The presentation was part of an event about Local Enterprise Partnerships with Involve Yorkshire and Humber event in Leeds on Wednesday 11 December.
The presentation was by Ingrid Gardiner from NCVO's European Funding Network and looks at all aspects of accessing European structural funds.
Find out more about European Funding Network's past events: http://europeanfundingnetwork.eu/events/past-events
Find out more about the European funding network: http://europeanfundingnetwork.eu/
3. European Structural and
Investment Funds
Introduction to the European Structural and Investment Funds
•The Structural and Cohesion Funds are the European Union’s
main funding programmes for reducing social and economic
disparities across the EU. In England, these funds comprise
the:
•European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which
supports research, innovation, business development and
infrastructure investment
•European Social Fund (ESF) which supports training,
enhancing access to employment and social inclusion.
•It will also include part of the European Agricultural Fund
for Rural Development (EAFRD), and will be aligned with the
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This
funding should begin to come on stream in mid-2014.
4. European Structural and
Investment Funds
2007-2013 Programme
DWP’s European Social Fund Division (ESFD) is the Managing Authority
of the ESF Programme in England and funding is ‘matched’ with UK
Government funding. You can also access ESF through one of the Cofinancing organisations, including NOMS, and Skills Funding Agency,
Department for Work and Pensions More information on the European
Social Fund in England is available at www.dwp.gov.uk/esf. For
information on ESF and civil society, please go to our dedicated
European Funding Network website.
Above opportunities tendered through PQQ and ITT
Community Grants through Grant Co-ordinating Bodies
e.g. The Consultancy Home Counties Limited, Surrey Community Action,
Tower Hamlets CVS
7. European Structural and
Investment Funds
• To re-cap, LEPs are responsible for:
• coming up with an investment strategy for spending their allocation
• finding projects to deliver that strategy, using a mixture of
commissioning, bidding and co-financing as best meets local need
• finding match funding for those projects
• ensuring those projects deliver their targets
• making sure their allocations are spent on time
• monitoring how well they are delivering against their strategies and
the programme priorities
8. Civil Society and LEPs
• Engagement with all
stakeholders
• Building meaningful
strategic relationships
• Help deliver social inclusion
(20%!)
• That is not the only offer –
civil society sector comes
in many different forms –
CICs, social enterprises,
mutuals and trade unions
9. Local focus
new opportunities?
• Opt in (e.g. Big Lottery
Fund) to complement
Growth Programme and
social inclusion
• Community Led Local
Development
• Community Grants
• Volunteer time
• Social innovation
• Social investment
• Technical assistance
10. Civil Society Active
Phase 2
• Completion of Action Plan
• Consultation with the European Funding Network
and civil society partners
• Tendering for LEP engagement activity – project
awarded to Regional Voices (One East Midlands is
the accountable body)
• LEP engagement events
• Support tools
• Blogs and updates on website
• Contribution to LEP events
• One to one surgeries
11. Role of Partners and EFN
• Following tight timescales investment strategies –
sent 7 October
• Information sharing
• Europeanfundingnetwork.eu
• One to one surgeries with LEPs
• Wider information events before holidays– 10th,
11th and 12th of December
12. Local focus
new opportunities?
•
•
•
•
What is CLLD?
Modelled on previous Leader approaches (RDPE)
An optional tool for territorial development
Focussed on sub-regional areas (10-150,000
population)
• Driven by local communities
• Multi-sectoral (public, private and civil society)
• Integrated approach single or multi-fund options
possible e.g. ESF + ERDF; Leader + ESF + ERDF;
EMFF + ESF etc.
13. Tasks of LAGs
•
•
•
•
•
•
Local Action Groups
(LAGs) select accountable
body
Build capacity
Draw up selection criteria
Call for proposals
Selection
Monitoring and evaluation
14. Why should LEPs
consider CLLD
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Local communities and business in control of needs of local
area and preferred solutions
Opportunity for small scale localised and micro-interventions
Interventions complementary to LEP investment strategies
Builds the capacity of communities to act & work in
partnership to respond to economic, social and
environmental challenges
Based on co-responsibility and ownership
Networking and cooperation activities
Strong focus on innovation
Long term investment
Benefits of investment stay in community
Concentrated on areas of need
15. Community Grants - ESF
• ESF community grants are grants of up to £12,000 which
enable small VCS organisations to work with most
disadvantaged and excluded people.
• The grants have a local focus and seek to move people closer
to the labour market.
They support a wide range of activities including:
• initial help with basic skills
• taster work experience, including voluntary work
• training, advice and counselling
• confidence building.
16. Community Grants - ESF
• People with disabilities or health conditions (inc. those with
learning difficulties, mental health issues or drug and alcohol
dependency problems)
• People aged 50 or over and seeking employment
• People from ethnic minorities
• Women
• Lone parents
• Case Studies
17. •European Structural Investment Fund 2014-20
•High Level Business Process
•Local Enterprise Partnership
•Project Implementation
•Investment Plan
•Routes into the Programme
•Opt-In
•Negotiated
procedure
with Opt-In
organisations
•Open Call
Seeks ideas to
deliver against
strategy
•LEP Defined
Activity
•Commissioned
investments / direct
bids etc.
•Assess
Strategic Fit
•Monitor
Performance
against Strategy
•Confirm
strategic
fit
•Instruction to
Invest
•Applicant
•Write
Initial
Application
•Managing Authority
•Funding
Agreemen
t
•Develop
Full
Application
•Selection
into the
Programme
•Facilitation to
complete full
Application
Form
•Funding
Agreemen
t
•Technica
l
Appraisal
•Project
Delivery
•Contract
Management&
Monitoring
•Reporting – All data on IT system – Reports drawn off as required
•Annex to Paper to the Growth Programme Board
•Proje
ct
Close
•Closu
re
18. Useful Resources
To help think through how Community Grants might be used the
following links may be useful:
DWP - ESF Community Grants
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/esf/funding-opportunities/community-grants/
SFA - ESF Community Grants (scroll down the page)
http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/providers/programmes/esf/
European Funding Network
http://europeanfundingnetwork.eu/news/Community-grants-2014-2015
Community Grants Presentation from LEP Engagement event
http://europeanfundingnetwork.eu/events/engaging-with-your-leps
Future of Lifelong Learning Programme
https://www.lifelonglearningprogramme.org.uk/
Editor's Notes
Identifying Funding Eligibility
Ingrid Gardiner, EU Manager, National Council for Voluntary Organisations - CONFIRMED
Understand where funding opportunities could exist within existing activities
Identify EU Structural funding eligibility from currently approved budgets
Establish the eligibility of what funding your organisation can access
This page gives an overview of the following funding streams mostly used by civil society organisations
Structural Funds - focusing on the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund
Partnership and transnational work
Financial instruments and Social business
European Structural Funds 2007-2013
Generally, the biggest amount of money that comes into England form the EU is via the EU Structural Funds.
The Structural and Cohesion Funds are the EU’s main instruments for supporting social and economic restructuring across EU member states. They account for over one third of the European Union budget and are used to tackle regional disparities and support regional development through actions including developing infrastructure and telecommunications, developing human resources and supporting research and development.
To see how much money goes into your region see our financial allocationpages on the EFN website.
European Social Fund (ESF)
ESF is the EU’s main fund designed to help people into work and to invest skills and training of those furthest from the labour market. DWP’s European Social Fund Division (ESFD) is the Managing Authority of the ESF Programme in England and funding is ‘matched’ with UK Government funding. You can also access ESF through one of the Co-financing organisations, including NOMS, and Skills Funding Agency. More information on the European Social Fund in England is available at www.dwp.gov.uk/esf. For information on ESF and civil society, please go to our dedicated European Funding Network website.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
ERDF is focused on reducing economic disparities within and between member states by supporting economic regeneration and safeguarding jobs. The Managing Authority of the fund in England is the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). For information on the programme visit the DCLG website.
We are in the last 2 years of the Structural funds programme. Negotiations on the 2014-2020 programme are already taking place. If you would like more information on the latest developments, please go to our European Funding Network website.
Partnership and transnational
These European Community programme are awarded to implement projects or activities in relation to EU policies within fields as diverse as research, education, health, consumer protection, protection of the environment etc. Amongst these opportunities are programmes such as
Europe for Citizens
This programme is designed to bring Europe closer to its citizens, promote active EU citizenship, and mutual understanding between citizens in different countries. Funding opportunities are listed on the European Commission website.
PROGRESS
PROGRESS is an integrated programme for employment and social solidarity to support the EU’s approach to employment and social affairs. Current call for proposals can be found on the PROGRESS website.
DAPHNE
DAPHNE is aimed at protecting vulnerable citizens from violence and protecting children’s rights. If your organisation is interested in applying for DAPHNE funding, view their on-line toolkit with resources including an archive of successful projects.
Lifelong learning and vocational training
Funding for UK individuals to visit other European countries for training courses, job shadowing, work placements, and develop partnership with organisations in Europe. Examples of Programmes:- Grundtvig (adult education) and Leonardo (vocational education and training).
Youth in Action
Youth in action is a programme that aims to inspire a sense of active European citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to involve them in shaping the Union's future. The national agency responsible for Youth in Action in the UK is the British Council.
Find out more on the British Council website.
Culture Programme
This programme funds projects that encourage intercultural dialogue, promote cross-border mobility of those working in the sector and and enhance cultural output and is available for not for profit organisations.
Details of opportunities are available on the UK’s Cultural Contact Point website.
Environment
Life + supports environmental and nature conservation projects. Priorities include biodiversity, environment policy and information and communication.
Research and Innovation
The two main funding sources of the EU’s research and innovation programme, are the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP7) and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP). There are also opportunities to fund research and innovation through the Structural Funds.
Sport
Since the Lisbon Treaty gave the EU a competence on sport, there has been a focus on creating an EU programme for sport. Among the priorities will be encouraging volunteering in sport, and promoting social inclusion.
Find out more on the European Commission’s sport section.
Match funding
EU funds only cover a part of a projects’ costs so the rest of the funds need to be secured by 'matching it'' through EU public or private funding. Match funding is usually the responsibility of the applicant and all match funding will need to be evidenced.
State Aid
Any money given out by public bodies may constitute state aid. It is therefore important to be aware that there are strict rules designed to ensure EU competition and free trade rules are not breached.
For more information on this, visit our State Aid Pages on the EFN website.
Financial instruments
There is funding available in the forms of European Investment Bank loans, guarantees and investment to support SME’s (JEREMIE) and for sustainable urban development (JESSICA).
The Commission’s new Social Business Initiative will help start up schemes to access EU funding from 2014 onwards. The 90million Euros fund has been created to stimulate an EU wide Social Investment market.
For more information see NCVO policy pages on Social Business.
CFOs contract with the providers that deliver ESF projects on the ground. Providers can be from the private, public or voluntary sectors. CFOs make ESF available through a process of open and competitive tendering. Successful providers do not have to find their own 'match funding', as CFOs are responsible for both the ESF money and match funding.
Details of any current, recent or planned CFO tendering rounds are provided below.
Department for Work and Pensions
National Offender Management Service
Skills Funding Agency
Central Bedfordshire and Bedfordshire Borough Council
East Midlands Local Authority Consortium
London Councils
Greater London Authority
Luton Borough Council
Details of previous tendering rounds under the first half of the programme (2007 – 2010) can be viewed via the National Archives website.
Projects funded so far under the 2007-2013 ESF programme are available on this website.
Department for Work and Pensions
There are no funding opportunities at the present time.
Information on current DWP ESF programmes can be found on the following websites:
ESF Support for Families with Multiple Problems - DWP
Day one support young people - DWP.
In line with Cabinet Office guidance, details of all live public sector opportunities to tender and contract information are published on Contracts Finder on the GOV.UK website. The published information relates to contracts with a value of £10,000 and above.
National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
There are no funding opportunities at the present time.
NOMS – European Social Fund (Ministry of Justice website)
Please email cfo-social enterprise@noms.gsi.gov.uk with any queries.
Skills Funding Agency
There are no funding opportunities at the present time.
Skills Funding Agency – ESF
Central Bedfordshire Council
There are no funding opportunities at the present time.
Website: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/esf
East Midlands Local Authority Consortium
There are no funding opportunities at the present time.
Lincolnshire County Council website
London Councils
Borough co-financing programme 2013-15
Seven tender specifications have been designed in partnership with the boroughs of Brent, Enfield, Hackney, Havering, Islington, Redbridge and Sutton.
Working with the European Socal Fund these boroughs have created a £1.3 million programme to support people into employment through local projects. Project delivery is expected to commence in July 2013 and finish in June 2015
The deadline for applications is 12 noon on 24 May 2013.
Full details and how to apply:
http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/grants/esf/
Greater London Authority (GLA)
Programme name: Day One Support for Young People (see Department for Work and Pensions above)
Luton Borough Council
All ESF tendering for Luton Borough Council has now been completed.
The Council had previously carried out five procurement rounds and a total of ten ESF co-financed projects are currently being delivered.
Luton Borough Council ESF co-financed projects (61KB)
An “EU Growth Programme” to be financed by ERDF and ESF with a contribution from EAFRD
A single “EU Growth Programme Board” incorporating a joint Programme Managing Committee for ESF and ERDF Growth Board meeting on the 14th of September
LEPs to identify their preferred EU investment prospectus as part of their wider growth strategy, for agreement by the Growth Board. LEPs will not take on project delivery accountabilities, however but retain a strategic oversight role in cooperation with local partners.
Government departmental teams to work as “CSF Area Growth Teams” to support LEPs in their strategic role. All final funding decisions to be dependant upon due diligence by fund Managing Authorities.
National co-financing initiatives to take account of local needs
‘ITIs’ may be an option in a limited number of places - where this arrangement will deliver better value, higher impact results.
innovation, research and technological development
support for small businesses
the low carbon economy
skills
employment
social inclusion
To re-cap, LEPs are responsible for:
coming up with an investment strategy for spending their allocation
finding projects to deliver that strategy, using a mixture of commissioning, bidding and co-financing as best meets local need
finding match funding for those projects
ensuring those projects deliver their targets
making sure their allocations are spent on time
monitoring how well they are delivering against their strategies and the programme priorities
The role of civil society with LEPs
engagement with all stakeholders, including social partners, must form an integral part of the prioritisation and investment of EU funding.
Building meaningful strategic relationships with Civil Society organisations adds significant value to the strategic analysis, planning and effective delivery of EU funding within the LEP area. We would like to take this opportunity to outline the support available through Civil Society in delivering this new and
exciting element of LEP strategic development.
The VCS is capable of providing a vital multi-level support and delivery
function to LEPs from both a cross sector and partnership delivery
perspective as well as in relation to specific thematic Partnership Groups that
will be required as part of their strategic development and delivery role. In
relation to engagement with economic development and structures both the
European Commission and the UK government refer to the VCS as forming
part of ‘Civil Society’; encapsulating what we might consider previously as
the ‘third sector’ and including co-operatives, CICs / social enterprises,
mutuals and trade unions.
ST
ST
ST
LAGS select accountable body from structure or create a
Legally constituted common structure
Build the capacity of local actors to develop and implement operations
Drawing up selection procedures
Making calls for proposals
Selection of proposals
Monitoring and evaluation
ST
ST
LAGS select accountable body from structure or create a
Legally constituted common structure
Build the capacity of local actors to develop and implement operations
Drawing up selection procedures
Making calls for proposals
Selection of proposals
Monitoring and evaluation