Starting today, we are accepting applications for the Small Grants Competition under the “Strengthening Mine Action” Program.

The main objective of the Program and the competition is to support the recovery of territorial communities in Ukraine by strengthening their mine action capacity, including activities related to explosive ordnance, the development of safe behaviour skills among the population, rehabilitation of affected persons, provision of first aid, and other related areas.

Through this grant opportunity, civil society organisations (CSOs), charitable organisations, associations of local self-government bodies, and higher education institutions will be able to implement short-term projects.

Competition Terms

Geographical coverage: all of Ukraine, limited to territorial communities located in areas controlled by the Government of Ukraine.

Number of grants: up to 25 small grants.

Grant amount: from UAH 1,000,000 to UAH 2,200,000.

Expected project duration: up to four (4) months.

Expected commencement of activities: November 2026.

Applications will be accepted until 6:00 pm on 8 September 2026. The competition results will be announced by the end of October 2026.

Detailed information about the competition and application requirements is available on East Europe Foundation Grant Portal: https://gm.eef.org.ua 

An online information session for prospective applicants will be held on 26 August 2026. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about the competition requirements and receive guidance on using the Grant Portal. Questions from participants will also be welcome. To participate in the information session, please complete the registration form via the link provided.

Thematic Areas

The Program provides support in the following thematic areas:

• mitigating the impact of explosive ordnance on the life and health of the population;
• raising public awareness of the risks associated with explosive ordnance;
• developing safe behaviour skills;
• ensuring the physical, psychological and social rehabilitation of persons affected by explosive ordnance, as well as mine action and emergency response professionals who have suffered psychological trauma in the performance of their official duties, including through the use of modern medical and psychological rehabilitation technologies;
• developing a system for the professional training and continuing professional development of mine action specialists;
• strengthening the capacity of mine action actors to provide first aid;
• developing a sustainable and systematic approach to public explosive ordnance risk education (EORE);
• ensuring the necessary institutional capacity of mine action actors and the bodies and entities responsible for the coordination, management and implementation of mine action at the national and local levels;
• developing and supporting mine action information management systems;
• promoting gender equality and inclusion in mine action.

Who Can Apply?

The competition is open to Ukrainian non-profit organisations and institutions that hold non-profit status and are included in the Register of Non-Profit Institutions and Organisations:

• Ukrainian public organisations and public unions (non-profit status code 0032);
• Ukrainian charitable organisations, charitable foundations and charitable institutions (non-profit status code 0036);
• associations of local self-government bodies established in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Associations of Local Self-Government Bodies” and holding non-profit status code 0039 or 0048;
• Ukrainian higher education institutions included in the Register of Educational Entities of the Unified State Electronic Database on Education (non-profit status code 0031 or 0048).

Applications will be strengthened by:

• engaging partners, including public authorities, local self-government bodies, and budget-funded institutions that are mine action actors;
• memoranda of cooperation between the applicant organisation and central executive authorities, local executive authorities, local self-government bodies, or other mine action actors;
• letters of support or recommendation from the above-mentioned institutions.

Grants may not be awarded to organisations registered in territories designated as temporarily occupied or located along the contact line.

Applications from individuals, business entities (legal entities and individual entrepreneurs), public authorities, local self-government bodies, budget-funded institutions other than higher education institutions, political parties, and religious organisations will not be considered. At the application submission date, an organisation must not be undergoing liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings.

Each organisation may submit only one application under this competition.

How to Apply

Applications may be submitted exclusively through East Europe Foundation Grant Portal: https://gm.eef.org.ua 

For additional information or technical assistance related to participation in the competition, please contact: [email protected] 

Before submitting an application, please review the full competition announcement and requirements on the Grant Portal.

The Strengthening Mine Action Program is implemented by East Europe Foundation, funded by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), acting on behalf of the Ukraine Community Recovery Fund.