Grant Competition for Development of Information Campaigns

The competition is organised within the project “Firefighters. Strengthening Local Resilience by Improving the Legal and Operational Conditions for Voluntary Fire Brigades in the Wartime and Post-war Context of Ukraine”. It supports projects promoting voluntary fire protection in Ukraine, increasing awareness of voluntary fire brigades, disseminating successful practices, and highlighting the importance of local safety and volunteerism. The project is implemented by the Solidarity Fund PL in Ukraine with financial support from the Democracy Support 2026 Programme under the Polish Development Cooperation Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

The grant competition is open to media organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that meet the programme requirements and have proven experience in implementing information initiatives.

Key eligibility and participation requirements include:

• eligible applicants are media organisations and NGOs that have successfully implemented their own or donor-funded socially oriented information campaigns, including special media projects, audiovisual products, or publications;
• applicants must have their own media platforms or documented support from media partners;
• the proposed project must reach at least 50,000 unique users during the implementation period.

The following applicants are not eligible:

• organisations whose executives or ultimate beneficial owners have been found responsible for serious offences, including corruption, financial crimes, terrorism-related offences, human trafficking, or discrimination;
• applicants subject to sanctions imposed by Ukraine, the European Union, or other donor countries participating in the programme;
• organisations directly or indirectly controlled by legal entities registered in the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, or by their citizens.

The Fund's Representation reserves the right to require corrective actions or refuse further participation if an applicant fails to address identified issues or provide accurate and complete information.

Under the grant programme, funding is provided within a defined grant range, and all project expenditures must meet the eligibility requirements and be directly related to project implementation.

Key funding conditions:

• minimum grant amount – UAH 180,000;
• maximum grant amount – UAH 240,000.

Eligible costs must:

• be incurred during the project implementation period;
• be necessary for achieving the project's objectives and activities;
• comply with the principles of sound financial management, economy, and efficiency;
• be properly documented and recorded in the accounting system;
• comply with the legislation of Ukraine and be approved by the grant provider.

Grant funding may be used for programme and administrative costs related to project implementation.

Ineligible costs include, among others:

• debt repayment, fines, and interest payments;
• provisions for future liabilities;
• currency exchange losses;
• the purchase of real estate, vehicles, and furniture;
• capital and routine repairs;
• personal medical expenses of staff;
• the purchase of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and personal-use items;
• international travel that is not directly required by the project's objectives.

The grant programme supports programme activities and project management tasks directly related to implementing information campaigns and promoting volunteer fire protection.

Supported activities and project types include:

• production of multimedia content, including videos, short documentaries, podcasts, infographics, and written materials;
• preparation of reports, interviews, long-form articles, and other communication materials;
• organisation of field missions for media content production;
• adaptation and dissemination of communication materials;
• engagement of media partners;
• organisation of public events, social campaigns, flash mobs, and social experiments;
• development or improvement of information platforms, websites, and thematic online pages;
• preparation of communication materials, including guides, brochures, and video instructions.

The programme also supports project administration activities, including:

• project coordination and management;
• bookkeeping and financial reporting;
• legal support;
• preparation of narrative and financial reports for the donor.

Examples of eligible expenditures include the purchase and setup of equipment, remuneration of project staff and experts, organisation of events, production of communication materials, equipment and venue rental, promotional activities, printing services, website development, accounting and legal services, and other costs directly related to project implementation.

To participate in the grant competition, applicants are required to complete the online application form and submit all required supporting documents in accordance with the programme requirements.

Application process:

• complete the online application form using the designated application link;
• describe the identified challenges and explain how the proposed activities will address them and contribute to achieving the mandatory project results;
• include information on the expected results for each required project task, including:
  • production of a media product;
  • achievement of the required audience reach;
  • implementation of a media landscape analysis and submission of the corresponding report;
• upload the required supporting documents together with the application through the online application form.

Applications are evaluated by an Evaluation Committee composed of representatives of the Polish Solidarity Fund Office in Ukraine and/or external experts. Each proposal is assessed by at least two committee members, and the final ranking is based on the evaluation results.

Evaluation criteria include:

• project concept and quality of management – up to 60 points, including the realism of the implementation plan, logical structure, creativity, measurable results, and risk management approach;
• project outreach potential – up to 70 points, including the applicant's capacity to reach the target audience, the quality of its description, the potential for scaling results, and previous relevant experience;
• budget quality and cost-effectiveness – up to 30 points, assessing the justification of costs, consistency with market prices, and the relationship between the budget and the planned results.

The maximum possible score is 160 points. Only applications scoring at least 70% of the maximum score are included in the final ranking.

Before the quality assessment, all applications undergo a formal eligibility review covering submission within the deadline, completeness of documentation, compliance with the call requirements, budget limits, and mandatory project indicators.

Following the evaluation, the Evaluation Committee may recommend a project for funding, request revisions to the proposal or budget, or decide not to recommend funding. The final funding decision is made by the Head of the Polish Solidarity Fund Office in Ukraine.

To participate in the grant competition, applicants must submit a complete application package containing all information and supporting documents required to assess the project and the applicant's capacity.

Required application checklist:

• general information about the applicant, including declarations where applicable;
• a description of the applicant's activities, experience, implementation capacity, target audience, and available media resources;
• general project information, including the project title, implementation period, and total budget;
• a justification of the project's relevance, objectives, implementation approach, and planned activities;
• a work plan and implementation schedule with a clear allocation of responsibilities;
• expected project results and anticipated impact;
• a description of the sustainability of project results and the potential for further use or replication of the media products and partnership initiatives developed;
• a detailed budget prepared using the required template;
• additional supporting materials, such as examples of published content, links, photographs, and other documents demonstrating the applicant's experience.

After the application is submitted, the applicant receives an email confirming that the application has been successfully received.

An information webinar on the grant competition is scheduled for 22 July 2026 (11:00–13:00), including a Q&A session for applicants: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/364117220557742?p=hf5BtUoouYVOizpNNc

After the grant agreement is signed, the grant recipient is subject to financial and programme monitoring to verify proper project implementation and the use of grant funds.

Key reporting requirements include:

• financial and programme monitoring may be carried out during project implementation, throughout the calendar year in which the project is completed, and for the following five years;
• the grant provider or its authorised representatives may review project documentation, request additional information, and access records related to project implementation;
• programme monitoring may include site visits, progress information requests, and project assessments involving external experts;
• within 10 calendar days after completing the project, the grant recipient must submit an implementation report together with a documented financial report on project expenditures;
• the grant provider reviews the submitted reports within 15 working days and informs the recipient whether the reports are approved or require revision;
• once the reports are approved, the parties sign the project completion approval act;
• expenditures that cannot be justified or are considered ineligible or non-compliant with the grant purpose are treated as ineligible costs and are subject to repayment.

Projects funded under the grant programme must be implemented in accordance with procurement rules, transparency principles, and the provisions of the grant agreement.

Key legal conditions and regulatory requirements include:

• all procurement of goods, works, and services must ensure transparency, equal treatment, verifiability, and non-discrimination;
• grant funds may only be used for expenditures approved in the project budget and permitted under the grant rules;
• grant funding may not be used for political or religious activities, compensation for damages, debt repayment, or other costs not included in the approved project budget;
• engagement of third parties in project implementation is permitted only with the prior written approval of the grant provider.

Procurement requirements:

• procurements exceeding UAH 50,000 require market research and at least three commercial quotations;
• procurements exceeding UAH 100,000 must be conducted through an open competitive procedure.

Applicants are also encouraged to review the grant competition rules, application form, draft grant agreement, and other supporting materials made available by the organiser.