In March, the Ukrainian Red Cross, in partnership with UMIND, held a series of educational webinars for women entrepreneurs as part of the Supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment in Ukraine programme
More than 870 participants from across the country registered for the events.
The first event of the month was the webinar “Where to Find Funding for Your Business? Understanding Grants.” Grant manager and fundraiser Yuliia Hvozdeitska explained how grant funding works, where to find current opportunities, and how to prepare a business for an application. Participants learned how to build a compelling “grant story” for their enterprise and understood the key differences between grants and bank loans.
The topic of effective audience engagement was explored in “Communications That Work: How Businesses Can Be Heard.” Olena Kyrychuk, Communications Director at the UMIND NGO and sensy buro agency, shared strategies for creating impactful messages. Participants practised shifting the focus from simply presenting themselves to solving their clients’ problems. Tools for protecting reputation during crises were also discussed.
The final March event was a training session by Viktoriia Papizh, “Influencer Marketing Without Illusions: How to Engage Bloggers Effectively.” The communications project manager explained how entrepreneurs can build systematic collaborations with opinion leaders and choose partners wisely.
“It’s crucial that a blogger genuinely uses your product or truly believes in your values… so that the collaboration feels authentic and credible, not just like a paid partnership,” the expert emphasised.
The March webinar series combined knowledge of fundraising, strategic communications, and influencer marketing, providing participants with practical tools for growth — from securing initial grants to building a strong brand trusted by clients.
Registration for upcoming online webinars is available here.
*These events are part of the Supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment in Ukraine programme, implemented by the Ukrainian Red Cross in partnership with the Austrian Red Cross, with support from NACHBAR IN NOT and the Austrian Development Agency, and with organisational and technical support from the UMIND NGO.
