ROOTS Program: Regional Opportunities for Just Transition and Sustainable Development

The grant program “Regional Opportunities for Just Transition and Sustainable Development (ROOTS)” is aimed at supporting territorial communities affected by coal mining through the implementation of local projects that contribute to the advancement of just transition strategies.

The program seeks to strengthen sustainable community development by supporting concrete local initiatives that help communities adapt their economies and social systems to new conditions resulting from the decline of the coal industry.

The program is open to local self-government authorities, municipal institutions, enterprises, local development agencies, and civil society organizations, which are capable of implementing projects focused on community development and resilience.

The program is implemented by the East Europe Foundation as part of the Power4Just Transition project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, ensuring institutional and financial support for just transition processes at the local level.

Eligible applicants

Applications may be submitted by organizations that are legally registered entities operating in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, including:

• local self-government authorities;
• municipal institutions, enterprises, and organizations;
• local development agencies;
• civil society organizations (CSOs), including charitable organizations and public associations, which have official non-profit status (codes 0032, 0034, 0036).

Application requirements

• Applicants may submit individual or joint (partnership) project proposals, provided that such projects are aligned with the Just Transition Action Plan / Program approved at the relevant level.
• In the case of joint applications, partners must clearly define their roles and responsibilities, as well as coordination and implementation mechanisms.
• Applicants may also submit separate applications for different components of a comprehensive project, provided that each proposal is independent, has clearly defined objectives, and does not duplicate activities.
• Each applicant may submit only one application within the competition, regardless of whether it is submitted individually or as part of a partnership.

Ineligible applicants

The following entities are not eligible to participate in the competition:

• individuals (natural persons);
• business entities, including legal entities and individual entrepreneurs (FOPs);
• state authorities;
• political parties;
• religious organizations.

Under this grant program, financial support is provided for the implementation of projects aimed at community development and advancing just transition initiatives.

Grant Amount

• The amount of each grant ranges from UAH 3 million to UAH 5 million, which is approximately equivalent to EUR 60,000–100,000 at the time of the call announcement.
• Funding is intended to cover costs directly related to project implementation and the achievement of project objectives.
• Number of projects planned to be supported: up to 9. 

Co-financing Requirements

• Co-financing is not mandatory, meaning applicants are not required to contribute their own financial resources in order to receive the grant.

Restrictions on the Use of Funds

Grant funds cannot be used for the following types of expenses:

• costs not directly related to the project objectives;
• expenses incurred before the start or after the completion of the project;
• entertainment expenses, gifts, bonuses, fines, or the purchase of alcohol and tobacco products;
• repayment of debts, loans, interest, or other financial liabilities;
• purchase of real estate or equipment and vehicles for personal use;
• international travel and regranting activities;
• procurement, transportation, or distribution of humanitarian aid, medicines, weapons, or goods for personal use;
• political or religious activities;
• contingency reserves, currency fluctuation compensation, or depreciation costs.

Source of Funding

The program is supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, providing international financial support for the implementation of local-level projects.

Financial support will be provided to projects that align with the following priority areas:

• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
  Projects aimed at implementing renewable energy solutions (such as solar, bioenergy, etc.), improving the energy efficiency of public and residential buildings, reducing energy poverty, and strengthening the energy resilience of territorial communities in regions affected by coal mining.

• Vocational Education, Upskilling, and Reskilling
  Projects aimed at developing skills, reskilling, and increasing employment opportunities, particularly for coal sector workers and other vulnerable groups. Support will be provided to projects in non-formal education, vocational training, career counseling, and the development of new competencies relevant to local labor markets.

• Environmental Protection and Sustainable Land Use
  Projects aimed at reducing the negative environmental impact of the coal industry, restoring degraded territories, land reclamation, biodiversity conservation, and implementing environmentally sustainable land use and natural resource management practices.

• Local Economic Development and Support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
  Projects that promote economic diversification of territorial communities, support local entrepreneurship, create new jobs, and encourage innovative business initiatives. Special attention will be given to SMEs, social enterprises, and initiatives that create alternative income sources in communities affected by coal mining.

• Water Supply and Wastewater Systems
  Projects aimed at improving access to safe drinking water, modernizing water supply and wastewater systems, enhancing sanitation services, and ensuring environmentally sustainable water resource management in transitioning communities.

• Capacity Development of Territorial Communities in Just Transition
  Projects focused on strengthening the institutional capacity of local self-government authorities in planning and implementing Just Transition Action Plans / Programs, including strategic planning, partnership development, investment attraction, and preparation for accessing additional funding sources.

• District Heating Systems
  Projects aimed at developing or upgrading district heating schemes, modernizing boiler houses and heating networks, reducing heat losses, implementing metering and automated control systems (such as individual heating substations and weather-based regulation), and promoting the transition to cleaner and more efficient heat sources, reducing energy poverty, and strengthening community energy resilience.

• The informational online session for applicants will take place on February 20, 2026, at 11:00.
• The application submission deadline is March 9, 2026, at 18:00 (Kyiv time).
• The competition results will be announced in April 2026.
• The expected start of supported project implementation is May 2026.
• The project implementation period will range from 6 to 12 months.

Applications can only be submitted through the East Europe Foundation Grant Portal.

For convenience, applicants may download document templates from the “Documents” section of the Grant Portal, review and complete them, prepare the required files for upload, and then transfer the information to the portal when submitting the application.

Key eligibility requirement

The primary condition is that the project must contribute to achieving the goals of the just transition and be included in, or aligned with, the relevant Just Transition Action Plan / Program approved at the appropriate level.

Justification of project results

Applicants are required to clearly define specific results or indicators that will be achieved through the project and describe the planned activities and mechanisms that will ensure the achievement of these results.

Evaluation procedure

All submitted applications are reviewed and assessed by an Expert Evaluation Committee, which evaluates proposals in accordance with established criteria.

Main evaluation criteria include:

• alignment of the project with strategic planning documents, including its integration into the Just Transition Action Plan / Program for coal communities or micro-regions;
• relevance and justification of the project, based on community needs and program objectives;
• compliance with the priority areas of the grant competition;
• feasibility of achieving the planned results, considering available resources, timelines, and proposed activities;
• reasonableness of the budget and appropriateness of the requested grant amount in relation to the project’s objectives and scope.

For those interested in participating in the competition, the ROOTS grant program team will hold an informational online session on February 20, 2026, at 11:00.

During the session, the team will provide more details about the competition, how to use the grant portal, how to develop the project’s logical framework and budget, how to complete and submit the application, and will also answer participants’ questions.

To participate in the informational session, please complete the registration form via the provided link.

Requirements for applicant organizations

Organizations applying for the grant must meet the following key criteria:

• At the time of application submission, the organization must not be in the process of liquidation or bankruptcy;
• Grants will not be awarded to organizations registered in temporarily occupied territories or along the contact line;
• Each organization may submit no more than one application within this competition;
• Municipal enterprises, institutions, and organizations must be registered and operate within the territorial communities of coal regions covered by the program;
• Civil society organizations and local development agencies must have signed cooperation memoranda with local self-government authorities.

Additional advantages during evaluation

The following factors will be considered an additional advantage during the evaluation process:

• Alignment of the project with Municipal Energy Plan objectives;
• Consistency with local development strategies and inclusion of the project in the medium-term priority public investment plan.

Application submission and review requirements

• The application must be submitted in Ukrainian through the Grant Portal;
• Co-financing is not mandatory and does not influence the evaluation of the application;
• Applicants will be notified of the results via the Grant Portal and email;
• Decisions of the selection committee are final and not subject to appeal or revision;
• The East Europe Foundation reserves the right to deny funding if the application does not meet the competition requirements, and also reserves the right not to provide comments on evaluation results.