What can the EU do for you? 21 st November 2011 Linking with Brussels and across boarders Luisa De Amicis Institutional partner of and supported by the.

What can the EU do for you?

21st November 2011

“Linking with Brussels and across boarders”

Luisa De AmicisInstitutional partner of and supported by the European Commission

Strategic Partner of the British Government Office for Civil Society

Institutional partner of and supported by the European Commission

Agenda

1. Euclid Network: who we are

2. Overview of key EU funds for civil society

1. Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

2. Progress

3. Europe for Citizens

4. Europe Aid

3. Where to look?

4. How to apply for EU funding

5. Long term trends

Euclid Network: Who we are The European network of third sector leaders

Euclid Network

Over 4000 civil society professionals and stakeholders from 30 countries (EU and beyond)

Hubs in London, Paris, Stockholm and Budapest

Aiming at:Connecting, Facilitating Knowledge-sharing and Cross-border/boundary Partnerships

4 thematic areas: LeadershipSustainability InnovationInfluence

2. Overview of key EU funds for civil society

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

• Financed by DG Enterprise and Industry • Grant - Currently in 3rd cycle• A cross-border exchange programme • Benefits of the programme:

– for NE new entrepreneurs acquire new knowledge and skills, job-shadowing experienced entrepreneurs

– for HE fresh perspectives on his/her business and the opportunities to cooperate with foreign partners

• 592 completed relations so far; 201 relations in progress

http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/

Progress

• Run by DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

• Focuses on five key policy areas: - Employment- Social Protection and Inclusion- Working Conditions - Anti Discrimination and Diversity- Gender Equality

• Runs until 2013 with a budget of EUR 743.25 million

• Call for tenders or and call for proposals

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=327

Europe for Citizens

• Supervised by DG Communication, managed by EACEA• European Union programme designed to help bridge

the gap between citizens and the European Union• Budget for the programme (2007-2013) is €235

million.• It focuses on four key actions to bring about change:

- Active citizenship for Europe- Active civil society for Europe- Together for Europe- Active European remembrance

http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.htm

EuropeAid• Part of DG Development and Cooperation• Designing EU development policies and delivering

aid through programmes and projects across the world

• Call for tenders and call for proposals • Instruments for external assistance:

– Geographic instruments: European Neighbourhood

and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), European Development Fund (EDF) – Thematic instruments: DCI- Non-state actors and local authorities in development; European Instrument

for Democracy & Human Rights (EIDHR)

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm

3. Where to look?

2.1 Where to look (option 1)

http://ec.europa.eu/grants/index_en.htm

2.1 Where to look (option 3)

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-services/index.cfm?ADSSChck=1224846858672&do=publi.welcome&userlanguage=en

or google “europeaid grants”

4. How to apply for EU funding: some tips

How to apply for EU money

European Guidelines

• All EU programmes have Guidelines that can be difficult to understand, and/or very specific or very vague

Carefully check eligibility, requirements, budgetary regulations and timescales!

• Always need co-financing (10-50%) - Only projects taking place outside the EU can be financed in full !

• Cannot yield a ‘profit’ for their beneficiaries

• Cannot be awarded for actions that are already completed

• Only one grant may be awarded for the same action

How to apply for EU moneyGrants

•Normally require partnerships or consortia

•High administrative burden–Need official declarations and forms–May require PADOR registration

Don’t leave it at the last minute!

Other requirements

How to apply for EU money

Considerations

•Grant applications take time,energy,staff and resources

•Can be hard to succeed •Often not huge sums•Sometimes not financially viable, e.g. 7%

for overheads•First time better doing as a partner led

by an experienced leader

If you want the money, beware!

•More meritocratic than most donors•Less political than most donors•Lots of:

–Internal expertise (in places)–Different activities funded–Countries covered

–...Money available!

So why apply?

Considerations

EC famously risk adverse and bureaucratic

BUT

Reform of the financial regulation now possible!

Long term trends

Long term trends

European Financial RegulationNew principles: Simplification, transparency, flexibility and cutting red-tape

Achievements:

•To allow surplus as reserves

•To increase contribution to core-costs

•To increase threshold of small and very small grants (up to 60000 and 10000 euros) and decrease paper work

•To set up a database of beneficiaries

Long term trends: Budget 2014 - 20• Proposal from the Commission discussed

on the 29th June and due to be approved by the end of 2012

• Budget €1,025 billion in commitments 1.05% of GNI in 2014-20

• Budget:– CAP is reduced (from 41% to 37%)– cohesion policy –regional aid and other

structural funds- is increase slightly (from 36% to 37%)

– External policies is also increased (from €56bn to €70 bn)

Questions? Comments? Asking for advice?

Thank you!

For any enquiries, please contactLuisa De Amicis

[email protected]