Mini-Grant Competition for Civil Society Organizations under the STEPPE-UA Project

The mini-grant competition for civil society organizations is announced by the non-governmental organization "TENTH OF APRIL" within the implementation of the project "STEPPE-UA – Strengthening Tolerance, Empowerment, Participation and Pluralism Efforts in Ukraine", with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The main goal of this grant program is to strengthen and unite civil society organizations that work directly with local communities, enhance their internal institutional and managerial capacity, and create proper conditions for their sustainable development. The competition is designed to help local CSOs expand their rights and opportunities, effectively represent and protect the interests of their communities, actively participate in local decision-making processes, and build an open, tolerant, and inclusive civic space.

The program is targeted at non-profit civil society organizations officially registered in Ukraine with confirmed operational experience of at least one year at the time of application. The main geographic focus of the call covers Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, and Poltava regions, with the possibility of considering promising applications from other regions by way of exception. Within the competition, funding of up to UAH 920,000 is provided for the implementation of initiatives in organizational development, civic participation and local leadership, inclusiveness and social cohesion, partnership and network interaction, representation and advocacy, as well as support for male and female veterans. The implementation of selected project initiatives is scheduled for the period from December 2026 to June 2027.

Civil society organizations (CSOs) meeting all the following criteria are invited to participate:

• Officially registered in Ukraine as non-profit organizations in accordance with effective legislation.
• Have confirmed operational experience of at least 1 year prior to application submission.
• Work directly with communities and thoroughly understand their current needs.
• Have practical experience in implementing civic initiatives or working with target groups.
• Ready for cooperation, experience sharing, and interaction with other CSOs.
• Implement or are ready to implement internal compliance policies and adhere to NGO "TENTH OF APRIL" policies.
• Have no tax debts, criminal records, or sanction restrictions.
• Have a justified team of staff and/or volunteers sufficient for project implementation.

Geographic focus: Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, and Poltava regions. (By way of exception, most promising applications from local CSOs in other regions of Ukraine may also be considered).

Priority groups and areas (preference given to applications):

• Organizations led by and actively involving women, youth, IDPs, and representatives of other vulnerable or underrepresented groups.
• Projects involving residents in local decision-making processes.
• Initiatives developing partnerships between CSOs, local initiatives, and local self-government bodies (LSGs).
• Projects aimed at social cohesion, tolerance, inclusiveness, and inter-group dialogue.
• Initiatives supporting male and female veterans (social integration, community participation, access to civil services, and civic activity).

• Maximum mini-grant amount: Up to UAH 920,000 per project.
• Amount determination: The final funding amount is calculated taking into account the scale of the project, its justification, expected results, and the actual needs of the organization.
• Conditions for the use of funds:
  • Funding is provided strictly for the implementation of project activities within the approved budget.
  • An organization can receive only one mini-grant for one approved project.
  • Transferring mini-grant funds to other entities is prohibited.
• Ineligible costs:
  • Expenses not directly related to the implementation of the approved project.
  • Activities that contradict the current legislation of Ukraine, the goals of the STEPPE-UA project, or Sida requirements.
  • Note: A detailed list of eligible and ineligible costs is established by the terms of the grant agreement.

Grant funding is provided for initiatives across 5 main areas:

• CSO Organizational Development:
  • Enhancing managerial and organizational capacity;
  • Developing team and volunteer potential;
  • Strategic planning;
  • Communications development and fundraising;
  • Improving internal processes and operating mechanisms.
• Civic Participation and Local Leadership:
  • Involving residents in addressing local issues;
  • Developing and implementing civic participation mechanisms;
  • Supporting local civic initiatives;
  • Enhancing representation of residents' interests;
  • Developing constructive dialogue between citizens and local self-governments.
• Inclusiveness and Social Cohesion:
  • Involving women, youth, IDPs, and other groups in civic life;
  • Creating opportunities for interaction and dialogue between different groups;
  • Overcoming barriers to participation for underrepresented groups;
  • Forming safe, open, and inclusive civic space.
• Partnership and Network Interaction:
  • Developing cooperation between different civil society organizations;
  • Creating local and regional partnerships;
  • Sharing experience and disseminating successful practices;
  • Implementing joint inter-agency initiatives.
• Representation and Advocacy:
  • Enhancing CSO capacity to represent community interests;
  • Participating in designing, forming, and implementing decisions at the local level;
  • Conducting advocacy and awareness-raising campaigns;
  • Developing sustainable dialogue with local authorities and other stakeholders.

• November 10, 2026 (by 23:00 inclusive): Deadline for submitting online applications and the complete document package via Google Form.
• After application submission: Assessment of CSO organizational capacity and provision of mentoring support for organizational development.
• December 2026 – June 2027: Timeframe for grant project implementation.

1. Prepare the document package: Collect and complete all 10 mandatory document checklist items (including filled Annexes 1, 2, 3 and official extracts/certificates).
2. Fill in the application form: Follow the link to the official Google Form of the competition.
3. Upload documents and submit: Fill in all required online form fields, attach prepared files, and submit the application by 23:00 on November 10, 2026, inclusive.

Project proposals will be evaluated based on the following key criteria:

1. Alignment with the goals and strategic priorities of the STEPPE-UA project.
2. Relevance and justification of the proposed initiative for a specific community.
3. Clarity of problem formulation and logic of the proposed solution.
4. Level of target group involvement in project planning and implementation processes.
5. Project potential for long-term CSO organizational capacity development.
6. Contribution to the development of civic participation mechanisms and local leadership.
7. Promotion of openness, tolerance, diversity, and social cohesion.
8. Potential for developing partnerships and network interaction between organizations.
9. Realism, justification, and level of detail of the implementation plan and budget.
10. Sustainability of expected results after the completion of grant funding.

To participate in the competition, the applicant must upload the following package of documents via Google Form:

1. Project application according to the prescribed form (Annex 1);
2. Project budget according to the prescribed form (Annex 2);
3. Extract from the Unified State Register (EDR) on legal entity registration;
4. Extract from the Register of Non-Profit Institutions and Organizations;
5. Certificate from the State Tax Service of Ukraine confirming the absence of tax and fee debts;
6. Notarized copy of the Organization's Statute (if registered not under a Model Statute);
7. Copy of the identity document of the director or authorized representative;
8. Documents confirming the authority of the director (protocol, order, etc.);
9. Certificate of non-use of a seal signed by the director (in case of absence/non-use of a seal);
10. Declaration on Conflict of Interest according to the prescribed form (Annex 3).

• Capacity assessment and mentoring: Following document submission, an assessment of the CSO's organizational capacity is mandatory, accompanied by mentoring support to strengthen it.
• Mandatory internal policies: The applicant organization must implement or be ready to implement and maintain the following internal documents:
  • Code of Conduct;
  • Complaints mechanism;
  • Equal opportunity policies;
  • Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA);
  • Whistleblower protection policy;
  • Personal data protection;
  • Anti-corruption policy and others.
• Donor compliance: Mandatory adherence to the internal policies of NGO "TENTH OF APRIL" during mini-grant implementation.
• Integrity and legal status:
  • Verification of the absence of public information (media, state registers) regarding involvement of the organization or its leadership in fraud, corruption, or other offenses.
  • Verification of non-inclusion in sanctions lists.
  • Verification of the absence of tax, fee, or other mandatory payment debts.
• Control: NGO "TENTH OF APRIL" reserves the right to request additional supporting documents at any stage of review.

• Non-profit status: Only non-profit CSOs registered under Ukrainian law at least 1 year prior to submission may apply.
• Targeted nature of funding: Grant funds are allocated exclusively for activities within the approved budget. Transferring funds to other legal entities or individuals is prohibited.
• Application limits: An organization is entitled to submit only one project proposal and receive one mini-grant within the call.
• Cost regulation: Any costs not related to declared project goals or conflicting with Sida requirements and Ukrainian law are considered ineligible.
• Compliance with procedures and deadlines: Applications sent outside the Google Form or after 23:00 on November 10, 2026, will be automatically rejected.
• Eligibility verification: The organizer reserves the right to request additional confirmation, conduct a full compliance check, and assess the applicant's organizational capacity prior to signing a grant agreement.