Deadline Date: March 08, 2026
The United Nations Development Programme has launched to support local enterprises in Nizhyn and Kovel in advancing sustainable economic recovery through innovative green solutions.
The challenge focuses on sustainable transformation of local economic systems, economic recovery driven by green innovations, strengthening community energy sustainability, environmentally friendly and resource-efficient business models, transition to green products, services, and processes, development of green entrepreneurship and local green growth through innovation, new markets and partnerships, business model transformation towards sustainability and circularity, efficient use of resources, increased competitiveness and added value for MSMEs, and unlocking new market opportunities that contribute to local economic resilience.
Ukrainian cities are facing an urgent need to transform their local economic systems as the war continues to impact infrastructure, human capital, and traditional markets. These disruptions have placed significant pressure on local businesses, affecting their capacity to maintain community stability and provide employment. In Nizhyn in the Chernihiv region and Kovel in the Volyn region, these challenges have prompted a search for practical green solutions that can support economic recovery while strengthening energy resilience.
To respond to this need, the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine and BOOST have partnered under the Slovak Republic-funded City Experiment Fund to introduce this open call. The initiative is designed to identify and support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises operating in Nizhyn or Kovel that are ready to test and implement green innovations contributing to local economic recovery.
Up to ten MSMEs will be selected to participate in a structured acceleration journey. The programme will provide hands-on training to strengthen business models and refine innovative green solutions. Participants will receive individual expert guidance to prepare their solutions for practical implementation and will engage in collaborative peer exchange through structured learning circles and community-of-practice activities.
The selected enterprises will also benefit from impact design support, including planning aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and practical measurement tools. The acceleration journey will conclude with City Demo Days, where teams will present and pitch their solutions to local public and private stakeholders.
Upon successful completion of the programme, four MSMEs, two from each city, will receive financial support of US$10,000 each to pilot and implement their solutions locally. All graduates will become part of the BOOST Alumni Network, gaining access to continued learning opportunities, mentorship, and broader ecosystem connections.
The challenge is open to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with at least one year of business operations. Applicants must be registered and actively conducting economic activities in the Nizhyn or Kovel city territorial communities, and the working language of the programme is Ukrainian.
For more information, visit UNDP.
