This educational project was aimed at improving the professional competence of local self-government officials in assessing the business environment and designing tools for its improvement. Participation in the training was not a mere formality, as the municipality made the most of the knowledge gained and is already implementing practical changes that strengthen cooperation between the authorities and local businesses and enhance the municipality’s capacity.
Launching systemic changes
During the first stage of the training, Boiarka’s municipal officials mastered techniques for self-assessment of the business environment and analysing the performance of existing business support tools. This experience helped them streamline existing practices, rethink the needs of local businesses and lay the foundation for a deeper dialogue with the business community. They were also able to move on to the next training stage, “Designing Roadmaps for Individual Tools to Improve the Business Environment of the Municipality”, which facilitates further implementation of new approaches to strengthen the municipality’s capacity.
“Participation in the training contributed to a realistic strategy for supporting the business community. The most helpful aspect was learning to work with data. We saw that our businesses have great growth potential, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, we also identified certain challenges, such as a lack of funding and limited knowledge about grant opportunities,” says Tetiana Kochkova, First Deputy Mayor of Boiarka.
Upon completion of the Programme for proactive participating municipalities, U-LEAD provided both methodology and practical tools.
“We spent three unforgettable days in the municipalities of the Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi Oblasts, where as part of the offline study visit “Fostering Conditions for Business Development in a Municipality” we created a space for the municipalities to exchange experiences and receive invaluable advice from experts,” says Olena Kovtun, Head of Department for International Cooperation, Economic Analysis and Strategic Communications of Boiarka City Council.
One of the first practical steps was to inform businesses about current grant opportunities through the municipality’s Facebook page. This does not just mean reposts, but also consistent work explaining the terms and conditions, deadlines, and successful case studies. Most importantly, businesses are not left to navigate the intricacies of the application process on their own but are guided every step of the way: from the initial idea to the submission of the application.
How the municipality engages with the business community
Local self-government bodies had stepped up their cooperation with businesses even before participating in the U-LEAD with Europe training initiative. This is what enabled them to pass the selection stage for the U-LEAD training course and display impressive results. After all, since July 2024, Boiarka City Council has introduced free fast-track advice for entrepreneurs with the support of another donor project. Rather than general lectures, they offer specific assistance, including cost analysis, choice of taxation system and handling the product range.
Further participation in U-LEAD’s “Comprehensive Improvement Programme. Municipal Business Environment” set the team on the path to expand and develop previously acquired skills. This contributed to improving cooperation with the business community and organising professional advice for entrepreneurs.
“Experts analysed financial indicators, cost structure and product range in detail.Their recommendations allowed us to streamline procurement, reduce unproductive costs and devise a more profitable pricing policy. Advice on selecting the most lucrative product lines and ways to increase competitiveness in the local market proved particularly useful. Our results show that the businesses are now more profitable and stable,” shares Oleksandr Diuldin, Individual Entrepreneur.
In turn, entrepreneur Oleksandr Verholias notes:
“The analysis gave me a clear understanding of which taxation systems are most beneficial for my business. The experts helped me compare different tax payment options, calculate possible costs and provided practical advice on choosing the best model. This helped us cut down on taxes under the current legislation and boost our business performance.”
What direction is the municipality heading in?
Boiarka municipality is committed to putting the knowledge gained into practice. The coordinated work of Boiarka City Council, support for the business community and a focus on sustainability have become the key to the success of this model.
For the next 3 to 5 years, Boiarka City Council plans to:
- launch specific business support initiatives;
- set up a project office;
- develop digital tools (including online platforms that facilitate communication between businesses and the municipality).
The municipality expects that the implementation of the above initiatives will contribute to:
- new businesses;
- new jobs;
- attracting investments;
- fostering a strong business community.
According to Hryhorii Pererva, Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Kyiv Oblast, this approach keeps businesses interested in cooperation as well as builds trust in difficult times.
“Government-business relations have always been important, but during a full-scale invasion, they’ve become even more crucial. When the security situation deteriorates and staffing is strained, municipalities should keep going and not expect instant results. U-LEAD training provides an understanding of how to reduce risks, find effective solutions and persevere. Boiarka municipality has shown initiative and been able to adapt its knowledge to practice. This is the kind of persistence that yields results.”
