On 12 October, the ROOTS programme team held an online information session for prospective applicants to the programme’s second Grant Call. 

Representatives of coal communities in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the Ladyzhyn urban community joined the session. Participants actively asked questions about the call’s terms and conditions, applicant and project requirements, budget preparation and the use of East Europe Foundation’s Grant Portal. 

During the session, the ROOTS team provided detailed guidance on completing and submitting an application, developing a project logic model and preparing a budget. Particular attention was paid to ensuring that the planned activities, expected results and proposed costs were aligned. A recording of the information session is available at this link. 

“We are looking for well-designed, people-centred proposals that respond to genuine needs and strengthen community resilience. At the same time, developing cross-sector partnerships is important to us. This means cooperation among local authorities, civil society organisations, municipal institutions and other partners. It is this kind of collaboration that helps turn just transition plans into practical solutions,” said Yuliia Smahliukova, ROOTS Programme Manager. 

 What projects will the Grant Call support? 

The Grant Call will help coal communities implement specific solutions included in their Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs). Projects must contribute to the goals of a just transition and focus on one or more of the following priority areas: 

• renewable energy and energy efficiency; 
• vocational education and retraining; 
• environmental protection and sustainable land use; 
• local economic development and support for small and medium-sized enterprises; 
• upgrading water supply and wastewater disposal systems; 
• strengthening the capacity of local communities in the field of just transition; 
• upgrading heating systems. 

The evaluation team will assess the relevance of each project, its alignment with the priority areas, the feasibility of its expected results and whether its budget is well justified. Each proposed project must be included in TJTPa Territorial Just Transition Action Plan or form part of a larger project included in such a plan. 

Who can apply? 

 Applications may be submitted by: 

• local government bodies; 
• municipal institutions, enterprises and organisations; 
• regional development agencies; 
• civil society organisations that meet the eligibility requirements. 

Civil society organisations and regional development agencies registered as civil society organisations must have a memorandum of cooperation with a local government body. 

 Two or more eligible applicants may submit a joint project application, provided that the project is included in a Territorial Just Transition Action Plan. 

Key terms and deadlines 

Applications must be submitted through East Europe Foundation’s Grant Portal by 6:00 pm on 28 October 2026. The portal also provides the full terms and conditions of the call, document requirements, application guidance, a budget template and answers to frequently asked questions. 

Six projects will receive funding under the call. Each grant will range from UAH 3 million to UAH 5 million, and projects will run for 6 to 12 months. Project activities are expected to begin in late January 2027. 

Regional Opportunities for Just Transition and Sustainability Grant Program (ROOTS) is implemented by East Europe Foundation within Power4Just Transition Project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH