Grants to Support Veterans Through Sports Development

The grant programme, announced by the U.S. Embassy Kyiv of the U.S. Department of State, aims to strengthen Ukraine's capacity to support wounded veterans through adaptive sports by leveraging American leadership, innovation, and expertise in sports.

The programme includes:

• developing long-term sports programmes for veterans across Ukraine;
• strengthening institutional capacity and partnerships;
• implementing specialized athletic clinics, sports-focused English language programmes, and adaptive sports tournaments;
• supporting veterans' rehabilitation and reintegration while expanding U.S.–Ukraine cooperation in the field of adaptive sports.

The grant programme is open to U.S. and Ukrainian non-profit organizations, including civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations.

Key eligibility requirements include:

• demonstrated experience working in Ukraine;
• legal registration authorizing the organization to provide programme oversight;
• proven capacity to administer all components of the proposed project in accordance with the programme requirements.

For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply under this funding opportunity. Other entities may participate as subcontractors; however, only one non-profit, non-governmental organization may serve as the primary grant recipient. Where subcontracting arrangements are proposed, the responsibilities of each participating entity must be clearly defined in the project proposal.

The grant programme provides awards ranging from USD 30,000 to USD 150,000, subject to the availability of funds. The total available funding is USD 150,000, pending funding availability.

Funding is provided under a written grant agreement signed by the recipient and administered by the Grants Officer. Recipients may incur project expenses only from the start date specified in the signed agreement. The programme does not guarantee grant renewals, funding increases, or extensions of the award period.

Key funding conditions include:

• payments are requested using Form SF-270 and require authorization from the U.S. Department of State;
• each payment request must include a justification for the requested funds;
• project costs must be reasonable, properly documented, and comply with the programme requirements.

The programme does not support certain categories of expenditures, including:

• proposal preparation costs;
• construction activities unless specifically approved;
• direct social assistance costs;
• procurement or use of unmanned aircraft systems without meeting applicable requirements;
• other expenditures restricted under the programme terms.

The grant programme supports the development of adaptive sports as a tool for the rehabilitation and reintegration of Ukrainian veterans while strengthening cooperation between Ukrainian and U.S. institutions.

Supported activities may include:

• expanding and scaling adaptive sports programmes across the regions of Ukraine;
• strengthening local institutional capacity and training coaches and service providers;
• integrating physical rehabilitation with mental health and psychosocial support;
• improving English-language skills for adaptive sports professionals;
• organizing adaptive sports tournaments, training programmes, and related activities;
• developing partnerships between Ukrainian and U.S. sports organizations, universities, and specialized institutions;
• increasing access to adaptive sports equipment through U.S. technical expertise.

Projects also include:

• training coaches and service providers using U.S. methodologies;
• increasing veterans' participation in adaptive sports programmes across Ukraine;
• producing and disseminating informational and promotional materials highlighting project results.

• Publication of the funding opportunity.
• Application submission by 31 August 2026, 23:59 (GMT+2).
• Administrative review.
• Technical and programmatic review.
• Requests for clarification, if required.
• Funding decision.
• Grant agreement signing.
• Project implementation begins after the grant agreement is executed.
• Maximum project duration: 18 months.

To participate in the grant programme, applicants must complete the required registration procedures and submit their application before the deadline.

Main steps:

• obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and maintain an active SAM.gov registration where applicable;
• obtain the application package or request it via KyivPDGrants@state.gov;
• prepare the application in accordance with the programme requirements;
• submit the complete application package to KyivPDGrants@state.gov, including the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the email subject line.

Important:

• the application deadline is August 31 at 11:59 p.m. Kyiv time (GMT+2);
• applications received after the deadline will be considered ineligible and will not be reviewed;
• obtaining or renewing SAM.gov registration may take 4–8 weeks, so applicants are encouraged to begin the registration process as early as possible.

Applications are evaluated using a 100-point scoring system. Each proposal is assessed against established criteria to determine its quality, feasibility, and likelihood of successful implementation.

Score distribution:

• Project quality and feasibility — 30 points.
• Organizational capacity and previous grant performance — 25 points.
• Project planning and ability to achieve objectives — 20 points.
• Project budget — 10 points.
• Monitoring and evaluation — 10 points.
• Sustainability of project results — 5 points.

The evaluation also considers:

• alignment with the programme priorities;
• clarity of objectives, implementation plan, and expected results;
• adequacy and justification of the budget;
• monitoring and evaluation arrangements;
• the project's long-term sustainability and impact.

Applications missing required documents or failing to meet the submission requirements will be considered ineligible and will not proceed to the technical review. If proposals receive equal scores, preference is given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate.

Applicants must prepare and submit required supporting documents demonstrating their organization's capacity to implement the proposed project.

Required documents include:

• one-page résumés of key personnel, or a position description if the individual has not yet been identified;
• letters of support from programme partners describing the partnership, roles, responsibilities, and expected outcomes (for sub-recipients or other partners);
• a copy of the current NICRA agreement, where applicable and if indirect costs are included in the budget;
• documentation confirming the organization's non-profit status;
• documentation confirming the organization's legal registration.

During the review process, the Embassy may also request additional information, including:

• audit reports from the previous two years;
• financial, human resources, or procurement policies;
• documentation on personal data protection;
• information on financial controls and internal procedures;
• other programmatic or financial documentation as needed.

After the application deadline, the U.S. Embassy conducts administrative, technical, and programmatic reviews. Applicants may be contacted to clarify or correct certain documents if necessary. Results are communicated after the review process is completed.

Before submitting an application, organizations are encouraged to review all programme terms and conditions and ensure they are able to comply with the applicable requirements if selected for funding.

Key provisions include:

• funding is administered in accordance with U.S. federal laws, applicable regulations, and U.S. Department of State policies;
• applications are evaluated through an impartial review process using the established selection criteria;
• programme implementation is subject to applicable U.S. requirements relating to freedom of speech and religious liberty;
• where permitted by law, preference may be given to the use of goods, products, and materials manufactured in the United States.

The U.S. Department of State also reserves the right to terminate an award under its standard award terms and conditions if it determines that the award no longer supports the programme objectives or agency priorities.