Producing a Successful Application Form: Pitfalls and Tips

Producing a Successful Application Form:Pitfalls and Tips Daniela Azzopardi Tourism and Sustainable Development Unit Office of the Prime Minister

The Grant Scheme for Sustainable Tourism Projects by Enterprises directs funding towards the economic development of the tourism sector Projects must be submitted according to the specified guidelines The evaluation process will determine which projects acquire funding Applicants will need to reach a pass mark as well as compete with other projects General Introduction to the Scheme

The application form is the enterprise’s presentation of the project. It is the only information that the evaluators will have. It is therefore suggested that the applicant places all the project details and background information in the application form Importance of the Application Form

The application form is also the enterprise’s commitment towards the project and the activities being described. Prior to proposing the project the applicant should be aware that failure to carry any of the activities proposed would constitute project incompletion Importance of the Application Form

The Intermediate Body is currently preparing to launch the scheme officially, and following this launch the application form and related documentation will be made public. This presentation identifies a number of tips and possible pitfalls that applicants should look out for so as to ensure higher success of their application form. This Presentation

The applicant must ensure that all the correct information is outlined. This would avoid queries or clarifications during the evaluation and implementation phases. It is highly suggested that the project has a Project Manager who is completely dedicated to the project. In the case of projects submitted by small and medium sized enterprises as well as networks there of, sub-contracted project management costs can be refunded through the project. Applicant Details

It is very important that the applicants put as much detail as possible in the project description. No aspect of the project should be taken for granted and should be explained to the evaluators The evaluation team will have different expertise ranging from tourism to innovation to environment. Project Description

Projects submitted under the scheme must be well planned with regards the activities identified. The activities must comply with the eligibility guidelines specified in the Guidance Notes to the Application Form. The activities under each intervention area need to be chosen based on the three year time line. Should the project be approved, the activities identified in the application form will have to be carried out to ensure project completion. Project Planning - Activities

The timeline is another aspect of project planning that the applicant must give due attention to. The three year timeline threshold must be respected in order to ensure no loss of funding. The applicant will have to specify when the activities will take place so supplier delays should be assumed and taken into consideration. The possibility to amend the timeline will be limited and applicants are encouraged to retain their commitment to the original timeline. Project Planning - Timeline

Networks pose a number of benefits. Apart from gaining added points in the evaluation, Networks offer enterprises the possibility of sharing costs as well as producing a more competitive application form. The enterprises must ensure that an agreement must be prepared prior to submission so as to clarify all financial and procedural issues. A copy of this agreement must be submitted with the application form as well as the details of all the enterprises in the network. Networks: A special Case

The Strategic Priorities hold most of the weighting in the evaluation process. The Strategic Priorities consist of two Horizontal Priorities and four Thematic Priorities. There is a set of questions outlined in the application form for each of the six priorities which should be addressed by the project. Failure to answer any of the questions will result in the loss of points allocated to the respective question. The Strategic Priorities

A Technical Committee will be responsible for evaluating the Strategic Priorities. The points allocated per question range from 0 to 5 depending on the arguments raised by the applicants. Applicants are encouraged to contact the competent authorities to ensure that the best possible arguments are presented. The Strategic Priorities

The applicant must indicate how much the project will cost. Activities will be refunded once the beneficiary submits the receipt to the IB. The applicant will have to ensure that the receipt details match those in the submitted quotation and that the cost related to the value approved in the application form. The Project Budget

The applicant must submit three quotations, from three different and independent suppliers, for each activity. The budget will be based on the supplier quotation selected by the applicant to carry out the works The applicant should discuss details of when the service is required with the supplier since this may influence the quotation The Project Budget - Quotations

Receipts will be submitted throughout the project life-time as specified in the timeline approved. The grant will be refunded in three tranches: Repayment 1: 40% project completion Repayment 2: 40% project completion Repayment 3: 20% project completion The Project Budget - Repayment

The list of supporting documentation that is required with the application form is just as important as the information in the document. Examples of documentation to be submitted include: Licences MEPA permit (if required) Audited accounts or certified Profit and Loss (start-ups) Co-financing confirmation VAT registration Supporting Documentation

The applicant is required to sign a declaration outlining that the information submitted is correct. Application Forms must be type written to avoid interpretation issues Defaults in the information could result in disqualification of the application form A Grant Agreement will then be signed upon awarding the funds ensuring that both the IB and the Beneficiaries are bound by a number of clauses. General Comments

Contact Details:tourismschemes.opm@gov.mt

Producing a Successful Application Form: Pitfalls and Tips