Grant for cultural development projects in the Lviv community

Ukrainian Cultural Foundation announces the “Responsibility to be” program aimed at supporting cultural and creative sector projects addressing wartime challenges and strengthening the sector.

• Lot 2 “Responsibility to Be” is implemented by the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation in partnership with the Lviv City Council and the Department of Education and Culture.
• The initiative focuses on developing the cultural and creative environment and supporting local cultural institutions and communities.
• The program contributes to the implementation of the Lviv Culture Development Strategy 2035 and the city program for 2025–2030.
• The lot supports Lviv’s preparation for applying for the European Capital of Culture 2030 title and enables scaling of ideas and partnerships.
• The key focus is on building a resilient, inclusive, and innovative cultural ecosystem, particularly in the context of war.
• Objective of the lot: to support local initiatives in culture, arts, and creative industries, strengthen community resilience, and enhance the cultural image of Lviv and its community.

• Eligible applicants include legal entities and individual entrepreneurs registered within the Lviv territorial community for at least 1 year before the call.
• Applicants must have relevant experience in the cultural sector.
• Entities related to political parties, religious organizations, bankruptcy, or liquidation processes are not eligible.
• Applicants subject to sanctions or linked to the aggressor state are not eligible.
• Restrictions also apply to those with outstanding debts, financial liabilities, or ongoing legal disputes with the Fund.
• Applicants who previously violated grant agreements (e.g., copyright, deadlines, reporting) are not eligible.
• Authorized representatives must have no criminal record for economic or related offenses.
• Non-compliance with requirements may result in disqualification at any stage or termination of the grant agreement.

• Total lot budget: UAH 10 million (UAH 5 million from UCF and UAH 5 million from Lviv City Council).
• Minimum grant: UAH 500,000; maximum grant: UAH 1.5 million.
• Co-financing is not mandatory, but projects with at least 5% co-financing receive priority in case of equal scores.
• Co-financing may come from other (non-grant) sources and be used for project implementation.
• Funding may be provided to the applicant and/or partners (legal entities and individuals).
• The program supports individual cultural and artistic projects initiated by a single applicant.
• Additional advantage is given to projects with partners, especially international ones, contributing to knowledge. exchange and European integration
• Partnerships may include financial, media, technical, organizational, or other types of support.

• The lot supports projects aimed at building a resilient, inclusive, and innovative cultural ecosystem and strengthening communities, particularly in wartime conditions.
• Priority areas include reinterpreting cultural memory, “culture cares” practices supporting vulnerable groups, and innovative interdisciplinary artistic projects with an international dimension.
• Supported sectors: audio, audiovisual and visual arts, cultural heritage, creative industries (cross-sectoral projects), literature, and performing arts.
• Projects should promote community engagement, inclusiveness, and accessibility, including for IDPs, veterans, people with disabilities, and other groups.
• Initiatives that foster partnerships, cross-sector collaboration, and enhance cultural infrastructure and visibility of Ukrainian culture are encouraged.
• Main project types include archives and collections, exhibitions, conferences/forums, creative spaces. and labs, art objects, performances, inclusive cultural products, educational routes, and media content.
• Combining multiple formats within a single cross-sectoral project is allowed.

• The application package is submitted only electronically via the official Fund website and must be signed with the applicant’s digital signature.
• The applicant must create a personal online account (or use an existing one) before submission.
• Within the account, the applicant selects the program, the relevant lot, and project type, then clicks “Submit application”.
• The application can be completed step by step with options to save and preview/print.
• The budget and all required documents must be uploaded, after which the package is signed digitally and submitted.
• No changes can be made after submission, as this is restricted by the system.
• After submission, the applicant receives an email confirmation with a registration number.
• The application status can be tracked in the personal account according to the selection timeline.

• The selection process consists of three stages: technical screening, expert evaluation, and approval of decisions.
• During technical screening, applications are checked for compliance with formal requirements: submission deadline, completeness, alignment with program priorities, budget justification, and language requirements.
• Applications that fail any criterion are not admitted to the next stage.
• Applicants receive a decision (accepted or rejected) and may submit an appeal within 5 working days.
• After screening, applications are evaluated by expert panels according to an established methodology; direct contact with experts is prohibited.
• Each project is reviewed by multiple experts, with a maximum of 100 points per expert.
• Final scores are calculated based on expert evaluations (excluding extreme values), forming the project’s ranking score.
• The maximum total score per application within the program is up to 300 points.
• Results are published as a ranking list on the official Fund website.
• Funding decisions are based on ranking and available budget; expert panel decisions are final and not subject to revision (except in conflict-of-interest cases).

1. Project application (submitted electronically and completed on the Fund’s website).
2. Project work plan — a template is provided at the end of the document and available on the Fund’s website in EXCEL format.
3. Project budget (a dedicated EXCEL table available on the Fund’s website. Detailed instructions for completing the budget are provided in the annex).
4. For the applicant — an extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs, and Public Formations (USR), including the full set of data, issued no earlier than the start date of the конкурс selection for the respective lot and no later than the final application submission date (PDF format). The extract can be obtained via the website of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine (paid service; requires a digital signature or taxpayer identification number). Under martial law, and within one month after its termination or cancellation, access to and provision of information from the USR is carried out in accordance with special provisions defined by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 209 dated March 6, 2022. Applicants are advised to obtain the extract in advance.

Documents submitted in a foreign language must be translated into Ukrainian and certified in accordance with Ukrainian legislation.

To provide guidance on the rules and requirements of the competitive selection process, the Foundation organizes
information sessions and webinars for applicants.

• The grantee must submit a final report by the project completion date in accordance with Fund requirements.
• The final report includes a narrative report, financial report with supporting documents, and an independent auditor’s report.
• Financial reporting must include bank statements and all primary documents confirming project expenditures.
• All documents must be properly оформлені: numbered, bound, and certified with signature/seal.
• Additional materials confirming implementation (photos, publications, event programs, analytical materials, etc.) must be provided.
• Reports must be submitted in both paper and electronic formats via the personal account and to the Fund’s address.
• The Fund conducts verification and analysis of reports and may request additional documentation if needed.
• Failure to submit or improper reporting may result in the project being considered not implemented.
• The grantee is responsible for accuracy of data and proper use of funds.
• Completion of a final monitoring questionnaire is required before submission.
• The Fund performs ongoing project monitoring, including performance assessment and compliance checks.
• In case of violations or misuse of funds, funding may be terminated and funds must be returned.

• Law of Ukraine “On the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation”.
• Regulations on the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
• Procedure for competitive selection of projects implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation and monitoring of their implementation.
• Regulations on expert councils of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
• Expert evaluation methodology.
• Procedure for reporting conflicts of interest arising during project selection and funding by the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
• Procedure for monitoring compliance by beneficiaries with obligations to the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
• Common mistakes made by applicants and grant recipients when preparing documentation for participation in Ukrainian Cultural Foundation competitions.