Direct Investment and SME Development program

Funding decisions are determined on the following basis:

1. Privately-owned micro, small and medium sized enterprises in food and other processing, agribusiness, warehouses, data centers, industrial parks, IT parks, light manufacturing and other facilities, legally registered and doing business in Ukraine or Moldova (an enterprise with fewer than 300 employees and turnover of less than $15 million or total assets of less than $15 million.
2. Non-governmental organizations, training and academic institutions, business assistance centers, business associations, and other business support organizations, registered in Ukraine or Moldova and focused on providing services, expertise, training and other support to SMEs.

In order to be eligible for assistance under the UMAEF SME Development Program applicants must clearly demonstrate how their proposed project will specifically contribute to priority #1 and a minimum of three additional priorities as listed below:

1. Creates and/or sustains Ukrainian or Moldovan private sector jobs by developing, increasing and/or recovering SME activity in a measurable and sustainable way.
2. Increases SME business confidence.
3. Supports the expansion and growth of existing SMEs and/or creation of new enterprises, with special focus on those operated by women, veterans, and internally displaced people.
4. Increases competitiveness of SMEs.
5. Ensures the recovery of businesses that are located in the de-occupied regions of Ukraine or were forced to relocate to the western regions of Ukraine due to the threat of hostilities.

Funding decisions are determined on the following basis:

1. Potential impact on employment (number of jobs to be created or sustained directly and indirectly)
2. Potential impact on economic recovery (prospects for business expansion and modernization, entering and developing new markets and business relations);
3. Potential incremental export sales, and/or improvement in labor productivity at a company level.