Microgrants for Strengthening Local Actors in the Protection of Affected Population

The microgrants competition aims to strengthen the capacity of local actors providing protection and support to affected populations in eight regions. The competition objectives include supporting beneficiaries in addressing humanitarian and social challenges, creating infrastructure for quality services for vulnerable populations, and strengthening the capacity of local organizations to provide quality protection services to vulnerable groups.

Within one microgrant, the organization must ensure coverage of at least 150 direct unique beneficiaries.

The competition consists of three lots:

• (1) comprehensive protection services, social, legal, and psychosocial support for civilians affected by war;
• (2) gender and countering gender-based violence;
• (3) inclusive communities: psychosocial support and accessible infrastructure.

For the first two lots, the maximum microgrant amount is 548,800 hryvnias, for the third – 320,130 hryvnias.

The competition is implemented by partners of the PULSE National Consortium – CF "CF "Right to Protection", NGO "Girls", ICF "Caritas Ukraine"

According to the competition terms, applications may be submitted by registered legal entities – non-profit public, charitable, and religious organizations that meet requirements regarding registration period, operational capacity, activities in government-controlled territories, financial management system, absence of tax debts, motivation for development, and adherence to a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual exploitation, violence, harassment, and fraud

For Lot 1 – psychosocial support (individual and group psychological consultations, self-support groups, art and creative activities, social case management, correctional and rehabilitation measures); legal and information support (legal consultations; information sessions on rights, benefits, protection from violence, employment and rehabilitation of people with disabilities; support for local communication campaigns; legal protection of people with disabilities); infrastructure and inclusion (creation and arrangement of safe spaces for women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, including premises renovation and furniture procurement; ensuring accessibility of public places and creating inclusive playgrounds); educational and cultural events (trainings, workshops, lectures, seminars; theatrical performances, festivals, exhibitions, film screenings; integration events – round tables, forums, discussions).

For Lot 2 – psychosocial support (individual and group consultations; self-support groups, art and creative activities; creation and maintenance of safe spaces for women, children; case management for survivors of gender-based violence, including procurement and distribution of "dignity kits"); legal and information support (legal consultations for women and girls; information sessions for women and girls on their rights, benefits, protection from discrimination); educational and cultural events (trainings, workshops, lectures, seminars, awareness sessions on sexual health, safety, gender equality, countering gender-based and domestic violence; trainings for social workers, police, medical professionals and other social actors; training sessions for volunteers and social workers; developing own expertise in protection, creating referral networks and coordination mechanisms; integration events – round tables, forums, discussions).

For Lot 3 – priority areas and activity examples are related to protecting the rights of people with disabilities, psychological, legal and social support, improving infrastructure accessibility and integrating vulnerable groups

The participant questionnaire is submitted through the relevant Google form or platform (forms for each lot), to which it is necessary to attach the application form (Annex 1), budget form (Annex 2) and official registration documents.

• quality of the program component and alignment with program objectives (effectiveness of approaches to solving the stated problem, expected impact, alignment with donor's thematic and strategic priorities) – 30 points;
• focus on target group (alignment of proposed services with beneficiaries' needs, coverage of stated audience and adequacy of number of beneficiaries according to cost per beneficiary) – 25 points;
• budget alignment with program activities (logically justified expenditure items and economic correctness, adherence to "price-quality-feasibility" principle) – 20 points;
• institutional capacity of the organization (experience, team qualifications, presence of management procedures, financial reporting and control) – 15 points;
• innovation potential (use of new methods, possibility of expansion or integration into larger programs/policies) – 10 points.

All participants will receive a response regarding further participation; in case of rejection, the organizers reserve the right not to provide explanations

• application form (Annex 1);
• budget form (Annex 2);
• official registration documents – extract from the Unified State Register, copy of the State Tax Service decision on inclusion in the Register of Non-Profit Organizations, charter/regulations, copy of the organization's meeting minutes with the designated responsible person authorized to sign documents, etc.