Are EU Structural Funds a relevant source of funding for my organisation?

Are EU Structural Funds a relevant source of funding for my organisation?

Judith Stone - Third sector European team (3-SET)[email protected]

www.wcva.org.uk 0800 2888 329 [email protected] Up-dated June 2013

Overview

• Understand the key principles and terminology of EU Structural Funds

• Understand the third sector’s role in delivering EU funded projects in Wales

• Understand the support available from WCVA’s third sector European team (3-SET)

• Sign post organisations to relevant information and sources of advice on EU funding

“David Cameron issues veiled threat to EU funding for Wales”

Western Mail, 12.11.12

“Wales could lose £1bn of EU funds if cuts go ahead “

Daily Post, 25.01.14

“More European aid set to be available for Wales' poor

areas”BBC News, 22.04.12

What’s all the fuss about?

EU Structural Funds: the fundamentals

• What? EU regional development aid • Who? Granted to all regions within the 28 EU Member

States; two areas within Wales: West Wales & the Valleys (WW&V) and East Wales

• Why? To raise the economic wealth (GDP) of regions; with a focus on regions with less than 75% EU average GDP (‘lesser developed’ regions)

• When? Seven year programme cycles (2000-2006; 2007-2013; 2014-2020)

• How? Managed in Wales by the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO), part of the Welsh Government’s Finance Department

• How much?...

EU Structural Funds in Wales 2014-2020

£1.4bn

£300m

£75m

EU Structural & Investment Funds

• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) • European Social Fund- (ESF)• Rural Development Plan (RDP) • Fisheries funds (EMFF)

There are many other sources of EU funding, particularly for working with partners in other EU Member States

Principles of funding

• Operational Programmes (OP) with priorities and themes for investment = the contract between the Welsh Government and the European Commission

• A small number of joined up projects, aligned to Welsh Government policies

• Procurement, not grants – tighter processes and competition to secure value for money

• Levels of funding – from small contracts (up to £25k) to £multi-million projects

Key features

• Added value• Match funding• Volunteer time as in-kind match funding• Cross cutting themes: equality of opportunity and

environmental sustainability• Partnership Principle• Rules and regulations and audit• High levels of bureaucracy• Rigorous monitoring: outputs, results and impacts

How to access European Structural Funds

• Project sponsor

• Joint sponsor

• Contractor / supplier

EU funding in Wales 2000-20202000-2006 2007-2013 2014-

2020

Total funding allocation

£1.2bn £1.4bn £1.4bn

Total no. projects > 3000 286 ?

Total funding to third sector

£206m £97m (£63.5m grants + £140m contracts)

?

Total third sector projects

508 (319 orgs) 45 (29 orgs) ?

Key features Bottom up; duplication; social; equalities

Strategic; economic; procurement

Social and economic focus...

Routes of access for EU Structural Funds

• Direct applications to WEFO (‘lead/joint’ sponsor)– Read WEFO Guidance for Project Sponsors

• Partnership approach with third party lead body

• Contracting opportunities

How can WCVA help?

• 3-SET support–Information–Advice on project development/’critical friend’–Help to identify contract delivery opportunities–Training/capacity building–Events and networking

• Third sector European forum (3-SEF) – network of support for lead/joint sponsors

Further information •Contact [email protected] / 0800 2888 329

• Or local groups can speak to local SET teams:http://wefo.wales.gov.uk/publications/sets/outreach/?lang=en

•www.wcva.org.uk/funding/europe

•www.wefo.wales.gov.uk

•www.europa.eu