Workshop on project Management

Beograd – Belgrade; September 26 & 27, 2013

Charlotte Roffiaen

Introduction

1. EU projects do not bring money to non-profit organisations, they usually are a cost.

2. It is becoming more and more difficult to access funds.

Introduction

• WHY IS IT A COST?

• Drafting a good quality EU project requires important human resources.

• Co-financing principle: from 20% to 50% of most EU funded projects.

• No co-financing through contributions in kind or volunteers’ work, but only staff and cash.

• There are sometimes restrictions on co-funding from private companies.

Introduction

• WHY IS IT BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT / COMPETITIVE?

• Increased number of EU countries vs. Stable funds.

• Contraction of available funds in all MS: public and private funding, donations from individuals, etc.

• Actual trend: financing less projects with a larger impact and budget.

Introduction

2. We will study strategies to make EU projects financially balanced and globally very valuable for your organisations.

Introduction

• HOW?

• Learning how to select EU calls for proposals and partnership proposals.

• Learning how to prepare a good proposal and a good budget.

• Discussing how to adapt your networking and fundraising strategies to EU projects.

• Studying the many possible benefits of EU projects for your organisations.

Basic EU funding principles

1. What are we talking about?• Calls for proposals = grants

vs. Calls for tenders = contracts.

• Centralised managed programmes (either directly by the EC or indirectly by European Agencies).

• No EuropeAid programme (development and cooperation).

Basic EU funding principles

2.The EU aims at implementing its OWN objectives!

• It is essential to have an excellent knowledge of these objectives, reading carefully all documents mentioned in the call (programmes, policy documents, etc.).

• Even in the case of “Structural grants”, the activity plan must reflect the priorities of the EU in the specific field.

Basic EU funding principles

3. Information is a key

• The multiannual programmes such as “Europe for Citizens”, “Erasmus for all”, etc. detail the general objectives.

• The annual working programs, specify the objectives of the different calls year by year.

• The calls for proposals and the guidelines contain all the info you need to present an application.

Basic EU funding principles

3. Information is a key

• Register to general newsletters & programme newsletters updating recipients on the open calls.

• Check regularly the websites of the programmes + RSS & social networks when available.

• Participate in the Infodays.• Ask for information directly to

the civil servants in charge of the programme.

Basic EU funding principles

4. Time is another issue

• The time between the publication of the call and the deadline for submission varies Between 2 and 4 months approximately.

• Essential to start brain storming and contacts with partners before the publication of the call.

Basic EU funding principles

5. Partnership makes the difference

• Most EU projects require a transnational partnership.

• The minimum number of participating countries varies from 2 to half of the EU MS.

• The partnership includes one coordinator and a variable number of co-promoters.

• The project results depend on every partner’s contribution.

Basic EU funding principles

6. Co-financing is the real challenge

• Funding options: Budget vs. Flaterate.

• Objectives: to demonstrate the engagement of the promoters + to promote the long-term sustainability of the project.

• Co-financing sources: promoters themselves or 3rd parties.

• No “double financing” from other EU funding sources.

Basic EU funding principles

7.A good project is not always equivalent to a successful project

• Projects are assessed by 2 independent experts, based on criteria listed in the call.

• All experts have personal views / sensibilities.

• The final mark is the result of an average / consensus.

• The success depends on the competition Check the success rates beforehand.

EU funding opportunities

• Consumer programme– Serbia in not eligible

under this programme yet

– The next Consumer programme will not substantially change

• Support to consumer organisations– Contributions to the functioning

of EU-level consumer organisations (Structural grants)

– No more projects– Capacity building for regional,

national and European consumer organisations

• Funding of the European Consumer Centres Network

• Cooperation between national enforcement authorities

EU funding opportunities

• Europe for citizens programme– The programme aims at

bringing Europe closer to its citizens, enabling them to participate fully in the EU construction.

– The programme guide works as a permanent call for proposals.

• Action 1.1: Town Twinning– It relies upon the voluntary

commitment of citizens, in collaboration with the local authorities and local associations.

– Encourages exchanges of experiences on a variety of issues of common interest

– Small grants (≤25.000 euro)– Open to all stakeholders

promoting active citizenship

EU funding opportunities

• Europe for citizens programme– The new programme will

not substantially change and shall be adopted by the EP on 19/11/2013

– ALDA could be an excellent contact for this programme

• Action 1.2: Citizens’ projects– Stimulate citizens’ debate and

inputs in EU policies– Based on the concept of direct

participation of individual citizens

– Co-financing: 40 %– 100.000 ≥ Grant ≤ 250.000– Competitive (6,7% success)– Duration: 12 months

EU funding opportunities

• Europe for citizens programme

• Action 2.3: Civil Soc. Projects– Supports actions

(conferences, seminars, TV/radio broadcasts, etc.) of CSOs from different countries on issues related to the programme objectives and priorities.

– Co-financing: 30 %– 55.000 ≥ Grant ≤ 150.000– Competitive (5,4 % success)– Duration: 12 to 18 months

EU funding opportunities

• Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP)– It is an umbrella

programme integrating various educational and training initiatives:• Comenius (schools)• Erasmus (higher

education)• Leonardo Da Vinci

(educational training)• Grundtvig (adult

education)

• All actions are open to consumer organisations active in their respective training/educational fields

• Examples: – Consumer Citizenship Network

(Erasmus)– Training teachers in developing

consumer awareness among children (Comenius)

EU funding opportunities

• Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP)– LLP includes:

• small actions managed by national LLP agencies

• larger ones directly managed in Brussels

– Serbia is only eligible for the second ones.

– The LLP will become part of Erasmus for all

• Grundtvig Multilateral projects:

– Improving the content and delivery of adult education

– Open to any organisation in the field of adult learning

– At least 3 partners from 3 different LLP countries

– Duration: 1 to 3 years– Maximum grant: 150.000 € /

year (300.000 for 3 years)– Co-financing: 75 %

EU funding opportunities

• Youth in Action– The programme aims at

promoting young people’s active and European citizenship + developing the capabilities of CSOs in the youth field

– Open to youth organisations and NPOs working for / with young people

• 2 - European Voluntary Service

– Enables young people to carry out voluntary service for up to 12 months in a foreign country.

• 3.1 - Cooperation– Supports Youth Exchanges and

Training & Networking Projects with Neighbouring partner Countries of the EU.

– Promoters from Programme & Neighbouring Countries.

EU funding opportunities

• Youth in Action– The programme guide is

an excellent didactic instrument to start drafting EU projects.

– The programme will become part of Erasmus for all and the available funding for the 2014-20 period is not known yet.

a) Youth Exchanges– Meetings of groups of young

people from different countries to learn about each other’s cultures and discuss a theme of mutual interest.

b) Training & Networking prog.– Promote exchanges of

experience, good practices, cooperation and training in the field of youth work.

EU funding opportunities

• Other programmes open to Serbian non-profit organisations

1. The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)

– EU Research programme– Will become part of the new

Horizon 2020 programme– Several research thematic

areas shall be of interest of consumer organisations: Health, Food, Energy, Transport, etc.

– Main role: dissemination

EU funding opportunities

• Other programmes open to Serbian non-profit organisations

2. Progress programme– Supports projects in the

following 5 areas:• Employment • Social inclusion and social

protection• Working conditions • Anti-discrimination• Gender equality

– Will become part of the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation

Partnership rules

Coordinator or partner?• The coordinator usually is the

promoter of the project idea.• It is in charge of 1/ the

coordination of the activities 2/ the administrative and financial issues & is responsible vis-à-vis the Commission.

• Better to gain experience as partner before submitting a project as coordinator.

Partnerships in EU projects

How to be identified as a potential partner?

• Experience of participants• Website + dissemination of your

projects’ results in EN• Take all occasions to network

(Infodays, Euro conferences, expert groups, etc.)

• Apply to EU nets/plateforms• Programmes’ online partner

search tools + social networks

Partnerships in EU projects

Why & when shall you submit a project as coordinator?

• When you have a good experience in EU projects & in the specific call you target.

• When you have a winning project idea, perfectly relevant to the objectives of the call and to your own.

• +: Greater share of the budget.• +: Contributes to the capacity-

building of your staff.

Development of good projects Project cycle

Development of good projects Logical framework

BAD vs. GOOD PRACTICES

• What should you do when receiving a partnership proposal?

• Who should develop the project (within and/or outside the organisation)?

• When to involve the partners, the target groups and the potential co-financers in the project?

BAD vs. GOOD PRACTICES

• How to match your own objectives with the priorities of horizontal calls?

• How to secure “easy points” in the project evaluation?

• How to create trust and make a positive impression on the evaluators?

• What is a good project’s communication plan?

• How to guarantee the “project sustainability”?

Practical exercise:Building a strong partnership

1. Right number of partners?• The minimum number of

partners / countries is usually not sufficient to prepare a successful project.

• Many partners make the project costly and more difficult to manage.

• Necessary to find a balance between these two aspects.

Practical exercise:Building a strong partnership

2. Which kind of partners? • When allowed, cross-sectoral partnership is always better– Should be based on the

complementarity of competences, contacts, level of action (EU/national/local), etc.

– It facilitates cross-fertilisation.– Including partners with stable

staff and financial resources (e.g. Public institutions, universities, companies, etc.) shall be part of your project’s co-financing strategy.

Practical exercise:Building a strong partnership

3. Main challenges• Partners come from different

countries: – They have different cultures;– They shall have

communication problems (their English levels can be very uneven);

– They rarely meet because of the travelling costs and time.

Practical exercise:Building a strong partnership

3. Main challenges• Their interest in the project

results is often uneven– Some shall leave the project or not

deliver the results.

• The relationship among partners is often unbalanced

– The coordinator decides and the others execute;

– Some partners have a greater share of decision power, money, etc. than others.

Practical exercise:Building a strong partnership

4. How to make partnerships work?• Know your partners

– Previous cooperation– Physical meeting

• Involve them in the project development from the very beginning:– Check their actual interest;– Take advantage of their

experience / competence;– Increase their ownership &

commitment in the project.

• Share responsibilities

Practical exercise:Building a strong partnership

4. How to make partnerships work? • Clarify the collaboration rules– Written agreement– Do not promise anything you

might be unable to respect.

• Clearly describe in the application how the partners will concretely work together

• Keep a permanent communication with all partners and solve problems as soon as possible

Practical exercise:Communication and dissemination

• Objective of EU projects is to achieve the biggest possible impact

• Visibility, dissemination and exploitation of the projects’ outcomes are thus core activities

• The project must include an actual communication plan

Practical exercise:Communication and dissemination

• What does it imply?– Show off the work you

are doing throughout your project duration

– Identify the various potential direct and indirect beneficiaries (categories + numbers)

– Produce information adapted to the target groups

Practical exercise:Communication and dissemination

– Use different kinds of communication / dissemination channels• Your website and

newsletter aren’t enough• Events, products, press…

– Make sure the outcomes of the projects are effectively used (follow-up activities)

– Feed your results into public policies

Practical exercise:Project team

• The team must include all competences needed to carry out the project:– The project manager

• Coordinates the team• Works together with the

partners’ coordinators

– Financial officer– Communication officer– Webmaster– Researchers or trainers…

Practical exercise:Project team

• Several functions can be exerted: – by the same person;– by the partners or by

external experts, except for project management related activities.

• Budget– Human resources– Except for external

experts = subcontracting