NGO ‘Desyate Kvitnya’ in partnership with Mercy Corps, with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) announces a competition among non-profit organisations in Ukraine to select partners for the
implementation of activities within the project "Support to the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) in Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Donetsk and Sumy regions."
The competition aims to strengthen the capacity of local civil society organisations working in frontline and adjacent areas by providing sub-grants for the implementation of the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM). Within the partnership, organisations will receive financial and technical support to identify affected populations and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid in kind, which will be centrally purchased and transferred to the NGO ‘Tenth of April’.
1. General information
The purpose of the competition is to select reliable partner organisations to implement key elements of the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) in specific locations. Sub-grants are planned to be provided to organisations in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions (up to 3 grants). The provision of sub-grants will enable local organisations to cover basic operating costs (staff, logistics, communications, basic administrative support), ensure timely response to crisis situations and provide assistance in accordance with humanitarian standards.
Partner organisations will be selected on the basis of a transparent procedure that will include an assessment of risks, capacity and compliance with technical requirements. Applications will be evaluated by the NGO ‘'The Tenth of April’ in cooperation with Mercy Corps. Selected organisations will receive not only funding, but also ongoing technical support, on-site monitoring and logistical support for the delivery of humanitarian kits.
Selected organisations will receive not only funding, but also ongoing technical support, on-site monitoring and logistical support for the delivery of humanitarian kits.
This competition is part of a broader strategy to localise and develop the long-term capacity of local actors who are able to act quickly and support humanitarian response even in difficult conditions.
2. Who can participate
Organisations that comply with the following conditions are invited to participate in the competition:
● are registered in Ukraine as non-profit organisations;
● have at least one year of proven experience in the field of humanitarian or social support;
● have the human and administrative resources to manage projects and maintain financial reporting;
● adhere to the principles of humanitarian activity, human rights, gender equality and non-discrimination;
● are ready to implement and/or use policies in the areas of countering sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), personal data protection, anti-corruption and conflict of interest prevention.
3. Form and scope of support
Within the framework of the competition, partner organisations can receive the following forms of support:
1. Financial support in the form of subgrants – for the implementation of humanitarian initiatives in specific locations. The expected amount of one subgrant is up to $10,000 USD equivalent. Subgrants cover the main costs associated with the implementation of measures (staff, logistics, communication, basic administrative needs).
2. Humanitarian kits in kind – provision of partner organisations
with kits for responding to emergencies. Such kits may include food, hygiene, repair and other kits, which are formed
in accordance with the needs of the affected population within the framework of the activation of the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).
The duration of the supported initiatives will be up to 5 months, provided that the project is completed
no later than 31 January 2026.
4. Priority areas
The competition will support projects aimed at a comprehensive response in the field of humanitarian aid, with a primary focus on the rapid response mechanism (RRM).
Applications must include at least several of the following areas:
● Provision of humanitarian aid to populations affected by war – meeting the basic needs of vulnerable groups (food and hygiene kits, repair kits, essential items, etc.) in accordance with humanitarian standards.
● Rapid response to emergencies – rapid response to crisis events (shelling, mass displacement of the population, damage to housing or infrastructure) by mobilising local resources and providing assistance as quickly as possible.
● Development of local coordination mechanisms and community capacity building – strengthening the capacity of local organisations and integrating them into the humanitarian coordination system. This includes support for human, logistical and administrative resources, engaging partners in the rapid response mechanism (RRM), as well as mentoring and technical support from the NGO ‘Desyate Kvitnya’ and Mercy Corps.
● Strengthening social cohesion and interaction between communities – promoting the integration of internally displaced persons and the local population through joint humanitarian initiatives, engaging volunteers and community activists, using feedback and information mechanisms to increase trust and mutual support in communities.
5. Package of documents for submission
The applicant organisation must submit the following documents:
1. Project description form
Appendix 1
– a completed template setting out the objectives, tasks,
expected results, target groups and implementation plan for the initiative.
2. Budget form
Appendix 2
– a detailed cost estimate with explanations of
the main budget items. The budget shall be submitted in hryvnia (UAH).
3. Organisation profile
Template attached – a brief description of activities, experience in implementing humanitarian initiatives, human resources capacity, regional presence and key partnerships.
4. Registration documents of the organisation:
copy of the Articles of Association (current version);
extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Formations (USR); extract from the Register of Non-Profit Organisations indicating the status of non-profitability.
5. Documents confirming the powers of the head:
○ minutes or order on the appointment of the head;
○ if there is a collegial management body – minutes on the
election/approval of governing bodies (Board, President, etc.).
6. Bank details of the organisation – readiness to open a separate account for the project in the national currency (UAH) and to provide, upon request, a certificate of opening a bank account. The account must be opened directly for the project and not be used for other purposes.
Additional documents (if available):
● annual or quarterly reports of the organisation;
● letters of recommendation from donors or partners;
● internal policies and procedures (financial, procurement, human resources, anti-corruption, etc.).
The provision of additional documents is not a prerequisite for participation in the competition, but it will significantly improve the quality of the application, reduce the time required for capacity assessment, and facilitate faster decision-making. Applications and documents must be submitted in Ukrainian.
6. Selection procedure
● Previous check. All submitted applications undergo a technical check for compliance with the formal requirements of the competition, in particular: completeness of the package of documents, compliance with the competition conditions, correctness of the documents
● Application evaluation. Applications that meet the requirements are reviewed by the Selection Committee and evaluated according to specific conditions:
○ compliance of the objectives and planned activities in the application with the goals and priority areas of the competition;
○ industry expertise and experience;
○ project management;
○ local presence and community ties;
○ contribution of the organisation's resources;
○ security aspects;
○ relevance of the initiative.
● The results of the evaluation are approved by the minutes of the Committee meeting.
● Additional capacity assessment. Organisations that have passed the Committee's preliminary selection will then undergo an assessment of their organisational and financial capacity (due diligence). At this stage, the competition organisers may request additional documents to confirm management, financial and administrative processes.
● Conclusion of the agreement. After agreeing on the budget and description of work with the selected partners, an agreement on the provision of support is concluded.
7. Competition dates
● Start of application acceptance: 6 October 2025.
● Deadline for submission: 19 October 2025 (23:59, Kyiv time).
● Announcement of results: within 14 working days after the end of the competition.
8. Submission of applications
Applications and required documents should be sent by email to:
Please indicate in the subject line: "Competition for partner organisations –RRM – [Name of
organisation]".
9. Contact information
For all organisational questions related to submitting an application, please contact the regional project coordinators:
● Regional coordinator (Mykolaiv) – for organisations from Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions Arina Shevchuk,
● Regional coordinator (Sumy) – for organisations from the Kharkiv region Oleksiy Sakhno
Questions regarding the terms and conditions of the competition will be accepted until 16 October 2025 (until 18:00 Kyiv time).
After this date, requests for clarification will not be considered.
10. Additional information
● One organisation may submit only one application.
● Submitted documents will not be returned.
● All applications and review results will be stored in accordance with the privacy and personal data protection policy.
All other assessment tools are used by the competition organisers exclusively at subsequent stages and do not need to be completed when submitting an application.