Kernel says it has invested one billion hryvnias in Ukrainian communities over the past four years. The figure reflects a broader shift in agribusiness social programs: companies are moving from one-off charity toward mechanisms that teach communities to design and finance their own projects.
The program My Community: Together with Kernel has financed sixty seven local initiatives over two years. Communities also attracted additional funding through the Moie Misto crowdfunding platform, using open fundraising to test whether residents are ready to support specific ideas.
From grants to local capacity
Kernel says the main purpose is to help civic groups, schools, municipal institutions and activists create projects independently and unite people around practical solutions. This year, applications grew sharply: from fewer than two hundred applications from five regions last year to more than four hundred applications from twelve regions.
Thirty four projects won support this year. Priorities include veteran spaces, mental health programs, barrier-free sports grounds and educational initiatives. These are not abstract social responsibility themes; they respond to problems that communities face every day during the war.
The crowdfunding element is important because it creates a small but real public test. If residents are willing to contribute even modestly, the project has local demand. Open collection also builds trust and teaches community organizations how to mobilize partners beyond a single corporate donor.
For Ukraine’s rural regions, such programs can become a bridge between agribusiness, local authorities and civil society. The challenge is to keep the model transparent and to ensure that funded ideas turn into durable services, not just short-term campaigns.
