EU, East Europe Foundation announce grant competition for Ukrainian NGOs

MOSCOW. Feb 16 (Interfax) - The European Union and the East Europe Foundation have announced a grant competition for Ukrainian nongovernmental organizations (NGO) for over 11 million hryvni.

"We have supported 15 initiatives promoting social integration of internally displaced persons and providing them with high-priority types of aid. Today, we are happy to announce a new opportunity to support nongovernmental organizations working with internally displaced persons," Ukrainian media quoted Viktor Liakh, East Europe Foundation president, as saying at a press conference in Kiev on Thursday.

The competition announced under the Phoenix Project seeks to strengthen Ukraine's public sector's capacity to effectively work with internally displaced persons and host communities, according to the media reports.

The project envisions that funds will be granted to up to 20 Ukrainian NGOs for implementing their initiatives.

The grant size per organization will vary between 400,000 and 800,000 hryvni, and the expected project implementation duration is up to six months.

As reported, the organizers said project grant proposals must be aimed at helping internally displaced persons, including their social integration, employment, and mentoring support. They can also be designed to support communities that host IDPs, develop effective models for recovery of relocated small and micro-businesses, including social entrepreneurs, and develop programs and policies that contribute to strengthening the potential of local and displaced non-governmental organizations and communities.

Bids for the grant competition can be submitted by charitable organizations (nonbusiness associations, institutions, and foundations), non-governmental associations (non-governmental organizations and unions), and other legal entities registered in Ukraine as nonprofit organizations, according to the media reports.