“DOVIRA” project: Grants to support veteran businesses in Lviv and Kharkiv regions

The Czech humanitarian organization “People in Need,” with financial support from the United States government as part of the “DOVIRA” project, is announcing a microgrant competition to support micro- and small businesses owned by veterans, their family members, and the families of fallen or missing-in-action defenders.

The goal is to strengthen economic capacity, develop or restore businesses, and enhance the economic resilience of communities. 

The programme is open to specific categories of applicants who meet defined eligibility conditions.

Who can participate:

• war veterans discharged after 24 February 2022 (including combatants and persons with war-related disabilities);
• their family members (spouse, adult children, parents);
• family members of fallen or missing defenders.

Priority is given to applicants who:

• belong to the post-24.02.2022 veteran category;
• are family members of deceased or missing defenders;
• have internally displaced person (IDP) status;
• implement socially oriented business ideas.

Key participation requirements:

• compliance with one of the defined categories;
• readiness to provide supporting documents;
• official business registration at the time of application;
• actual business activity in designated communities (Lviv or Kharkiv regions);
• activities planned within up to 60 calendar days.

Restrictions:

• only one application per family is allowed;
• applicants who previously received grants may apply but will not receive priority;
• applicants who received similar support from the same organisation after 24 February 2022 are not eligible.

The micro-grant programme provides financial support for businesses under clearly defined funding rules.

Key parameters:

• Maximum funding amount — up to UAH 216,000 for micro and small enterprises (individual entrepreneurs and legal entities);
• The final grant size depends on the submitted application and financial plan.

Grant disbursement:

• funds may be transferred to a legal entity’s account;
• or to an individual’s account, in accordance with Ukrainian tax legislation.

Eligible expenses:

• asset recovery;
• creation of new jobs (excluding salaries);
• premises rent (up to two months);
• renovation and setup;
• purchase of equipment/tools;
• production raw materials (up to 30% of the grant);
• staff training;
• marketing and advertising (up to 30%);
• legal and consulting services;
• other costs related to business idea implementation.

Ineligible expenses:

• purchase of land or real estate;
• alcohol and tobacco products;
• debt repayment, taxes, salaries;
• vehicles and used equipment;
• pharmaceuticals, pesticides, fertilizers;
• military-related goods;
• gambling equipment;
• coverage of ongoing operational expenses (fuel, logistics, consumables, etc.).

The grant programme includes a set of activities aimed at strengthening and developing businesses of the target groups.

Key activities include:

• delivery of mandatory business training sessions for selected beneficiaries;
• refinement and development of business ideas with experts and entrepreneurs;
• provision of mentorship support for business growth.

The training programme covers:

• business strategy and business model development;
• operational management and team building;
• financial planning;
• marketing and branding;
• sales and customer acquisition.

The trainings are based on practical tasks and real cases, enabling participants to apply the acquired knowledge directly in their businesses.
The programme will be delivered in offline/online format over 5 days.

The programme follows a clearly defined timeline:

• The call was published on 27 March 2026;
• The application deadline is 30 April 2026;
• After submission, an evaluation phase takes place;
• The expected waiting time for results is up to 2 months from the closure of the application process.

The application process consists of several sequential steps that applicants must follow to participate in the programme.

Key steps:

1. Review the application guidelines and recommendations.
2. Complete the financial plan and attach it to the application.
3. Fill in and submit the grant application form.

Applicants are also encouraged to use the educational video materials prepared for participants.

It is important to ensure complete and accurate submission of all sections, as this directly affects the evaluation outcome.

Submission of an application and participation in the programme does not guarantee funding or other support.

Applications are assessed in two stages, followed by a final decision by a selection committee.

Evaluation stages:

• Stage 1 — verification of compliance with programme requirements and priority categories;
• Stage 2 — interviews with applicants (at the business location or planned site) and scoring.

Stage 1 criteria:

• completeness of the application;
• eligibility within target categories;
• official business registration;
• business experience;
• alignment of business activity with programme scope;
• actual place of operation;
• feasibility of planned activities (up to 60 days);
• accuracy of submitted information.

Stage 2 criteria (scoring):

• relevance and feasibility of the business idea;
• risk assessment and mitigation capacity;
• financial plan and justification of costs;
• marketing strategy;
• impact on the local community;
• social orientation of the business.

Additional considerations:

• business losses due to war;
• previous access to financial support (priority for those who have not received it).

Outcomes:

• applications are ranked based on scores;
• decisions are made by a dedicated committee;
• grant agreements are signed with selected applicants;
• monitoring and reporting on fund usage are required.

To apply for the programme, applicants must prepare and submit a basic set of required documents and information.

Mandatory application components:

• a completed grant application form;
• a financial plan, which must be attached to the application.

Additionally important:

• review the application guidelines before submission;
• use educational video materials where available;
• ensure complete and accurate completion of all sections.

Supporting information (based on eligibility requirements):

• information/documents confirming eligibility status (veterans, family members, etc.).

Incomplete or incorrectly filled applications may affect evaluation results.
Submission of documents does not guarantee funding.

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.

• Applicants who received support from People in Need after 24 Feb 2022 are not eligible;
• one application per family;
• business registration required.