Grant Writing and Budgeting

Filling out a grant application, calculating the financial part of a business plan, and building a project budget — these were the core skills taught during two training sessions organized by the Empower AgriWomen project by Swisscontact, in cooperation with the Regional Development Agency of Chernihiv Oblast.

The first training took place on June 27 in Sosnytsia, and the second on July 4 in Chernihiv. Both events were held under the same theme: “Grant Opportunities and Practical Steps to Start and Develop Agribusinesses: From Idea to Application.”

A total of 59 women, internally displaced persons, and unemployed individuals from the communities of Mryn, Kholmy, Kiptiv, Ripky, Novyi Bilous, and Sosnytsia participated in the trainings.

The sessions included both theoretical and practical components

In the theoretical part, participants learned about:

• available national and international support programs for agribusinesses;
• partial loan compensation mechanisms;
• local financing tools for the agricultural sector;
• standard project requirements and selection criteria for grant programs;
• common mistakes applicants make when submitting proposals.

Participants also discussed how to find funding opportunities, navigate the overwhelming number of programs, and present an idea in a way that resonates with donors. Special attention was given to what actually works in small-scale farming or cooperative models.

In the hands-on segment, participants practiced filling out a grant application, calculating the financials of a business plan, and creating a project budget.

Voices of Support: Local and International Partners Join Forces

Andrii Portnyi, Head of the Village Council, emphasized the importance of promoting women’s entrepreneurship in the community.

Iryna Simonova, Head of the Chernihiv Regional Development Agency, highlighted the agency’s continuous efforts to support local entrepreneurs, particularly in rural areas.

Andrii Sukhostavets, Partnership Coordinator of the Empower AgriWomen project at Swisscontact, outlined the project’s strategic focus and key achievements to date. He emphasized the importance of investing in women-led initiatives as part of Ukraine’s broader recovery efforts: