Municipal officials from different regions of Ukraine visited municipalities in Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi Oblasts and learned how local authorities can support businesses. The participants of the visit learned about success stories and visited venues where support models are already in place, from youth centres and business hubs to investment forums and craft fairs.
The municipalities of Kamianets-Podilskyi, Stara Ushytsia and Khotyn received an equivalent of a “quality mark” from U-LEAD for providing conditions conducive to entrepreneurship.
“It is essential for us to support projects on sharing experiences among municipalities, and cooperation with U-LEAD is vital here, as it is our long-term partner in the implementation of various initiatives. This award underscores our municipality’s success in supporting business,” said Mykhailo Positko, the Mayor of Kamianets-Podilskyi.
A particular focus was placed on microbusinesses, which are becoming a driving force for economic development in small municipalities. Municipal officials attended the Investment Forum 3.0, which was held in Stara Ushytsia, and learned about the success stories of small businesses, from green estates to glamping. They also visited the fair, where more than 30 craft producers presented their products and networked. The Forum continued the municipality’s systematic cooperation with U-LEAD: with the programme’s support, the local team underwent training on shaping the business environment and developed their Municipal Development Strategy. The itinerary also included examples of space transformation, such as the Bakota Hub or the Unbroken Project, which could lead to a large rehabilitation centre on the banks of the Dniester River.
“We aimed to show the participants of the study visit various tools for supporting entrepreneurship. This goes to show that even small investments can kickstart big projects in the municipality,” said Oleh Demchuk, a Policy Advisor for Municipal Management and Development, a member of U-LEAD’s Project Factory team.
In Khotyn, the participants learned about the experience of international partnership and the operation of the local Business Hub, which has become an example of how a small town can create a space for entrepreneurs to communicate.
Maria Nosach, the Head of Economic Development and Investment Attraction Department of Dykanka Village Council, shared her thoughts on the study visit: “I imagined an investment forum as something large-scale in a big exhibition space. Yet here, a small municipality with a population of around 5,000 is hosting this kind of event for the third time — something that is truly impressive. In Kamianets-Podilskyi, I also saw excellent cooperation between the authorities and the public sector: 12 organisations are implementing 40 projects. This is extremely valuable.”
“I really appreciated the practice of involving students in internships in local self-government bodies, as is the case in Khotyn City Council, as well as the idea of creating a catalogue of craftsmen, similarly to what Stara Ushytsia municipality is doing. We are now considering implementing such an initiative in our own municipality,” said Tetiana Kovalyk, the Head of Economic Development and Investment Department of Kobleve Village Council.
The study visit became a platform for sharing experiences and creating new partnerships. Its participants observed that even small municipalities can be attractive to businesses and investors if they bring together innovative ideas, entrepreneurship and support from local authorities.
