Oschadbank Is Now Accepting Applications For Funding And Business Development Programmes For Women’s Businesses As Part Of The “Women’s Business” Initiative

Oschadbank is launching the first phase of the “Women’s Business” initiative for women who are planning to start their own business,  develop  an existing business or   prepare to scale up. The initiative combines lending, guarantee schemes, grant opportunities, training, consultancy and digital services. At the outset, female entrepreneurs have access to the bank’s lending products and specific support programmes that are already in place. The range of opportunities will be expanded in the future.

“Women’s Business” brings together more than 10 of Oschadbank’s own programmes, 7 government programmes and opportunities from 5 international partners. The initiative covers support for start-ups, franchise projects, investments in business development and job creation. Participation in each programme depends on its terms and criteria.

“We want female entrepreneurs to be able to choose the support that best suits the specific needs of their business. For some, this means funding for equipment or replenishing working capital; for others, it means a development grant, new knowledge or professional contacts. That is why we have combined the resources of Oschadbank, government programmes and international partners, and will develop the initiative in stages, gradually giving female entrepreneurs access to new tools. About 5,000 women will be able to take part in the initiative and receive support for their businesses. The comprehensive project includes a grant component totalling around EUR 2 million,” said Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska, a Member of Oschadbank’s Management Board in charge of MSME.

The initiative’s partners include Prosper Global, the European Fund for South-East Europe (EFSE), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK) and the “Moving Forward: Grants and Advisory Services for Micro-enterprises  funded by the German government and jointly implemented by GIZ and the National Development Agency (NDA). Combining these partner instruments with Oschadbank’s capabilities enables us to offer female entrepreneurs various forms of support depending on the needs of their businesses.

Phase one: existing loans and programmes

Oschadbank’s own “Women’s Business” programme provides funding for female entrepreneurs, business owners and co-owners, as well as women planning to start their own business. Funds can be used to purchase equipment, meet investment needs, replenish working capital as well as  develop franchise projects and agribusiness. Financing is provided within the framework of the bank’s existing loan products, in particular the state programme “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%” provided the business meets its criteria.

For newly established enterprises and start-ups, loans are available, in particular, for the purchase of a franchise - up to UAH 5 million - and for investment projects in the agricultural sector - up to UAH 10 million. The loan term can be up to 120 months, whilst the grace period for repayment of the principal depends on the sector: up to six months for franchise projects and up to eight months for agribusiness. Specific terms depend on the chosen loan product and the results of the bank’s assessment of the borrower.

Among the initiatives already in place is the “Moving Forward: Grants and Consultancy for Micro-enterprises” programme. Under this programme, grant-support of up to EUR 8,000 was provided, along with consultancy on financial, accounting, tax and legal matters. The programme has defined criteria, geographical scope and a timeframe for participation.

Next steps: new grant and financial instruments

Over the coming months, the initiative will expand through programmes run by international partners. In particular, the launch of support instruments within the BLOOM framework, in collaboration with Prosper Global, is planned for the Q4 of Y2026. For businesses that meet the programme’s criteria, loans of up to UAH 1 million are available, with the possibility of compensation of up to 50% of the loan amount in accordance with the rules of the relevant instrument.

At the same time, in Q4 of Y2026, the EBRD’s “Resilience and Livelihoods” programme is scheduled to launch. It will provide loans to meet businesses’ working capital and investment needs, as well as the option to utilise a risk-sharing mechanism and grant support in accordance with the programme’s terms and conditions.

In subsequent phases, as part of the collaboration with Finance in Motion and EFSE, funding of up to EUR 20 million (in hryvnia equivalent) is envisaged for women-led businesses along with grant opportunities for them. Furthermore, the fund is assisting the bank in developing gender-sensitive approaches and expanding its work with women-led businesses.

A programme in partnership with the German Sparkassenstiftung is scheduled to launch in Ukraine in Q1 of Y2027, combining loan and grant support for micro and small businesses. The terms and conditions for participating in these programmes will be announced at a later date.

Training, advice and professional networking

The initiative also provides opportunities for developing entrepreneurial skills. Prosper Global’s FinanceHer programme helps female entrepreneurs develop financial management skills, assess risks and break-even points, prepare to raise finance, work with digital financial tools and participate in public and corporate procurement.

Furthermore, in Q1 of Y2027, a training programme for female entrepreneurs will launch in partnership with EFSE and Civitta, through which an estimated 2,000 women will be able to undertake training. The programme includes in-person boot camps in Lviv, Kyiv, Odesa and Poltava, as well as a “Woman-to-Woman” mentoring scheme. Dates and conditions of participation will be announced in due course.

The “From Training to Employment” programme in partnership with NDA, offers women free training and retraining for jobs in the transport, logistics and construction sectors. Provided they fulfil the programme’s conditions, participants can earn EUR180 after gaining a new qualification, whilst employers can receive up to €300 to cover the costs of a mentor.

The “Women’s Business” initiative was launched on October 20, 2026 at the OschadBusiness Hub in Kyiv. The launch was attended by representatives of the government, international organisations and the business community.

The highlight of the event was a panel discussion entitled “The Price of Courage”, featuring Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and co-founder of the Ukrainian Women’s Congress; Yulia Svyrydenko, President of KSE Business School, Prime Minister of Ukraine in YY2025–2026 and Natalia Butkova-Vitvitska, a Member of Oschadbank’s Management Board in charge of MSMEs. Throughout the discussion, the speakers addressed the role of women’s leadership in the economy, barriers to accessing capital, along with shared responsibility for creating new business opportunities.

As part of the event, international partners presented their own support programmes, which have been incorporated into the newly established ecosystem.

Details about the “Women’s Business” initiative, available programmes and conditions of participation can be found on Oschadbank’s official website https://www.oschadbank.ua/msb/woman-sprava and at the bank’s branches.