Ukrainian communities that already have or are planning to establish cooperation with Swedish municipalities can receive grant support of up to EUR 10,000 as part of a new competition announced by the Polaris programme. The initiative is being implemented through the Cities4Cities platform as part of the international municipal cooperation programme.
The competition “Grant Support for Swedish-Ukrainian Partnerships” is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the communities of Ukraine and Sweden by providing material and technical resources for joint initiatives. The priority is given to communities that already have established cooperation or are supported by the Swedish side. Applications are accepted until 7 September 2025, and the winners will be announced on 1 October.
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Ukrainian communities that have partnerships with Swedish municipalities, confirmed by official documents or letters of support, are eligible to apply. All applications must be submitted in English in the format of a joint initiative, which clearly describes the needs, format of cooperation and expected results from the resource.
Funding provides only material assistance: machinery, equipment, and resources. Purchases are made directly by the Polaris programme. The grant does not cover operational or organisational costs, and hromadas must clearly identify one or more resources that can be purchased in one transaction. All changes in the package are possible only if the logic and expectations of the joint activity are maintained.
Priority topics for projects include education and youth work, energy efficiency, inclusion, support for vulnerable groups, sustainable development, and local economic development. Example projects may include the installation of solar panels, language clubs in schools, the creation of inclusive infrastructure, or the launch of entrepreneurship support centres.
An information session on the terms of the competition will be held on 24 June at 11:00 Kyiv time. Participants will be able to get clarification on the requirements and application format.
Based on the results of the competition, a Memorandum of Cooperation will be signed between the communities and the programme. Subsequently, participants will have to submit interim and final reports on the implementation of their initiatives. Comprehensive support will last up to 12 months.
The organisers emphasise that the support is aimed at those communities most affected by the war and seeking to restore infrastructure, build capacity and strengthen local resilience through international partnership.
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