In 2022, the team of project managers of the Radomyshl municipality helped entrepreneurs to attract UAH 2.59 million under the eRobota Grant Programme as part of the Your Own Business state microcredit programme.

“We helped entrepreneurs prepare 17 applications for this programme. 13 of them received a grant, and 20 new jobs have already been created,” said Olena Yatskivska, expert of the Radomyshl City Council who has undergone U-LEAD training in the project cycle, communication and other areas and attended dozens of training sessions and educational visits to other municipalities.

The Regional Office of U-LEAD in the Zhytomyr oblast held an info session for project managers and municipal economists, focused on studying the experience of the Radomyshl municipal team. At the event, Olena Yatskivska announced that entrepreneurs received the funds for the development of the existing businesses.

“Food and clothing stores, a family restaurant, a café, mobile coffee shops, stationary coffee shops, an apiary, a virtual club in Zhytomyr, a fitness studio and a bakery. All these businesses will pay taxes to the municipality and create new jobs,” she said.

In addition to preparing business plans, Radomyshl has implemented a number of other grant programmes, including the opening of the Radomyshl Business Hub, which helps local businesses grow and attract additional resources. Furthermore, U-LEAD assisted in the development of the investment passport of the municipality.

According to Heorhii Fedoruk, Adviser on Municipal Finance and Management of U-LEAD in the Zhytomyr oblast, project managers boosted business development.

“In the conditions of a full-scale war, municipal professionals managed to establish consistent communication and assistance to businesses, which is the main reason for the success of the 2022 grant season. After all, preparing the project is only part of the work. It is essential to motivate the business to grow and seek new resources,” he said.

In addition to business support, last year Radomyshl implemented a project to support IDPs, providing 490 households with seed kits. After the onset of the Russian invasion, the municipality also intensified international cooperation. The German city of Lindlar allocated more than UAH 5 million as assistance to Radomyshl. 19 institutions of the city made donations to a fund that was specifically set up to help the Ukrainian municipality.

Today, the team of project managers of Radomyshl is preparing a digest of grant programmes for entrepreneurs and professionals of the municipality and sending out a newsletter to those interested citizens. They also created a Viber group “Entrepreneurs of the Radomyshl Municipality” and are forming a register of enterprises and implementing campaigns and projects together with local the business community.