At the end of July, winners of the second stage of the “Socio-Economic Resilience in Territorial Communities” competition of the Impulse project gathered in Kyiv. The meeting brought together teams of 27 social enterprises that received grant support to develop their initiatives.

This is an important milestone for the project we are implementing together with the International Renaissance Foundation, as, for the first time under the Impulse project, grants are aimed at supporting the establishment or development of social enterprises.

Today, social enterprises are the ones that create jobs, support people, address community needs, and at the same time build financially sustainable models that drive social change.

Over the course of two days, participants got to know each other, presented their projects, and discussed grant implementation guidelines, donor requirements, and communications. A particular focus was placed on sharing experiences and exploring opportunities for future cooperation between the teams.

Olha Moloko, Manager of the Impulse Project and Humanitarian Aid and Recovery Cluster Lead at East Europe Foundation, addressed the participants with welcoming remarks:

Our Foundation has been supporting social entrepreneurship since 2010. Back then, there were only a few social entrepreneurs in Ukraine, and we knew almost all of them personally. That is why I am very pleased that today I hardly recognise anyone in this room. This means that the sector is growing, with new teams emerging that want to create change, develop their communities, and support people. We are happy to be by your side on this journey and support you not only through grants, but also through knowledge sharing, mentoring, and training.

Within the Impulse project, our Foundation is responsible for the institutional development of grantees. That is why the second day of the meeting was entirely dedicated to training.

Together with Viktor Konopkin, social entrepreneurship expert, the participants discussed ways to build viable business models, find a balance between social mission and financial sustainability, and further develop their enterprises.

During a workshop led by Viacheslav Bykov, lecturer at the Ukrainian Catholic University, the participants discussed the principles of sustainable financial management for social enterprises.

Together with Oksana Fitel, Communications Manager at the Walnut House Foundation, they learned how to develop a communications strategy that helps build trust, attract support, and foster a community around their business.

Such meetings are more than an introduction to grant implementation guidelines. It is a space where partnerships are built, new knowledge and ideas are generated, and a community of people who support each other is established.

We believe that strong teams, continuous learning, and collaboration are what help social enterprises grow and communities become more resilient.

The Impulse project is implemented by East Europe Foundation and the International Renaissance Foundation, with support from Norway and Sweden.