Workshop on the European Social Fund Maribor 20 th – 21 th April 2006

1. South – East Regional Authority Údarás Réigiúnach an Oir-Dheiscirt Workshop on the European Social FundMaribor20th – 21th April 2006 “The ESF Application Procedure”

2. Structure of Presentation • The Application Procedure • Completing the Application Form • Examination of Applications • General Principles of the Application Form • Points to Remember/Conclusion

3. The Application Procedure • Call for proposals by the European Commission • Operation/Project Idea • Brainstorming Session with Key Stakeholders

4. The Application Procedure Current Call for Proposals 2004 – 2006 • Management of Demographic Change • Supporting EU initiatives to promote active ageing • Raise the employment level of older workers • Management of Restructuring • Supporting innovative solutions to restructuring by enhancing the capacity for adaptation and anticipation of workers, enterprises and public authorities

5. The Application Procedure Activities Funded • Establishment of networks for cooperation • Exchange of experience including presentation visits, seminars, studies, exchanges of staff, websites • Support studies and demonstration projects

6. The Application Procedure • Aim to solve the gap that the EU has identified • Educate the evaluator – have your facts and figures on your situation and how they relate to the gap • Guidelines tell you what they want – you need to know why? - relevance

7. Completing the Application Form Sections of the Application Form • Theme & Priority to be addressed • Details of the Applicant Organisation • Finance, staff, equipment, experience of similar projects, etc. • Details of the Partner Organisation

8. Completing the Application Form Sections of the Application Form • Project Description • Summary • Main objectives of the project • Background to the project – facts, figures, issues • Innovative elements of the project • Dissemination & Mainstreaming of the results & Outputs • Sustainability of the project & partnership

9. Completing the Application Form Sections of the Application Form • Project Description (Cont.) • Ongoing Monitoring & Evaluation of the projects activities (strategies) • Expected benefits, immediate effects, outcomes, performance indicators • Description of the work packages/project components (usually 2 year project) • Timetable & Budget

10. Know SelectionCriteria • Study Programme Documents • Study Selection Criteria • Discuss Selection Criteria with Partners • Ensure Value for Money • Self – Assess your proposal critically Relevance Coherence & Approach Results Management Partnership Budget & Finance

11. Work Package Descriptions • Break the project down into Work packages (WP) or project components or personnel roles • Identify WP leaders • Clarify individual roles and responsibilities • Identify project tasks/deliverables/outputs for WP • Identify Constraints (time statutory) • Identify risks and their ownership • Apportion costs/funding to each WP

12. Examination of Applications Steps of the Evaluation Process • Specific Evaluation Committee est. • Check the formal conformity of the projects • Check the eligibility of the applicant • Check the eligibility of the proposal • Quality assessment of the eligible proposal

13. Relevance of the proposal Coherence of proposal & quality of approach Quality of results Content – Related Criteria Examination of ApplicationsEligibility & Quality Assessment

14. Quality of Management Quality of Partnership Budget & Finance Implementation –Related Criteria Examination of ApplicationsEligibility & Quality Assessment

15. Relevance of the Proposal Make Sure You Meet the Programme Goals! • Is the issue addressed relevant to the programme objectives? • Is there a link to the themes? • Does the proposed project contribute to the solution of the problem being addressed?

16. The Critical Triangle Three areas underpin any application • Evidence of Need: demonstrate the need for the activity, identify “gap in provision” and/or “barriers to participation” • Beneficiary numbers: demonstrate that the project has realistic targets and are deliverable within the available resources • Results of Project: demonstrate that the project activities will meet the identified needs

17. Coherence of Proposal & Quality of Approach Ensure Consistency! • Are outputs & results clearly described and meaningful • Is the problem clearly stated and the overall proposal/work plan coherent and transparent • Is the intensity of co-operation appropriate

18. Coherence of the Proposal & Quality of Approach Do not mix Outputs & Results!

19. Examples of clearly defined Outputs Output: Meetings, training, seminar etc. Type: Type of meetings (seminars, workshop, training, steering group etc. Quantification: No. of meetings/participants Other Info: Target group, topic, duration,

20. Examples of clearly defined Results

21. Quality of Results Make Sure your Results are Innovative! • Process Oriented Innovation – dev. of new tools, concepts, methods and approaches and the improvement of existing methods • Goal Oriented Innovation – formulation of new objectives incl. Sustainability, Equal Opps etc. • Context Oriented Innovation – relates to political and institutional structures and systems development

22. Quality of Management Make Sure your Management is Sound! • Are Management, implementation and coordination procedures and responsibilities clear? Is the capacity of the lead partner sufficient? • Is the Management structure clear? Are procedures for decision-making and monitoring transparent?

23. Quality of Partnership Make Sure your Partnership is Meaningful! • Are the appropriate partners involved to solve the problem? • Are the problems/issues common to all partners? • Is the Partnership balanced? • Strongly involve your partners in the design of the operation

24. Budget & Finance Make Sure the Budget is Reasonable! • Is the overall budget reasonable compared to the planned activities, outputs & results • Is the budget balanced? • Is the kind and amount of external expertise justified? • Make sure the budget reflects all activities/outputs in a realistic way

25. Know Selection Criteria Meet Programme Goals Have relevant Approach & Objectives Define Visible and Tangible Results Be Clear in your Application Be Consistent & Logical in the Component Descriptions Present Strong & Balanced Partnership Ensure Professional Management Base your Budget on Activities Avoid last minute mistakes “10 Golden Rules”

26. Be Clear in your Application • Be clear and consistent about the why?, what?, how? And when? of your proposal • Use clear and precise language & terminology throughout the application form • Make sure your reasoning can be followed and your application understood

27. Be Consistent & Logical in the Component Descriptions • Provide clear component descriptions • Present coherent activities • Time & Sequence activities logically • Provide as much detail as necessary • Remember the importance of monitoring

28. Present Strong & Balanced Partnership • Develop operation jointly with Partners • Reflect their needs, interests and experiences • Define roles clearly and balance inputs • Involve regional/local authorities that are able to use and/or implement results achieved

29. Ensure Professional Management • Foresee clear management structures • Ensure systematic cooperation through joint work groups and implementation structures • Have professional management team • For outsourced management: ensure Liaison Person is always fully informed and responsible

30. Base your budget on activities • Ensure value for money • Link costs to activities and outputs • Present transparent and realistic budget • Distribute resources according to estimated cost of activities • Make sure activities/outputs in components are coherent with budget-breakdown

31. Examination of Applications Evaluation Summary Report INTRO Proposal • Relevance to the Call for Proposals (0.5) • Quality of the Support Action (1.5) • Potential Impact (0.75) • Quality of Management (1.5) • Mobilisation of the Resources (0.75)

32. General Principles of Applications Priority given to proposals based on the following: Innovation & Experimentation • Seek to promote new approaches & identify examples of best practice to improve implementation of the structural funds

33. General Principles of Applications Priority given to proposals based on the following: Support to the Mainstream Programme Linkages with Monitoring Committee & Managing Authority to maximise outputs

34. General Principles of Applications Priority given to proposals based on the following: Concentration Transparent & simple management focusing efforts on defined number of thematic fields & projects

35. General Principles of Applications Priority given to proposals based on the following: Partnership Different Actors • Public Authorities • Private Sector • Social Partners • Voluntary/Community Sector

36. General Principles of Applications Priority given to proposals based on the following: Continuous Improvement Build on lessons learnt Equal Opportunities Apply principle of Equal Opps. for Men & Women

37. General Principles of Applications Priority given to proposals based on the following: Transnational Cooperation & Networking Brings added value to projects Provide the opportunity to test innovative approaches to pilot the transfer of innovation

38. Transnational Projects • Aimed at large projects – multiple partners • Research focused - is this what you want? • Co-ordination a difficult job • Identify areas which might be of interest • Become part of • Network of excellence, Thematic Networks • Integrated Projects (as small partner) • Talk to those who have done it!

39. Finding partners • Join relevant European Research Associations • Existing co-ordinators of EU R&D contracts • Thematic Networks/Concerted Actions • Members of assessment/monitoring/evaluation panels • Writers of EU Studies and Reports • EU Conferences and Seminars

40. Networking Process • Share & Exchange ideas, experience & information • Demonstrate know-how & good practice • Foster transnational links & collaboration • Establish formal comparative framework • Raise awareness • Improve evaluation exercises • Identify future partnerships

41. General Principles of Applications Priority given to proposals based on the following: Capitalisation, Dissemination & Evaluation Capitalisation & Dissemination of the project results and lessons learnt

42. General Principles of Applications Evaluation Project subject to ongoing & Ex post evaluation Measures: • Impact • Innovation • Effectiveness • Transferability of the results obtained

43. Benefits of Participation • Access to funding • Direct access to EC • Exposure to other systems, experiences, practices • Opportunity to pilot initiatives • Match-funding not a major barrier • Not usually a big cash contribution required • Staff time allowable: primarily means of meeting match-funding

44. Attach Necessary Documents • Co-financing statements • Letters of support • List of Staff and daily rates • CVs of key staff • Details of sub-contracted elements • (See List of documents required by call)

45. Final Production • Cross T’s and Dot I’s • Reference No.’s • No. of copies to be submitted • Formatting, checking budgets, cross checking against guidelines • Include all requested documentation • Respect the deadlines, they are set in stone

46. Conclusion • Proposal writing can be a bit of an art • Requires timing and organisation • Need to be thorough in your planning and preparation • Make sure that the idea/concept you have ‘fits the bill’ • Get partners that you can rely on • Consider employing a proposal writer for a % of the fund