EU grant applications Agenda

1. EU grant applications Agenda • EU grant process • Preparations before call for proposals • Making the application – overview • The written document • The budget • Financial record keeping • Internal grant programmes • External grant programmes

2. EU Grant process (1) Programme documents • Policy document (2 to 5 years) (policy objectives, themes/strands, geographic focus, criteria, money available, timetable) (“Programme document”) • Annual work programme – lists calls for proposals – when, and what they will cover • “Call for proposals” call for proposals - typically requires submission within 90 days. Very competitive – e.g. only 1 in 10 applications successful in some programmes

3. EU grant process (2)Key factors • Precise criteria • Co-financing (50% -- 10%) – no “in-kind”. Often must be arranged by date of application • Partners usually needed • Expenditure – strict rules (eligibility, record-keeping) • EU will not fund more than agreed share - % or total • Logical framework, external evaluation, independent audit all now standard requirements

4. Preparations before call for proposals (1) • Identify Programme & study documentation • Prepare project outline (ideally using logical framework) • Be clear about: purpose, target group, precise objectives, impact, performance indicators • Realistic, modest, sustainable • Not duplicating existing EC grant in this country/topic • Check against your organisation’s strategy

5. Preparation before call for proposals (2) Check you have capacity • Must have: registered organisation, constitution, audited accounts, annual report • Ensure you have, or can get, necessary skills (coordinator, technical knowledge, budgeting/ planning/financial expertise) • Line up co-financing (e.g. EU member state embassies) • Find partners – if first time – find another organisation to be lead partner • Financial capacity – won’t grant more than 3 x your annual budget

6. Preparation before call for proposals (3) Partners • Must be eligible – Programme criteria + organisational capacity • Complete understanding between partners essential (so project outline; agree scope of project, roles, financial arrangements) • Sign “letter of intent”, or better still, complete Commission partnership agreements (Europeaid) in draft at this stage NB: Lead partner responsible for actions of all partners – e.g. if partner fails to keep records of expenditure, lead partner liable

7. Call for proposals published • Study guidelines very carefully and follow to the letter! • Seek advice on anything which is not clear • Check that project meets the exact criteria – redevelop if need be

8. Making the application The written submission • Clear structure (e.g.: summary, background, objectives, activities and how conducted, sustainability, measurement and evaluation); • Clear simple language (avoid jargon, except theirs) • Avoid repetition • Presentation: index, sections, paragraphing, bullet points, planning charts • Standardise use of capitals, define acronyms, explain third parties

9. Structure of written submission (1)Background • Clear identification of target group • Needs assessment (indicators) • Analysis of existing achievements or attempts in same area of activity • Analysis of potential resources • Building of reliable partnership • Understanding of strengths and weaknesses

10. Structure of written submission (2)Objectives Show that: • New objectives, bringing added value • Precisely aligned with Programme objectives • Realistic, achievable – clearly meeting the identified needs • Real project – not a feasibility study • Substantial and genuine capacity building

11. Structure of written submission (3)Activities • In line with objectives and identified needs • Not duplicating work already financed under EC or other donor funded projects • Real involvement of partners and local initiatives (as applicable) • Real capacity building for partners

12. Structure of written submission (4) Implementing activities Must show: • Clear management structure, particularly co-ordination • Management capacity (technical, admin, accounting) • Clear definition of roles (partners) • Balanced roles – to ensure capacity building for partners • Transfer of know-how • Well defined outputs and multiplier effects • Realistic, directly measurable performance indicators, with sufficient quantitative references

13. Structure of written submission (5)Sustainability Show: • Real local ownership • Dissemination and use of project results • Guiding materials for long term training • If funding needed after end of project, how? (business plan)

14. Making the application The budget • Cost of all proposed activities to be clearly identified; • Only costs related to proposed activities! • Show which project member will do the work; fair distribution of money • Ensure that costs are realistic (EC evaluators are trained to check for “value for money”; e.g. staffing) • staff costs based on market value

15. Administrative compliance You must prove you have the capacity to manage the project: • Submit every bit of documentation required! (e.g. annual report, certified audited accounts, official organisation registration papers, statutes, CV’s of project team members (and for partners also)) • Must sign! 50% of external applications fail administrative compliance

16. Financial record-keeping • Expenditure – no invoice = no grant! • Must be something specified in approved budget • Expenditure before start date or after end date will not be accepted • Allocations – transparent in the accounting records, and supported by evidence (e.g. timesheets)

17. Internal grant programmes relevant to LGBT organisations Brussels administered • Daphne II (violence against young people, children and women) (2004 - 2008) • Youth Community Action Programme (to 2006) • Culture 2000 • Life long learning • Public health • Promotion of Active European Citizenship • [Social inclusion/ Gender equality/Non-discrimination] Administered at national level • EQUAL (laboratory for new ideas in employment / social inclusion) • Issues identified in accession process (new member states) • Support for NGOs in ten new member states

18. External grant programmes relevant to LGBT organisations (1) All administered by “Europeaid” office; “bottom-up” programmes: • TACIS (countries of former Soviet Union) • PHARE (Bulgaria, Romania) • CARDS (Western Balkans) Process: policy negotiated between country and EC – country has power of veto – so unless good contacts with relevant government ministry, unlikely to get LGBT issues into Programme priorities. - projects (except v small ones) selected in BXL, but then admin is by local delegation Possible grant areas: Civil Society development (TACIS = IBPP), human rights, HIV/AIDS, Youth etc Talk through your ideas with local Delegation official first!

19. External grant programmes relevant to LGBT organisations (2) “Top down” programme • EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights) ILGA-Europe can try to influence terms of reference. • EU delegations have local progammes in some cases – local groups shd try to influence terms of reference

20. EIDHR “Campaigns” relevant to LGBT groups • Campaign 2: “Fostering a culture of human rights”: “promote the rights of human rights defenders” • Campaign 3: “Promoting the democratic process” ? “promote freedom of association – establishing networks of information”? (Campaign 4: Advancing equality, tolerance and peace: unfortunately “securing equal rights and treatment of persons and people belonging to minorities …” limited to race/ language/ religion) Next calls for proposals: July 2005