Ministry of Economy: 800 veterans and their spouses will receive business development grants worth UAH 368 million

Another 54 winners have been selected following the twelfth wave of applications for grants for veterans in 2024. They will receive UAH 25 million to start or develop their businesses. In total, 800 veterans and family members of combatants will receive grants since the launch of the veterans’ component of the Vlasna Sprava (Own Business) grant programme. The state is investing a total of UAH 368 million in their businesses. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna.

“UAH 25 million in grants to start or develop their business will be awarded to 54 winners of the twelfth wave of the veterans’ component of the Vlasna Sprava programme this year. Since the start of this programme, 800 veterans and their spouses have already received a positive decision on a grant totalling UAH 368 million. In the course of implementing their business projects, they will create 1,500 new jobs. 70% of the programme’s winners requested a grant of up to half a million hryvnias for their own business. Both veterans and their spouses are eligible for grants – 40% of grants were awarded to wives or husbands of combatants,” said Tetiana Berezhna.

The 54 winners of the twelfth wave of grant applications include 25 combatants and 29 family members of veterans. 42 winners received grants of up to UAH 500,000, 10 – up to UAH 250,000, and 2 – up to UAH 1 million.

The majority of grantees are from Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Lviv, and Zhytomyr regions. The most popular areas in which grantees plan to develop their businesses are wholesale and retail trade, processing industry, temporary accommodation and catering.

Under the terms of the programme, combat veterans or people with war-related disabilities, as well as their spouses, can receive the following grants

• up to UAH 250,000, up to UAH 500,000 and up to UAH 1 million for a veteran, provided that one, two and four jobs are created, respectively;
• up to UAH 250,000 and up to UAH 500,000 for a veteran’s spouse, provided that one and two jobs are created, respectively.

To receive a grant of UAH 500,000 to UAH 1 million, a veteran must be registered as an individual entrepreneur for at least 3 years. In addition, such a grant is provided on the condition of co-financing with the recipient in the ratio of 70/30, i.e. the recipient must invest 30% of their own funds in their business, and 70% of the funds will be provided by the state in the form of a grant.

Grant applications are submitted through the Diia portal along with a business plan.

As a reminder, the Government’s eRobota project is one of the components of the Made in Ukraine policy and includes grant programmes aimed at stimulating entrepreneurship and job creation. These include microgrants for starting or developing a business, grants for veterans and their spouses, grants for establishing and developing processing plants, and grants for planting orchards, viticulture, and greenhouses. Both existing entrepreneurs and people with no business experience can apply for a grant. Applications are currently being accepted for all areas of the eRobota programme. Applications can be submitted through the Diia portal.

The programme for providing grants to combatants, persons with disabilities caused by war and their family members to start or develop their own business is part of the flagship project of the Ministry of Economy “Work without Barriers”, which is being implemented as part of the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine.