OUR PRIORITIES
INTEGRATION OF VULNERABLE SEGMENTS OF POPULATION
We put our focus on training people and creating jobs for those who are outside the traditional labor market due to their circumstances.
The unemployment rate in Ukraine is quite high. This is especially true for people in difficult situations, including people with disabilities, refugees, ex-offenders, veterans, single parents, the homeless people, and so on. Most of them face discrimination and systemic barriers to employment.
We support social enterprises that help to employ, train, or create social and labor rehabilitation and reintegration of these cohorts.
The full list of categories which we support, can be found on the website of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine.
Decentralization and devolution of governmental responsibilities continues in Ukraine. In the course of decentralization, the authority to provide various services to the population, including social services, is transferred from the national to the local level, namely to territorial communities. However, these communities often lack the resources and expertise to construct and initiate and implement them effectively. Therefore, it is important for us to use the experience and skills of social entrepreneurs to create local solutions to local problems.
We support social enterprises that develop services at community level. We also support social enterprises that help public authorities to create pilot programs for new services, in particular the Ministry of Social Policy.
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SERVICES
We support the development of new services that are valuable for communities and society and improve people's quality of life.
The landscape of modern social problems is changing rapidly. Although the world and Ukraine have made significant progress, many existing social, educational, environmental, and cultural problems continue to grow both in magnitude and complexity. Every year, world and national events (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic) create new challenges.
An entrepreneurial approach with bold innovators and goals works best at developing solutions to contemporary social issues.
We support social enterprises that offer innovative and sustainable solutions and products to address pressing social, environmental, cultural, educational needs and challenges both at the community as well as national and global levels.
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IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
We seek and support innovative and sustainable solutions that address pressing social, environmental, cultural, educational issues.
We fund and support organizations that use a variety of models and approaches, from direct service programs to product development efforts that encourage transformational change. All of them are focused on achieving one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals.
SELECTION CRITERIA FOR INVESTMENT
USVF has certain restrictions on investment, including the following
If your product is at the idea stage or you are still creating your MVP and do not have a legal registration, it is probably too early for you to contact us for an investment.
We do not finance the lease of office, industrial, or warehouse space, the payment of wages or business trips, the purchase of real estate, personal items, or used equipment.
We do not support businesses whose activities are related to alcohol, tobacco, gambling, cryptocurrency, tokens and fuel.
We do not support single proprietor social enterprises.
OUR INVESTMENT PROCESS
Each time we make an investment, it happens individually. However, there are some steps you may expect.
1
We receive your application
Applications are accepted during the year. Applications are considered and projects are selected for investment twice a year.
All applications are based on the established sample, they can be downloaded on this site. Applications that do not match the sample will not be considered. At this stage, the USVF team analyzes the compliance of each social enterprise with the basic selection criteria.
2
Due diligence process
All projects selected during the first stage are invited to go through the due diligence process. During this process, USVF experts and consultants will get acquainted in detail with the activities of your company: the overall business strategy and market position, the team, financial model and planned financial indicators, management and decision-making structure, operational processes, legal aspects of the enterprise; growth and development opportunities, social, economic and environmental risks, social impact of the enterprise, and its basic indicators and documents that contain information about the social objective and approaches to profit distribution.
3
Decision making
Based on the results of the due diligence process, the selected social enterprises will be invited to a meeting with members of the USVF Investment Committee. Representatives of the committee will have the opportunity to talk to each organization to make a final decision. It is the Investment Committee that decides on the investment provision to selected social enterprises.
4
Signing the contract
Based on the decision of the Investment Committee, the operational team prepares and arranges with each social enterprise an individual agreement on the terms of investment. The agreement prescribes a detailed plan for investment and the enterprise development, defines the basic indicators that the social enterprise must achieve through the received investments. The agreement also specifies percentage and a period during which a part of received investment should be returned to USVF.
5
Support of the winners
Every social enterprise that receives investment will have a mentor. It is the mentor who will check the progress status of the social enterprise on a monthly basis in accordance with the indicators specified in the contract.
A list of expert consultations (trainings) that are important to receive (pass) for the further development of the enterprise will be agreed with the mentor. The social enterprise receives investments according to the approved schedule. In case of obligations non-fulfillment by the social enterprise, USVF will be able to terminate the contract ahead of time.
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Social enterpriseSocial enterprise is a representative operator of the social economy. Its main goal is to achieve social impact rather than make a profit for their owners or shareholders. The activities of such an enterprise are aimed at selling services or goods primarily to achieve social objectives. The term "social enterprise" is used to cover such types of businesses that: • aim to integrate vulnerable populations into the workforce; • aim to development depressed areas; • provide social services; • develop such spheres as sports, ecology, and culture.
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Social investoris a capital owner who invests in social impact and supports innovative solutions to social problems by providing financial and extensive non-financial support. Venture philanthropy is an investment with a high involvement level of a social investor’s expertise. In this case, the social investor not only helps financially with the social enterprise development, but also aims to implement all their experience in project management and support in order to maximize the social impact of the social enterprise.
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Venture philanthropyis an investment with a high involvement level of a social investor’s expertise. In this case, the social investor not only helps financially with the social enterprise development, but also aims to implement all their experience in project management and support in order to maximize the social impact of the social enterprise.
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Social influenceis a change in people's lives as a result of a certain type of activity.
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Social valueis a way of calculating the relative importance of impact that is not reflected in financial or market transactions.
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Impact investingrefers to investments made in companies and organizations and to funds (investment objects) with the intention to create measurable, beneficial, social and environmental impact along with financial returns.
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At what development stage can a social enterprise expect to receive investment from USVF?USVF supports enterprises at an early stage (up to 2 years of operation), as well as existing social enterprises (over 2 years of operation).
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Does USVF provide grants?USVF provides conditionally repayable grants. After one or two years, the grantee must return to USVF account 20-50% of the amount received in the form of a charitable contribution for the development and administrative activities of USVF. The percentage will be determined at the stage of signing the contract.
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What support, other than financial, does USVF beneficiary receive?In addition to financial support, grantees receive non-financial support in the form of coaching, individual consultations, group and training sessions.
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How can my organization receive funding from USVF?Applications are reviewed and projects are selected for investment twice a year. Read more about submitting applications and selecting grantees by following the link _____