At a national level Australia, our allies and partners, are providing direct military and financial aid to support Ukraine’s war effort; however, there remains an ongoing critical need at the grass roots level. Requests from the war zones, via their Australian family members and friends, continue for financial support to cover necessary and life-saving protective equipment and transport. These include: protective clothing and armour, thermal imaging equipment, drones, ambulances and vehicles to transport soldiers to and from the battlefields, and to evacuate the wounded from the front line.
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisation’s (AFUO) U-Help Fund, humanitarian aid initiatives committee have been fundraising to grow an available pool of funds which can support eligible requests from Ukraine for life-saving protective equipment and transport.
An allocation of $50,000 is now available to be distributed in multiple small grants to help and support family members of the Ukrainian community in Australia that are fighting on the ground in Ukraine.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Members of the Ukrainian community in Australia personally known by a member of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisation (AFUO), Humanitarian Aid Initiatives Committee or State hromady executive whose immediate family members are in an active war zone on the territory of Ukraine.
Assessment Criteria
- No previous financial support from Australia has been received
- Recipient /recipients is an active war zone or impacted by earlier russian occupation
- Recipient is a partner, child, or sibling of either a displaced Ukrainian or an Australian resident
- Identifies how the equipment or transport requested saves lives directly (protective equipment) or indirectly (e.g. ambulance, motor vehicles, drone)
- Supporting request of need on letterhead from battalion leader will be highly regarded
- Identifies how and where the equipment will be purchased (provides photos or details of equipment to be purchased)
- Identifies the cost of the requested item in AUD, identifies grant amount required in AUD.
- Agrees to provide receipts where possible but at minimum photographic evidence of purchase
- The funding can be expended immediately or within the next month
What the grant money can be used for?
Eligible expenditure:
We anticipate the grant funds will likely co-contribute to protective lifesaving equipment, non-lethal military equipment, thermal underwear and protective clothing as well as transportation for Ukrainian soldiers, territorial defence, medical staff and volunteers. The identified need is expected to vary by location and respond to shifts in the frontline.
Non-eligible expenditure:
Ineligible expenditure includes, but is not limited to:
- fuel and travel costs
- general ongoing administration costs such as communications, accommodation, office computing facilities, etc
- activities that are already being fully supported through other sources or that are already funded on an ongoing basis
- costs incurred prior to the application
- person / battalion who have received previous financial support from Australia
How to apply?
The evaluation committee will make decisions based on the quality of your application. To apply you must
- Submit a written request
- provide all the information requested in the application criteria
- be responsive to any follow up requests for information that supports your application
- Email your application to humanitarian.aid@afuo.org.au with the subject heading “Family Assistance Grants for Defenders of Ukraine” no later than 5pm on the 2.10.2020.
Please direct any questions regarding the grant to humanitarian.aid@afuo.org.au
Assessment of grant applications:
We will review your application and consider:
- Your eligibility and how well it meets the assessment criteria
- The funds requested against proposed impact including ability to deliver quickly.
Applications will be assessed by the AFUO Humanitarian Aid Initiatives Committee (HAIC) and submitted recommendations to the AFUO Board for approval. HAIC may seek additional information about you or your application.
We will advise you of the outcome of your application in writing within two weeks of the application closing. No correspondence or discussions will be entered into regarding unsuccessful applications.
Successful applicants will be requested to provide their banking details for the transfer of grant funds.
The grant will be paid in Australian dollars.
Together #WeStandWithUkraine
Слава Україні ! Героям Слава !
Diahanna (Darka) Senko
Director, Humanitarian Aid Initiatives
Chair, Ukraine Crisis Appeal, Resettlement Fund & UHELP
Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations
Прочитайте це українською тут:
Read this letter from AFUO:
Grant extension notification:
EN_AU 
UK