How to organize an OSBB fundraising for backup power

Step-by-step plan

1. Initiative group. Make a list of critical consumers, do an approximate calculation with the calculators and collect several commercial offers.
2. Draft cost estimate. The board prepares a versioned cost estimate. The purpose of the fundraising and the amount must not change unnoticed.
3. General meeting. The co-owners decide on the cost estimate and contributions under the voting rules, and the result is recorded in the minutes.
4. Contract. The board concludes the contract within the cost estimate and the thresholds from the charter.
5. Collecting contributions. Residents pay directly to the OSBB account in the manner set by the meeting.
6. Report. The board reports on the execution of the cost estimate and shows confirmed amounts separately from unconfirmed ones.

Where funding can come from

Under the law, OSBB funds are formed from co-owners’ contributions, voluntary contributions of individuals and legal entities, loan or credit funds, and budget funds for co-financing. Check the terms of state and city programs only on the operator’s official pages; we cover them in the section on programs.

The platform model: no holding of funds

• the platform does not accept, hold or distribute money;
• residents transfer contributions to a verified OSBB account;
• only an amount that has passed reconciliation with bank data is considered confirmed;
• funds go directly to the fundraising organizers registered on the platform, and no fundraising is considered ready for contributions without platform verification;
• residents’ personal data is not shown in the public report.

Typical mistakes

• a fundraising without a clear purpose and an approved cost estimate;
• no comparison of several offers;
• a mismatch between the cost estimate amount and the purpose of the fundraising;
• publishing names and apartment numbers;
• collecting cash outside the OSBB account.

Fundraising calendar from decision to report

The timing of each stage depends on your OSBB, the charter and the contractor. We do not give general time frames, because no figure would be true for everyone.

How to talk to residents about the fundraising

• start with the need: which consumers lose power and what that means for the building;
• show the cost estimate, not just the total amount;
• be honest about the calculation’s assumptions: an engineering calculation is required, the result is approximate;
• do not promise absolute autonomy: it depends on the load and the equipment;
• announce changes immediately, not at the end.

Document package for the platform

To verify a fundraising, the platform needs documents on the OSBB’s registration and confirmation of the authority of the person acting on its behalf, as well as information about the account. The meeting decision and the cost estimate are needed so that residents can see the grounds for the fundraising. The platform checks documents under its own rules; a successful check does not replace a legal assessment of the meeting decision.

What happens after the fundraising closes

When the required amount has been collected, the board must not stop there. It makes sense to reconcile the balance with the cost estimate, formalize payments to the contractor against certificates, prepare a report and bring it to the meeting. If more than needed was collected, the question of the remainder is decided by the meeting, not the board: propose options, for example directing the excess to the reserve fund or returning it in proportion to contributions, and vote.

Frequently asked questions

Does the platform accept residents’ money?

No. The transfer goes directly to the OSBB account, and the platform takes no part in the movement of funds. It only shows verified information about the fundraising.

What counts as a confirmed contribution on the platform?

Only a contribution that has passed reconciliation with bank data under the platform’s rules. A resident’s statement or a receipt does not by itself confirm the amount.

Next steps

Start your OSBB registrationDirectory of verified fundraisings

Sources

• Law of Ukraine “On Associations of Co-owners of a Multi-apartment Building” (No. 2866-III, current version), Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (official source), accessed 2026-10-23
• Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Simplification of Management of Multi-apartment Buildings” (No. 3270-IX), Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (official source), accessed 2026-10-23