Mayors’ Club Event Site: “Building the Economic Potential of Communities” (Municipal Economic Feasibility Program, MEFP) within the framework of the Ukrainian Investment Congress

On July 31, the Ukrainian Investment Congress took place at the Parkovy Convention and Exhibition Center (CEC). Thousands of participants — representatives of communities, businesses, financial institutions, and international organizations — gathered to discuss the transformation of Ukrainian municipalities, present their innovative ideas, and launch next-level partnerships.

The Congress became a vibrant hub of strategic decision-making, with a core focus on infrastructure projects, energy clusters, elements of the digital economy, industrial zones/parks, and housing policy — all aimed at ensuring sustainable regional development.

The Mayors’ Club event site “Building the Economic Potential of Communities” (Municipal Economic Feasibility Program, MEFP) served as a space for practical solutions. With the support of the Economy of Trust consortium, the unique Municipal Economic Feasibility Program (MEFP) was launched. This program is designed to help communities strengthen their economic potential and move directly from ideas to implementation through effective strategic planning, investment attraction, and strong partnerships.

Throughout the day, 50 selected participating communities engaged in a variety of workshops, brainstorming sessions, and thematic discussions.

We began our work with the panel discussion: “Building the Economic Potential of Communities: Vision, Transformation, Tools, and Investment.”

📝 At the forefront was the search for answers to the question: “How can communities transition from reconstruction to building a full-fledged economic model for the future?”. Participants in the strategic dialogue included Henry Shterenberg, President of WTC Kyiv and CEO of Economy of Trust Ukraine; Vasyl Andriyshyn, Mayor of Burshtyn; Halyna Szymanska, Acting Mayor of Zhytomyr; Vladyslav Skalskyi, Deputy Mayor of Vinnytsia; Kateryna Ivanchenko, CEO of the Think Tank Center for Innovation Development (cid.center); Serhiy Shynkarenko, Director of the Ukraine Development Alliance; Olha Zmiivska-Vasylkovska, Founder and CEO of the Scientific and Expert Center for Construction Technologies “Ekspertyza ZO”; Iryna Shynkarenko, Deputy Head of Epicenter for Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations, and Media; and Dmytro Lazarenko, CEO of the Circular Economy Cluster. They shared practices on shaping economic visions, attracting investors, and implementing modern management and technological solutions in communities.

The discussion became a true platform for inspiration and practical guidance for all industry experts, setting a clear direction for further conversations during hands-on workshops. The main goal of these workshops was not the acquisition of theoretical knowledge, but rather a deep dive into the specifics of how transformation tools function within communities.

🟦 Creating a Vision for Municipalities 

• Henry Shterenberg (Economy of Trust Ukraine) and Tetiana Holovko (Head of the Engineering Consulting Department at SDM Engineering Ukraine LLC) explored how to create a shared vision for the future of a community – one supported by residents, businesses, and international partners. They presented effective practices in facilitation, visualization, and strategic planning, drawing on both Ukrainian and international case studies. Video available at the link.

🟦 Idea → Transparency → Support: How Blaho Works for Communities

• Iryna Shynkarenko presented the digital platform Blaho, which helps communities swiftly implement local initiatives while ensuring transparency and navigating specific bureaucratic nuances. Blaho facilitates direct engagement with donors, businesses, and charitable organizations, supporting projects in social infrastructure and crisis centers.
• Recognizing the high value of such initiatives and platforms for communities, the Mayors’ Club signed a memorandum to become an official partner of the Blaho platform.

🟦 Infrastructure Planning from Scratch: From Design to Expert Evaluation

• During the dialogue between Serhiy Murza, expert at the Scientific and Expert Center for Construction Technologies “Ekspertyza ZO” LLC, and Roman Myagkokhlib, a forensic construction expert, key challenges and common mistakes at the initial stages of infrastructure project implementation were identified. The speakers highlighted the critical role of expert evaluation in maintaining the quality of implemented programs, emphasized the importance of technical inspections, and addressed accountability for errors in project documentation.

🟦 Industrial Development of Communities as a Foundation for Their Economic Independence

• Serhiy Shynkarenko and Yuriy Deineka, Head of the Department of Strategic Development of Ternopil City, presented unique approaches to the industrial development of communities – from the creation of industrial parks to the selection of effective cluster models and investor engagement strategies. They emphasized the critical importance of proactive involvement by local authorities in driving these processes, highlighting that sustainable industrial growth is key to ensuring the long-term economic independence of municipalities.

🟦 Potential Funding Sources for Public Investment Projects in Communities and Ways to Strengthen Institutional Capacity Amid the Public Investment Management (PIM) Reform

• Taras Boichuk, Managing Partner at SPILNO LLC, and Andriy Pidhainyi, Partner at the law firm Arzinger, presented a practical analysis of investment project financing in communities, focusing on public-private partnerships (PPP), municipal bonds, and international aid. Participants explored the ongoing reform of public investment management and learned about key institutional requirements necessary to access financing. Niko Gachechiladze, Head of the PPP Agency, joined the dynamic discussions, emphasizing that international funds have already been allocated for the preparation phase of state and municipal projects aimed at boosting both investment attractiveness and institutional capacity. Now, the ball is in the communities’ court – they must take initiative by proposing projects to receive funding for expert support and project development.
• Continuing the topic of PPP, the owner of the FitoArt brand presented a real-life investment project that successfully combines profitability, social value, and infrastructure modernization. The discussion also covered the prerequisites needed to implement such a project within local communities. Video available at the link.

🟦 Economic Data as the Foundation for Developing Investment Projects

Specialists from CID, the Center for Development and Innovation, demonstrated how communities can effectively work with data: collecting, organizing, and visualizing it in order to increase their investment attractiveness. Workshop participants explored the concept of the “community investment showcase” and identified which data are critically important for potential investors and the decision-making process.

🟦 Circular Transformation of Communities: Tools, Innovations, Investments

Dmytro Lazarenko shared practical cases of implementing the circular economy in communities: digital platforms, educational courses, and pilot projects. The speaker discussed ways to reduce costs, increase community efficiency, and attract “green” investments.

Thanks to the openness of the dialogue at the Mayors’ Club site event within the framework of the Ukrainian Investment Congress, we were able not only to improve the quality of tools for community development but also to create favorable conditions for effective collaboration among the various participants in this complex process.

📥 All speaker presentations can be found at the following link.

Communities interested in joining the Municipal Economic Feasibility Program (MEFP), as well as businesses wishing to implement joint projects with communities, can contact Yuliya Chufistova, Director of the UMEDA Development Agency and a member of the Mayors’ Club Presidium, at yuliya.ch@mayorsclub.org