Ternopil Hosts Kick-off Conference of the Small Grants Fund under the Environment Priority of the Interreg NEXT Poland–Ukraine 2021–2027 Programme — “Building an Eco-Friendly Future Across Borders”.
The event brought together representatives of public authorities, local self-government, international institutions, experts and civil society organisations around a shared objective: advancing cross-border cooperation and promoting practical environmental solutions.
The Small Grants Fund is implemented under the CrossEco project (“Integrated Solutions for a Shared Environment”), with a budget of EUR 5.1 million. Covering the border regions of Ukraine and Poland, the Fund aims to support joint initiatives in waste management, the circular economy, environmental education and the restoration of natural areas.
The Fund provides grants ranging from EUR 20,000 to EUR 90,000 for local self-government authorities, municipal enterprises, civil society organisations, educational and research institutions, regional development agencies and other non-profit entities. Supported beneficiaries will implement projects in partnership with Polish organisations.
The Regional Development Agency of Ternopil Region plays a key role in the implementation of the Fund, serving as its operator. The Agency coordinates the preparation, selection and implementation support of projects, while also providing assistance to applicants throughout the process.
The Swiss-Ukrainian project “Ukraine`s Cohesion and Regional Development ”, UCORD, implemented by NIRAS Sweden AB with the support of Switzerland, provided institutional and mentoring support to the Agency in preparing to undertake this role.
This support was aimed at strengthening the capacity of the regional institution to engage with international programmes, manage complex grant mechanisms, and ensure the effective implementation of projects.
As noted by Olena Nyznuk, Head of the Regional Development Component of the UCORD project, the launch of the Fund marks an important step towards strengthening the institutional capacity of regions:
“Today, we see regional institutions in Ukraine moving from the role of participants to becoming full-fledged operators of complex international instruments. This means not only access to resources, but also responsibility for results. Initiatives like this build the capacity of regions to plan their development, work in partnership, and implement solutions aligned with European approaches and standards.”
She also emphasised that UCORD’s role goes beyond supporting individual projects to driving systemic change:
“For us, it is important that instruments such as the Small Grants Fund serve not as a one-off opportunity, but as part of a sustainable system for regional development. It is about building capacities, trust and partnerships that remain in place beyond the completion of each individual project.”
Conference participants noted that the launch of the Small Grants Fund creates new opportunities for Ukrainian communities and organisations — from gaining access to funding to developing partnerships with Polish counterparts and implementing practical environmental solutions at the local level.
At the same time, this also represents a new level of responsibility — both for the regional institutions acting as Fund operators and for the beneficiaries implementing the projects.
The UCORD project continues to support the development of regional policy and institutional capacity in Ukraine, promoting modern approaches to development management and strengthening partnerships between regions.