ABOUT THE FUND
USVF is a venture philanthropy organization that provides financial and non-financial support to strengthen social enterprises and develop social entrepreneurship ecosystem.
WHY?
Every year, dozens of social enterprises are established in Ukraine. They focus on work integration and improve the quality of life for those facing difficult circumstances. They provide critical social services, oftentimes adapting best practices from other countries in new and innovative ways. They create positive social change in the communities they operate in, and also tackle environmental issues, setting up recycling problems and such. Governmental bodies in Ukraine often have neither the purview, inclination, knowhow, nor the resources to solve many local and regional social problems; social enterprises can help address these. Their business is often volatile due to the lack of available capital and expert knowledge necessary to achieve effective sustainability and scalability.
Ukrainian Social Venture Fund was established to gather resources to aid in the development of social entrepreneurship and to cooperatively address challenges to the field.
HOW?
We help social enterprises to develop sustainable and efficient business models, and to maximize social and environmental impact. We provide financial support and business expertise aimed at employing new technologies and business practices, improving product quality and increasing social value.
WITH WHOM?
We are forming a circle of social investors, both individual and institutional, who seek to catalyze the impact of social entrepreneurs and stimulate systemic, qualitative change in our country.
Since 2021, USVF has been actively cooperating with the European Venture Philanthropy Association, a leading organization in the field based in Brussels. Within the framework of the Collaborate for Impact project, USVF studies the experience and outcomes gained by various European social investing organizations and tries to tailor them to both the unique opportunities and challenges present in today’s Ukraine.
CO-FOUNDERS
Development of impact-investment practices is the core activity of USVF
As USVF’s we believe that the viability of any business and its social impact are not mutually exclusive but mutually reinforcing. Enterprises based on the idea of changing the world for the better possess important qualities necessary for ongoing and sustainable growth and solvency, both in the short and long term, and we want to demonstrate this by supporting and developing such enterprises.
Read the report on our activities in 2020-2022:
WoodLike
A social enterprise from Donetsk region that produces ecological souvenirs from wood
Re:ban
Kyiv social enterprise, engaged in the production of accessories from recycled vinyl banners
Старе місто
The first cafe-confectionery in Lutsk that employs people with Down syndrome
ІнваФішки
Kyiv social enterprise that offers goods and services for people with disabilities, which help them significantly improve the quality of life
Сімка плюс
Ternopil network of remote contact centers focused on employment of people with disabilities and all those who, due to certain circumstances, find it difficult to work outside the home or full-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 _____