grant with an estimated budget of up to USD 150,000 (subject to availability of funds). The expected project duration is 15 months, starting from May 2026.

IREX reserves the right to:

• fund or not fund any application;
• adjust the number, size, and duration of grants;
• decide not to award grants under this competition.

One organization or consortium may submit one proposal. IREX may participate in all stages of grant implementation as defined in the subgrant agreement. Costs incurred prior to the grant award are not reimbursable.

Funding restrictions:
Grant funds cannot be used for:

• procurement from vendors listed in U.S. government restricted lists;
• activities not directly related to project implementation;
• pre-existing obligations, debts, fines, or penalties;
• gambling or international travel;
• activities supporting military forces;
• medicines.

Additionally, funds cannot cover:

• humanitarian aid, food, or consumable goods;
• political or religious activities;
• loans or alcoholic beverages;
• expenses outside the approved project period;
• purchase of large equipment, construction, or reconstruction;
• activities outside Ukraine;
• research activities;
• purchase or lease of land/buildings;
• commercial or venture projects, individual scholarships, or gifts/prizes.

The grant program supports projects that involve close cooperation with NACS, government authorities, and local self-government bodies throughout implementation.

Key supported activities:

• Joint development and approval of training approaches and materials.
• Coordination of trainer preparation and alignment with NACS requirements.
• Providing consultations and feedback during the development of training programs.
• Engagement of public authorities and local governments as partners and internship hosts.
• Development of practical recommendations and policy or legislative proposals related to internships and public service.

Cooperation must be documented (letters of support, memoranda, etc.) or clearly justified at the application stage.

Additional activities:

• Awareness-raising initiatives targeting senior officials (Category A civil service and top-level local government officials) to promote the value of engaging veterans.

Proposed approaches and methodologies should align with the applicant’s experience, be realistic, cost-effective, and demonstrate potential for sustainable impact beyond the project duration.

Key dates:

• Announcement date — March 19, 2026.
• Application deadline — April 15, 2026.
• Submission deadline time — 23:59 Kyiv time.

Implementation timeline:

• The expected project duration is 15 months, starting from May 2026.

The application is submitted via the UVRR online platform, where the full RFA text and document package are available for download.

General conditions:

• The full RFA and application materials are available on the UVRR “For Civil Society Organizations – IREX” platform.
• Completed applications must be submitted electronically to tender-ua@irex.org.
• All documents must be submitted no later than the application deadline.
• Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application steps:

1. Download the application package from the platform.
2. Complete the templates according to the instructions.
3. Fill in the application form and upload the full set of documents.
4. Wait for feedback after submission.

Overall, the process requires proper document preparation, adherence to instructions, and timely submission via the designated platform.

Applications are assessed using a structured system totaling 100 points, based on four key criteria.

1. Technical Approach — 30 points

• Clarity and logic of the proposed approach to strengthening institutional readiness of public authorities.
• Potential for replication or scaling of internship models.
• Potential for institutionalizing project results.

2. Scope of Work — 20 points

• Feasibility of planned activities and availability of resources.
• Ability to deliver meaningful results and contribute to institutional change.

3. Organizational Capacity and Experience — 30 points

• Relevant experience, including cooperation with public institutions (including NACS).
• Experience working with veterans or engaging qualified experts.
• Team capacity to implement the project in compliance with U.S. government funding requirements.

4. Budget Realism and Cost Effectiveness — 20 points

• Alignment of the budget with planned activities.
• Justification of costs and overall cost efficiency.

If needed, final funding decisions may involve clarification and/or negotiations with applicants whose proposals demonstrate strong potential.

A complete application must include a defined set of documents prepared in accordance with IREX templates.

1. Project proposal (using the IREX template), including:

• Organization information (up to 3,000 characters).
• Program description (up to 1,000 characters).
• Beneficiaries, expected results, and impact.
• Work plan (narrative and/or table).
• Communication plan.
• Monitoring plan.

2. CVs or short biographies of key project staff.

3. Budget (in the IREX template).

4. Supporting documents, such as:

• Letters of support, memoranda, or partnership agreements (up to 20 pages in total).

Additionally, applicants are required to keep copies of all submitted documents for their records. Finalists must complete an additional review process before the final grant decision is made.

Reporting requirements are defined in the grant agreement and provided to grantees. They may include various types of reports and are not limited to those listed below.

Main types of reporting:

• Periodic program reports — submitted according to the established schedule. These reports outline project progress, identified challenges, actions taken to address them, and plans for the next period.
• Final program report — includes a description of achieved objectives and tasks, key results, and lessons learned, including challenges and solutions during implementation.
• Financial reports — submitted in line with the schedule specified in the grant agreement. Their format and frequency depend on the grant type, project duration, and funding amount. A detailed final financial report is mandatory.

The final grant installment is disbursed only after submission and approval of both the final program and financial reports.

Applicable Regulations

• U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions.
• 2 CFR 200 — Uniform Administrative Requirements (Subparts A–E).
• 2 CFR 600.