GRANTS FOR FINANCING MICRO-SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES: SWOT-ANALYSIS

Abstract

The article deals with the main grant instruments for representatives of micro, small and medium businesses of Ukraine as an achievement of the Central Development Strategy until 2030. The international community has established a list of sustainable development goals (SDGs) that must be achieved by 2030, including: protecting the planet, overcoming poverty and hunger, developing agriculture, ensuring good health and well-being, etc. One of the challenges in achieving the SDGs is the financing of some projects to implement these goals. Traditional sources of financing, such as own, credit, investment resources, may not be sufficient to cover the significant costs associated with achieving the SDGs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to attract alternative financing mechanisms to support the implementation of projects that work to achieve the SDGs. Grants are one of the alternative sources of funding for SDG projects. In recent years, the interest of representatives of micro-small and medium-sized enterprises in grant instruments as a method of increasing business competitiveness has increased significantly. However, a low level of the culture of using grant resources can provoke negative consequences in the form of non-use of some opportunities of grant instruments for effective achievement of the SDGs. Examples of effective grant tools for micro, small and medium-sized businesses, as well as European Commission programs (Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Creative Europe (CREA), Erasmus+ (ERASMUS+), Digital Europe Programme, EU4Health Programme, Program for the Environment and Climate Action, Single Market Programme), USAID, IOM, "eRobota". A SWOT analysis was carried out to assess the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of using grant instruments as a financing mechanism for SDG projects. The conducted analysis provides valuable information about your advantages and disadvantages of using grant resources to finance SDG projects and determining a strategy for managing possible risks. This study aims to contribute to the wider discourse around alternative financing mechanisms for sustainable development.