How the program "Own Business" is transforming the lives of Ukrainian veterans

In Ukraine, veterans and their families have the opportunity to receive government grants to develop their own businesses under the "Own Business" program. The program aims to facilitate the creation and expansion of businesses among veterans and their families, thereby ensuring their economic growth and social adaptation.

For more information and to apply, veterans and their families can visit the official Diia portal or contact the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and other government agencies related to the program directly. This is a unique opportunity for veterans to realize their business dreams and contribute to the country's economic development, while providing themselves and their families with a stable source of income.

Conditions for receiving a grant

The specifics of receiving grants under the Own Business program for veterans and their families are quite clear and focused on promoting the creation and development of their own businesses. Here are the main conditions for receiving funds:

1. Grant amounts and job creation requirements.
   Grants are offered in three amounts: up to UAH 250,000, up to UAH 500,000, and up to UAH 1 million. The amount of the grant depends on the number of jobs to be created: one, two or four jobs for veterans, respectively, and one or two jobs for their family members.
2. How to receive larger grant amounts.
   To receive grants from 500 thousand to 1 million hryvnias, a veteran must be registered as an individual entrepreneur for at least three years. In addition, a 70/30 co-financing ratio applies, where 70% of the funds are provided by the state and 30% are contributed by the participant.
3. Application process.
   Applications for participation in the program are submitted through the Diia portal with a business plan required. The program is open to both existing entrepreneurs and people with no business experience.
4. Selection criteria.
   Participants must not conduct business activities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or in the territory of the Russian Federation, be under no sanctions, have no open bankruptcy cases, have no court decisions on criminal prosecution for corruption, and have no debts to the budget.

These conditions emphasize a transparent and fair approach to the selection of projects to be supported in order to promote economic development and social integration of veterans and their families through entrepreneurship.

Applying for a grant

To apply for a grant under the Own Business program for veterans and their families, you need to follow several steps based on information from available sources:

1. Prepare the necessary documents. Before submitting an application, it is important to prepare all the necessary documents, including a business plan. The business plan should clearly describe the essence of the business idea, the planned measures for its implementation, expected financial performance and a plan for creating jobs.
2. Registration on the Diia portal. Grant applications are submitted through the Diia portal. If you are not yet registered on the portal, you must complete the registration procedure using your digital signature or BankID for identity verification.
3. Select the program "Vlasne Delo" and submit an application. On the Diia portal, find the section on grant programs for veterans and select the program "Vlasne Delo". Then follow the instructions on the portal to apply. You will need to fill out the application form, attach the prepared documents and business plan.
4. Verification and evaluation of the application. After submitting the application, it will be reviewed by the program organizers. The evaluation process takes into account the quality of the business plan, the potential for creating new jobs, and the application's compliance with the program criteria.
5. Receiving a response. After your application is reviewed, you will receive a notification of the results. If the decision is positive, you will be provided with instructions on the next steps to receive the grant.

Please note that the exact instructions and requirements are subject to change, so it is recommended that you regularly check the latest information on the official Diia portal and on sites related to the Vlasna Dela program.

Obligations of those who received the grant

Under the Start Your Own Business program, which provides grants to veterans and their families to develop their own businesses, grantees have certain obligations. While the details may vary depending on the specific terms of the program, here are some general obligations that are typically stipulated:

• Use of funds for their intended purpose. Grant recipients are obliged to use the funds provided strictly for the intended purpose specified in the business plan submitted when applying for the grant. This may include starting a new business, purchasing equipment, developing an existing business, etc.
• Job creation. One of the key conditions of the program is job creation. Recipients are required to create a specified number of jobs that they have committed to creating as part of their project.
• Reporting. Grant recipients may be required to submit periodic reports on the use of grant funds, business achievements, and progress in job creation. Reporting may include financial statements, photographic documentation, descriptions of work performed, etc.
• Project co-financing. In cases where the grant is provided on a co-financing basis, the recipient undertakes to contribute their own funds to the project in the established ratio.
• Compliance with the law. Grantees must comply with all relevant laws and regulations of Ukraine in the course of conducting their business.

It is important to carefully read all the terms and conditions and requirements of the program before applying for a grant, as well as all the obligations that arise from receiving funding. More detailed information on the obligations associated with receiving a grant under the "Doing Business" program can be found on the official resources of the program and the Diia portal.

Where you can spend the grants you receive

Grants under the "Own Business" program can be spent on a variety of needs related to starting or developing your own business. Veterans and their family members who have won the grant program plan to use the funds for the following purposes:

• Starting a new business. Many grantees plan to use the funds to start new businesses. Among the planned activities are coffee shops, dental clinics, manicure studios, children's development centers, air guns, building materials and home improvement stores, greenhouse facilities, and playground construction and installation services.
• Developing an existing business. Some veterans use grants to scale up their existing businesses. This can include expanding a bakery chain, increasing the range of burger joints, expanding the activities of pet products companies, and land cultivation services.
• Purchase of equipment and facilities. Grants can also be used to purchase necessary equipment and facilities that are required to start or expand a business.
• Job creation. One of the key conditions of the program is job creation. Thus, funds can be used to organize workplaces for new employees, including the purchase of necessary equipment, furniture, computer equipment, etc.

These grant options demonstrate the flexibility of the Vlasna Dela program to support a variety of business initiatives of veterans and their families, promoting their economic development and social integration.

Restrictions on participation in the program

The Own Business program, which aims to support veterans and their families in developing their own businesses, has certain restrictions on who cannot participate in the program. Here are the categories of people who are excluded from receiving grants:

1. Persons conducting business activities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or in the territory of the Russian Federation. Applicants must not have business interests or conduct business in regions under the control of foreign states or in territories under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation.
2. Persons under sanctions. If the applicant or his/her business is under international or national sanctions, he/she is not eligible for the program 
3. Persons subject to bankruptcy proceedings. Applicants subject to formal bankruptcy proceedings are excluded from the possibility of obtaining financing.
4. Persons against whom there is a court decision to bring them to criminal liability for corruption offenses. Such persons are also not eligible to participate in the program, which reflects the state's efforts to ensure transparency and fairness in the process of grant distribution.
5. Persons who have debts to the budget. The existence of outstanding debts to the state or local budget is also a ground for refusal to provide a grant.

These restrictions ensure that grants under the Vlasna Dela program are awarded to responsible and law-abiding citizens who operate in accordance with Ukrainian and international law.

Program validity period

The Government of Ukraine intends to continue and develop the "Own Business" grant program aimed at supporting veterans and their families in developing their own businesses. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the program has shown a positive effect during its first year of operation, allowing businesses to receive UAH 4.5 billion, which has enabled more than 6,000 Ukrainians to implement their business ideas and create 20,000 new jobs. The Prime Minister emphasized that this is only the beginning and noted that the government plans to make grants for veterans even more active to facilitate their reintegration into society and strengthen the economy.

The Diia portal states that the program continues to accept applications, indicating that there are plans for further application rounds. This indicates that there is an opportunity for more veterans and their families to benefit from the program in the future.

Today, the "Own Business" program has every chance of being further expanded and extended, which will provide even more opportunities for veterans to develop their own businesses and contribute to their social adaptation and the country's economic growth.

Forecasts for the future

The "Own Business" project, which aims to support veterans and their families in developing their own businesses in Ukraine, has proven to be extremely useful. Thanks to this initiative, almost 300 veterans have already received grants worth UAH 123 million to develop their businesses. This demonstrates the significant interest and need for such support from the veteran community.

Further involvement of participants will depend on the success of the implemented projects and the availability of additional funding. As the program has already proven its effectiveness through the diversity and success of business ideas, ranging from coffee shops to dental clinics to agribusiness, we can expect interest to continue and even grow in the future.

The projected number of people participating in the Vlasna Dela program may increase in the future, given the positive impact on the veteran community and the increased awareness of the program. Expanding funding and adapting the program's terms and conditions to the needs of veterans may also increase the number of applications.

Thus, the "Own Business" program provides important support to veterans and their families in developing their own businesses by providing not only financial resources but also motivation for new endeavors. These grants help not only to implement specific business ideas, but also to create new jobs and facilitate the social integration of veterans into civilian life. Thanks to the flexibility of the program's terms and conditions and the ability to apply through modern digital platforms, Vlasna Dela is becoming more accessible to a wide range of veterans across Ukraine.