A selection of grants: a path to financial support and development

In today's world, where the development of innovative ideas and initiatives is encouraged, grant competitions are becoming an invaluable opportunity to obtain financial support and carry out projects in various fields. This roundup offers an overview of a variety of grants awarded for different purposes, from supporting logistics and exports to developing digital skills and responding to pandemics. Finding support for your project can be a step toward its successful implementation.

1. "Building the Future of Ukrainian Logistics and Exports" grant competition

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) "Economic Support for Ukraine" project (the USAID Project) announces that it is beginning to accept grant applications under the Annual Program Statement APS-ERA-003 "Building the Future of Ukrainian Logistics and Exports."

The goal of this Annual Program Statement (the Statement) is to obtain applications for grant funding to achieve two important goals of Ukraine's economic recovery: 1) building up the export and logistics potential of agriculture with an emphasis on grain trade; and 2) improving export infrastructure, technologies and processes along Ukraine's western borders.

Deadline: 31.08.24

Details: https://www.prostir.ua/?grants=konkurs-hrantiv-budujemo-majbutnje-ukrajinskoji-lohistyky-ta-eksportu

2. Grant for developing digital skills

Support for the operation of the "Digital Skills and Jobs" platform: corrective and adaptive maintenance, fostering cooperation among national coalitions and the digital skills community in Europe, deepening the exchange between national coalition websites and the main Platform, increasing the number of national coalitions, and boosting the activity and engagement of existing and new national coalitions.

Within the project, organizations must provide for activities, communication campaigns and other types of work to raise awareness of the need to close the digital skills gap in the EU and to mobilize the community of relevant stakeholders.

Budget: Up to EUR 2,000,000 for each of the two grants.

Deadline: May 29, 2024.

Details: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/digital-2024-advanced-digital-06-skills

3. "WIDENING PARTICIPATION AND SPREADING EXCELLENCE" GRANT COMPETITIONS, "HORIZON EUROPE" PROGRAM

The "Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence" competitions help build up the research and innovation potential of countries that are lagging in development.

The opportunities in this area will strengthen the potential for successful participation in international research and innovation processes and help establish connections and access to best practice.

Program participants will be able to modernize their research and innovation systems, making them stronger and allowing the EU as a whole to move forward together, in line with the policy goals of the European Research Area.

1. "Hop On Facility" competition

Allows research institutions from participating countries to join research and innovation already under way within Pillar II of the "Horizon Europe" Framework Programme and the EIC Pathfinder, by being brought into a specific task or work package with a corresponding budget allocated to that participant. This may take place on a voluntary basis without undermining freedom of choice or the principle of excellence.

The Hop On Facility is open to all Pillar II competitions and the European Innovation Council's Pathfinder program. Project proposals aimed at achieving the policy goals of the green and digital transition are especially encouraged.

Indicative competition budget: EUR 40 million in 2024.

Average grant per project: from EUR 1 to 6 million.

Indicative number of projects: 160.

Deadline: September 26, 2024.

2. "ERA Talents" competition

The cross-sectoral freedom of movement of talent and cooperation between universities and business to transfer knowledge need to be systematized and structured. The European Commission aims to support and stimulate such transformations to balance international and cross-sectoral mobility of talent. The goal of the competition is to support the training and mobility of researchers, innovators and other talent between sectors, with a particular focus on the countries of the "Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence" program.

Exchanges should mainly take place between research institutions, higher education institutions and organizations in the non-academic sector (or vice versa) from different EU Member States and countries associated with the "Horizon Europe" program. Exchanges within a single country are also possible, provided they aim to support or strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem.

Expected project duration: up to 4 years. Indicative competition budget: EUR 40 million (in 2024). Average grant per project: from EUR 1 to 3 million. Indicative number of projects: 20.

Deadline: September 26, 2024.

Details: https://rea.ec.europa.eu/funding-and-grants/horizon-europe-widening-participation-and-spreading-excellence_en

4. "Pandemic preparedness and response: supporting European partnerships for pandemic preparedness" competition

Topic: Pandemic preparedness and response: Maintaining the European partnership for pandemic preparedness HORIZON-HLTH-2024-DISEASE-08-12

Goal of the competition: Support for activities aimed at achieving the expected outcomes in combating diseases and reducing their impact under Destination 3.

Expected outcomes:

A consolidated research and innovation structure for the European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness.

Shared goals and a common understanding of the long-term Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for the partnership.

A dynamic and effective secretariat to coordinate research in pandemic preparedness.

Interaction of healthcare service providers and European and international stakeholders through the research and innovation structure for the partnership.

Budget: EUR 2 million, indicative number of projects - 1.

Deadline: April 11, 2024 by 17:00

Details: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-hlth-2024-disease-08-12

5. "Developing EU methodological frameworks for clinical/performance evaluation and post-market clinical/performance follow-up of medical devices, including in vitro diagnostics" competition

Topic: Developing EU methodological frameworks for clinical/performance evaluation and post-market clinical/performance follow-up of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDs) HORIZON-HLTH-2024-IND-06-08

Goal of the competition: Support for activities aimed at achieving the expected outcomes of Destination 6, "Maintaining an innovative, sustainable and globally competitive health industry."

Expected outcomes:

Patients will gain faster access to innovative, safe and effective medical devices.

Regulatory bodies will have access to reliable scientific resources to shape recommendations on clinical/performance evaluation and to develop common specifications under the Medical Device Regulation (MDR).

Notified bodies will have a consistent way to assess clinical evidence at the pre-market and post-market phases.

Medical technology developers will gain the necessary understanding of the evidence needed to demonstrate the conformity of medical devices with MDR requirements throughout their entire service life. Budget: EUR 10 million, indicative number of projects - 1

Deadline: April 11, 2024 by 17:00

Details: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-hlth-2024-ind-06-08

6. Program to support the production of value-added milk by family farms from USAID AGRO

Who it is for: Ukrainian private enterprises (except sole proprietors) with at least 4 years of experience in the dairy sector that introduce new technologies on farms or provide laboratory testing and/or veterinary consulting services for dairy farms in order to support the production of value-added milk by family dairy farms.

Geography: Poltava, Sumy and Chernihiv regions

Activities must include the following:

- providing systematic advisory and expert support to family dairy farms;

- purchasing equipment to provide advisory and veterinary support services, feed procurement for the target group and so on;

- legal advisory support in obtaining land for haymaking and livestock grazing.

Sub-grant size: up to UAH 11,000,000 (per sub-grant)

* Co-financing of at least 10% of the project budget is required.

USAID AGRO will hold a pre-application online seminar on 05.04.2024; to take part, you must fill out an application form by 18:00 on 04.04.2024 via the link.

Deadline: 25.04.2024 by 18:00

Learn more at the link: https://www.prostir.ua/?grants=prohrama-usaid-ahro-nadast-spivfinansuvannya-dlya-pidtrymky-vyrobnytstva-moloka-z-dodanoyu-vartistyu-simejnymy-hospodarstvamy

7. The USAID "Competitive Economy of Ukraine" program launches a new support tool for entrepreneurs

Who it is for: Ukrainian enterprises that:

- have at least 10 employees on staff at the time of applying

- are able to invest in their own development

- are ready to create 20 jobs and/or generate USD 1.5 million from sales during the implementation of the partnership agreement (approximately by July 2025).

Funding areas:

- up to three items of equipment (examples: refrigeration, sewing, cutting or bakery equipment, computer-controlled machines, laser-cutting machines, warehouse racking);

- or marketing services (examples: brand development services, help with search engine promotion, developing a marketing strategy, developing an export strategy, consulting services on entering new markets, lean production consulting).

Funding size: within the limits of the requested equipment or marketing services and based on the results of negotiations with the donor.

Deadline: 30.04.2024

Learn more at the link: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=408318088501371&set=a.156434637023052

8. Support for projects to restore and modernize irrigation and drainage networks from USAID AGRO

Who it is for: water user organizations (WUOs) in which:

- land plots are registered in the State Land Cadastre, and rights to them in the State Register of Property Rights to Immovable Property;

- information about WUO members is entered in the State Agrarian Register.

* The WUO's service area must be at least 200 ha.

Activities may include the following:

- modernizing a pumping station that will be transferred to WUO ownership from state ownership;

- purchasing/replacing irrigation equipment;

- setting up drip irrigation infrastructure;

- installing a water metering system;

- replacing irrigation pipelines;

- carrying out anti-seepage measures on open irrigation canals;

- purchasing equipment, machinery and mechanisms to service the reclamation network;

- setting up a remote irrigation control system;

- setting up a soil moisture monitoring system;

- setting up irrigation for a greenhouse complex;

- setting up sprinkler irrigation for orchards;

- installing/replacing transformer substations at the pumping station;

- introducing alternative energy sources to run the pumping station and irrigation equipment;

- restoring open and closed drainage.

In addition to financial support, competition winners will receive advisory assistance from USAID AGRO.

Grant size: from UAH 19,000,000 to UAH 24,000,000

* The applicant must be prepared to co-finance at least 10% of the proposed project budget.

USAID AGRO will hold a pre-application online seminar on 03.04.2024; to take part, you must fill out an application form by 18:00 on 01.04.2024 via the link.

Deadline: 15.06.2024 by 18:00 Kyiv time

Learn more at the link: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=786045373560218&set=a.612278287603595

Based on the grants listed above, one can note a variety of opportunities to obtain financial support and carry out one's own initiatives. Regardless of the field of activity or the focus of the project, grant competitions open the door to development and to bringing ideas to life, helping create a significant impact on society and on the sectors in which they operate. Don't delay, and learn more about these opportunities to make your boldest plans and projects a reality.