Microgrants to support veteran-owned businesses

The grant programme is implemented by the Czech humanitarian organization “People in Need”, with financial support from the U.S. government under the “DOBRA” project.

Key characteristics:

• The programme provides micro-grants for micro and small businesses.
• Target groups include veterans discharged after February 24, 2022, their family members, as well as families of fallen or missing defenders.
• Geographic focus — Lviv and Kharkiv regions (subject to security limitations).

Objective:

• Strengthening the economic capacity of veterans and their families.
• Supporting the development or recovery of small businesses.
• Enhancing financial resilience and economic stability of war-affected communities.

Within the grant programme, eligibility criteria and participation requirements are clearly defined.

Main participation requirements:

• Applicants must meet one of the defined statuses and provide supporting documents.
• Official business registration is required at the time of application.
• Business activities must be carried out in the Lviv or Kharkiv regions (subject to security restrictions).
• All project activities must be implemented within up to 60 calendar days.

Additional selection considerations:

• Consideration is given to loss of business or assets due to war.
• Previous grant support is taken into account, with priority given to those who have not received similar support before.

Participation restrictions:

• Applicants who have already received assistance from “People in Need” after February 24, 2022, are not eligible.
• Those who received grants from other donors may apply but will not have priority.

Post-selection:

• Applications are ranked based on scores.
• Winners sign a grant agreement that includes mandatory reporting.
• The organization conducts monitoring visits to assess fund usage.

Within the grant programme, funding conditions clearly define eligible costs, restrictions, and payment rules.

Funding amount:

• Maximum grant size — up to UAH 216,000.
• The final amount depends on the application and financial plan.

Eligible costs:

• Asset recovery and business development.
• Costs related to job creation (excluding salaries).
• Premises rent (up to 2 months) and renovation.
• Purchase of equipment and tools.
• Raw materials (up to 30% of the grant).
• Staff training.
• Marketing and advertising (up to 30% of the grant).
• Legal and consulting services.

Ineligible costs:

• Purchase of land or real estate.
• Alcohol, tobacco, military goods.
• Debt repayment, taxes, salaries.
• Operational expenses (fuel, logistics, office supplies, etc.).
• Used equipment and vehicles.
• Pesticides, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals.

Grant disbursement:

• Funds are transferred to a legal entity or individual account.
• For sole proprietors, grant funds are taxed as personal income under Ukrainian law.

Main supported activities:

• Delivery of mandatory business training sessions for selected beneficiaries.
• Practical development of business ideas or strengthening existing businesses with expert support.

Key training areas:

• business strategy and business model;
• operations management and team;
• financial model;
• marketing and branding;
• sales and customer acquisition.

Implementation format:

• Trainings are based on practical tasks and real-life cases.
• Conducted in online/offline format over 5 days.

Additional support:

• Provision of mentorship support from experienced experts.

Key dates and stages:

• Call announcement/publication — March 27, 2026.
• Application deadline — May 17, 2026.
• Expected time for results — up to 2 months after the submission deadline.

Process overview:

• After the submission deadline, applications enter the evaluation phase.
• Results are communicated to applicants within the indicated timeframe.

Step 1. Preparation:

• Applicants are advised to review the application guidelines before starting.
• It is also recommended to use the available educational video materials.

Step 2. Document preparation:

• Download and complete the financial plan, which must be attached to the application.

Step 3. Application completion:

• Fill in the grant application form in accordance with the requirements.
• All sections must be completed fully and accurately, as this affects the evaluation outcome.

Additional note:

• Submission of an application does not guarantee funding or support.

Within the grant programme, applications are evaluated based on formal and qualitative criteria, along with additional factors.

Stage 1 (eligibility and compliance):

• Submission of a completed application form.
• Eligibility of applicant status (veterans, family members, etc.).
• Official business registration.
• Compliance of business activity with programme conditions.
• Relevant business experience.
• Business location in Lviv or Kharkiv regions (with safety-related exceptions).
• Implementation period — up to 60 calendar days.
• Accuracy of the information provided.

Additional evaluation factors:

• Loss of business or assets due to war.
• Previous grant support (priority to those who have not received it).

Post-evaluation process:

• A ranking of applications is formed based on scores.
• Grant agreements are signed with selected applicants.
• Beneficiaries must submit reports on fund usage.
• Field monitoring visits are conducted to assess implementation and needs.

• Financial plan;
• Application form.

Following the results of the competition, a grant agreement will be signed with the winners. Under the terms of the agreement, the winners are required to submit a report on the use of grant funds.

Signing a grant agreement and complying with its terms, including reporting.