MHP charity fund offers grants to businesses owned by war veterans and displaced Ukrainians
The Do Your Thing with Kurator business idea competition to support war-affected or military-developed businesses will start on September 22, Rubryka reports.
What is the problem?
Small and medium-sized businesses are key in creating local demand for products and services. This, in turn, activates the circulation of money in the local economy and raises communities' social and economic standards of living. During the full-scale war, entrepreneurs developing in the regions preserve citizens' well-being and support the country's economy.
The development of local businesses also contributes to increasing jobs, local taxes, and fees, a resource for pensions, especially important when the war caused economic difficulties.
What is the solution?
Veteran entrepreneurs, internally displaced persons, and businesses affected by Russian aggression will have a chance to get financing for their projects in the food sector. The competition organizers, the MHP charity fund, and the Kurator brand will allocate ₴1 million (about $27,000) for the best ideas.
The competition will accept business ideas for the HoReCa industry, inducing food venues, hotels, and catering, from representatives of Ukrainian small and medium-sized businesses from 13 regions: Vinnytsia, Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Sumy, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions.
"Our competition 'Do Your Thing' has significantly expanded this year. In the spring, together with the Ukrainian Veterans' Fund, we provided grants for veterans and their family members, supporting businesses in the regions," said Tetiana Volochai, the MHP director. "Now we are launching another competition — for the food sector. Demand for grants confirms that Ukrainians want to work, create jobs, and fill local budgets. We, having expertise in this area, are ready to provide comprehensive support to local businesses."
How does it work?
Thanks to micro-grants, entrepreneurs will start a new business and scale or relocate an existing one. The ideas must be innovative, as well as create jobs and have a socio-economic effect on the community. The competition experts will select ten winners, each receiving up to ₴100,000 (about $3,000) for their cause.
After the start of the competition, the organizers will help the participants fill out the applications during consultations on webinars.
"Micro-entrepreneurship is the key to the recovery of the economy in war-torn areas and, in general, the main driving force of Ukraine's prosperity," said Natalia Shadchneva, head of the HoReCa Development Center at the MHP. "MHP builds systemic support for small and medium-sized businesses in HoReCa, training qualified staff, offering solutions that optimize processes in the kitchen, and building partnerships in the Ukrainian HoReCa industry."
According to Shadcheva, the Do Your Thing with Kurator competition continues the systematic work of the fund. The organization witnesses how quickly micro-bakeries, coffee shops, and shawarma restaurants are opening in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and other cities. "We are ready to support those businesses that do not stop and want to develop," she added.
Background
In the spring of 2022, the competition supported 80 business projects for over ₴7.4 million (about $200,000). Last year, the MHP Charitable Fund provided financial assistance for over ₴6 million (over $160,000) to 74 micro-businesses.
Rubryka reported that Google has returned the feature for Ukrainian entrepreneurs to register their business in Google Maps and use Google Business.
It was also reported that Ukrainian women entrepreneurs are invited to the free marketing marathon.
