Demystifying EC Funding Opportunities Jolle NOIRFALISSE EC Funding

Demystifying EC Funding Opportunities Joëlle NOIRFALISSE EC Funding Coordinator - WWF European Policy Office ENP Policy Seminar 2006, Brussels 1 December 2006

Overview of the Presentation 1) Who handles EC external funding opportunities? 2) Where to find the information? 3) The Cycle of the Calls for Proposals 4) What to remember when preparing a proposal?

Who handles “funding” ? Ø Europe. Aid Cooperation Office was officially set up on 1 January 2001 Ø Mission: to implement EC external aid instruments funded through the EC budget and the European Development Fund Ø Does NOT deal with pre-accession, humanitarian activities, macrofinancial assistance, the Common Foreign and Security Policy or the Rapid Reaction Facility Ø Wider objectives of the programmes are established by DG External Relations and DG Development (approved by the Commission) Ø Europe. Aid forms part of the portfolio of Ms B. Ferrero-Waldner (Commissioner for External Relations and ENP)

Who handles “funding”? (continued…) Ø Since 2001, significant transfer of responsibilities to Delegations (Deconcentration Process) "Anything that can be better managed and decided on the spot, close to what is happening on the ground, should not be managed or decided in Brussels“ Ø Delegations now responsible for key operational tasks: v v v project identification and appraisal contracting and disbursement project monitoring and evaluation

Organigram of Europe. Aid

Calls for Proposals The main funding instrument for NSAs Ø Calls for Proposals are most often used for financing activities aimed at NSAs Ø Can be launched by Europe. Aid (not country specific) or by a Delegation or by designated authority within the country/region (country/region specific) Ø Yearly planning of calls and calls for proposals are (normally!) published on the Europe. Aid Website before 31 March of each year: http: //ec. europa. eu/europeaid/tender/index_en. htm Ø Local calls can sometimes only be published on the website of the EC Delegation: http: //ec. europa. eu/comm/external_relations/delegations/intro/web. htm

Calls for Proposals The main funding instrument for NSAs (continued…) Ø In your country: F Find out from the delegation if and when calls will be launched. F Check the websites regularly! F Keep in touch with the Delegation!

Cycle of the Call for Proposals Ø Cycle of the Calls for Proposals is always the same Ø Templates for the documents are always the same Ø But content of the documents is always different! Eligibility, amounts, co-financing, partnership requirements (. . . )

Cycle of the Call for Proposals (continued) Publication of Call for Proposals Receipt of Concept Note Letter of acknowledgement to applicants Technical Evaluation of Concept Note Letter of rejection to unsuccessful applicants Letter of notification to successful applicants Receipt of Full Application Deadline for submission of Full Application: Date of Publication + at least 90 days (or + at least 60 days if grant 100. 000 EUR) Letter of rejection to unsuccessful applicants Technical & Financial Evaluation of Selected full Application Letter of rejection to unsuccessful applicants Letter to applicants on the Reserve List Letter requesting supporting documents to provisionally successful applicants Administrative & Eligibility Compliance Letter of rejection to unsuccessful applicants Projects recommended for funding Notification to successful applicants Preparation and signing of contracts

When Applying Ø Ø Ø Make sure to respect the format! Including font type and size (!!!) Look for the list of FAQs and ask if in doubt (mailbox!) Don’t miss the support tools provided in the Guidelines. . . Evaluation grid for the Concept Note: Ø Maximum total score = 50 points » » » Relevance (25 points) Methodology and Sustainability (15 points) Operational Capacity & Expertise (10 points) Evaluation grid for the Application Form: Ø Maximum total score = 100 points » » » Financial & Operational Capacity (20 points) Relevance (25 points) Methodology (25 points) Sustainability (15 points) Budget & Cost Effectiveness (15 points)

Relevance of your Proposal « RELEVANCE» is particularly important (25 points): F Make sure to align to at least one of the priorities of the Call F Use other relevant EC documents including Country/Regional Strategy Papers: http: //ec. europa. eu/comm/external_relations/sp/index. htm F Illustrate a thorough understanding not only of the existing needs and constraints (providing facts and figures) but also of what is already being done by the government (central/local), the EC, other NGOs. . . F What will be the added value of what YOU PROPOSE TO DO compared to what is ALREADY BEING DONE?

Relevance of your proposal (continued. . . ) F Differentiate between “Overall” and “Specific” Objectives: Overall objectives can be SEVERAL, specific objective is SINGLE! F Be as precise as possible in the definition of you specific objective! F Differentiate between the “target groups” and the “final beneficiaries” (qualify/quantify): v Target Groups: “directly targeted by the action. Their situation will improve as a direct result of the intervention v Final Beneficiaries: benefits will “trickle” down to them. . . F Don’t forget gender and equal opportunity. But don’t just through the words around!!! F Pre-feasibility study is always a definite plus!

Methodology of your proposal The Activities, a central element! What will concretely be done to meet the proposed specific objectives? Ø Ø Ø Step by step approach (tasks) eg. Activity 1, 2, 3 etc Include the title and a detailed description of each activity Provide narrative detail • Who? What? Where? When? • Include means of each activity (materials, personnel) • Deliverables of each activity (outputs) Correspond to Plan of Action Allow for cross-check with Budget

Methodology of your proposal The Activities (continued. . . ) Strongly recommended to include: Ø Ø Ø A Kick- off meeting between partners Preparation of a partnership agreement Communication strategy (internal and external) – website! Activities that offer the possibility for replicating/sharing with others the outcome (participation in conferences, workshops) Detailed monitoring and evaluation activities by managers, including update of Logical Framework. . .

The Logical Framework Preparation and signing of contracts Project Implementation

The Logical Framework Overall Objectives Project Purpose Expected Results Activities High overall objectives to which the project contributes The project’s specific objective (there should be only) The products of the undertaken activities Actions/tasks executed as part of the project to produce the results

The Logical Framework (continued) Overall Objectives Project Purpose Expected Results Activities What are the overall broader objectives to which the project will contribute? Examples: By 2012, the natural resource base in the Zebra forest of Waziland is managed sustainably to improve the livelihoods of remote rural communities (…) What is the specific objective which the project shall achieve? Example: By 2010, improved livelihood options and enabling conditions deliver at least a 50% increase in income for the three target communities of Wabi, Zabi and Xeba, leading to better access to social services (…) What are the concrete outputs envisaged to achieve the specific objectives? What are the envisaged effects and benefits of the project? What improvements and changes will be produced by the project? Examples: (1) 30 sustainable development plans are developed and implemented by target communities with assistance from local authorities (2) Government Development Planning in the Zebra forest is integrated, participatory and supports the needs of resource reliant communities (including marginalized groups), civil society and the private sector through effective natural resource management What are the key activities to be carried out and in what sequence in order to produce the expected results? Example: (1) Organisation of six monthly stakeholder steering committees forest management in the Zebra Forest (2) Organisation of 1 training workshop for 20 government representatives

The Logical Framework (continued) OBJECTIVELY VERIFIABLE INDICATORS OF ACHIEVEMENT: What are the key indicators related to the overall objectives? Example: National level funding allocations and development plans reflect government recommendations for improved management of natural resources by 2012 What are the quantitative or qualitative indicators showing whether and to what extent the project’s specific objective is achieved? Example: By end of 3 rd Yr, 50% of 30 selected communities apply improved community led natural resource livelihood strategies, leading to at least a 50% increase in household income What are the indicators to measure whether and to what extent the project achieves the envisaged results and effects? Example: (1) 20 government personnel trained in good governance, participatory assessments and planning by Yr 2; (2) A representative forest management institution to monitor, regulate and enforce sustainable management of natural resources in the zebra forest area is funded, legally recognised and operating effectively by year 3 (…) What are the means required to implement this activity (materiel, personnel, financial means etc. ) Example: Community Facilitators will conduct staff training for resource planning. The WWF Forest Coordinator and team will identify current needs, resources and actions to assist the establishment of community development plans that will feed into the district planning process and district level. OVIs provide a measure of project progress - Must be measurable - Time period, target group and location may need to be specified - Include more than one indicator for a particular aspect if a single one does not provide full picture of the expected change

The Logical Framework (continued) SOURCES AND MEANS OF VERIFICATION - What are the sources of information for these indicators? v. Official Reports v. Satellite imagery and ground verification v. Baseline, mid-term and final socio-economic surveys v. Baseline, mid-term and final surveys of forest cover and species v. Community attitude survey v. Questionnaires Assumptions & Risks – Don’t overlook them! Present “remedies”… Run a thorough check before sending!

Thank You and Good Luck…