Polish Challenge Fund

Background

In December 2019 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and UNDP in Europe and Central Asia launched cooperation under the pilot Polish Challenge Fund (PCF) to engage Polish companies to address complex development challenges in partner countries. In May of 2021, the UNDP and the Republic of Poland entered into the next stage of collaboration: Polish-UNDP Partnership – Innovative Solutions for the SDGs (PUP). Its aim is to transfer and apply innovative technologies from Polish private sector, research institutes and academia to tackle development challenges identified in selected priority countries. Calls for Proposals to the Polish Challenge Fund are announced annually. 

Objectives

  • Identify and implement impactful solutions in partner countries: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and previously Belarus.
  • Engage Polish leading innovative tech companies, start-ups and academia in impactful partnership with local partners acting on local, regional and national level in partner countries. 
  • Overview of the main projects areas: Green technologies with a special focus on Affordable Energy Sources, Digital Innovations & New Solutions for ICT Sector, Markets, Employment and Other Support, Smart Cities Solutions, Anti Covid-19 Solutions. 
     

Major Achievements

  • 5 Calls For Proposals - in total 119 applications received in answer to all five Calls launched in 2020-2022.  
  • 30 Solutions awarded so far with a total value of USD 1,588,093 (including awards of USD 1,174,225 and mobilized co-financing of USD 577,802. 
  • 35 eligible applications received in answer to the last 5th Call for Proposals to the Polish Challenge Fund. 
  • Impact: 12 initiatives in Moldova, 11 initiatives in Ukraine, 4 initiatives in Georgia, 3 initiatives in Belarus. 
     

Impact

START DATE

May 2021

END DATE

August 2023

STATUS

Ongoing

PROJECT OFFICE
IMPLEMENTING PARTNER

United Nations Development Programme

DONORS

GOVERNMENT OF POLAND

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS

$427,151

DELIVERY IN PREVIOUS YEARS

2021$78,266

2022$339,683

Full Project information

30

solutions

awarded so far with a total value of USD 1,588,093

35

eligible applications

received in answer to the last 5th Call for Proposals to the Polish Challenge Fund

12

initiatives

in Moldova

11

initiatives

in Ukraine

4

initiatives

in Georgia

3

initiatives

in Belarus