This document provides an overview of European Structural and Investment Funds for 2014-2020, including the key priorities and potential opportunities for third sector organizations in Wales. The main points are: - €1.4 billion will be available to Wales from the European Structural and Investment Funds between 2014-2020. - The funds will prioritize objectives like job creation, tackling poverty, skills development, renewable energy, and cross-border cooperation. - There may be opportunities for third sector organizations to help deliver projects that address these priorities by partnering with government departments, local authorities, or applying directly to funding bodies. - WCVA can provide support to help third sector groups engage with the

1. European Structural & Investment
Funds 2014-2020
WCVA third sector funding conference 2014
WCVA and the Welsh European Funding Office
Contact: 3SET@wcva.org.uk
 www.wcva.org.uk  0800 2888 329  help@wcva.org.uk Up-dated June 2013

2. Overview
• Understand the policy context and key drivers for
the European Structural & Investment Funds
(ESIF) 2014-2020
• Understand the draft Programme Priorities and
timescales
• Understand potential delivery opportunities for the
third sector
• Understand what WCVA is doing to help the sector
to engage in delivering EU Structural Funds
projects

3. EU Structural Funds in Wales 2014-2020
£1.4bn
£300m
€100 m
Rural Development
Plan (RDP)
£953m

4. 2014-2020 new drivers from
the EU
• Europe 2020 for smart, sustainable and inclusive
growth
• Integration, concentration and simplification
• Tackling poverty and social exclusion: 20% ESF
ring-fenced in WW&V and a new third cross-cutting
theme
• Social innovation and transnational co-operation

5. 2014-2020 context in Wales
• Welsh Government agenda: job creation and
tackling poverty
• Operational Programmes and Economic
Prioritisation Framework (EPF)
• Regionalisation

6. Draft ESF priorities 2014-2020
ESF Priority 1:Tackling poverty through sustainable
employment
• Specific Objective (SO)1: Helping people into work (WW&V
only)
• SO 2: Inclusion and engagement in the labour market (All
Wales)
• SO 3: Helping people stay and progress in work (WW&V only)
ESF Priority 2: Skills for growth
• SO 1: Basic skills(All Wales)
• SO 2: Adaptability and progression (All Wales)
• SO 3: Skills for research and innovation (WW&V only)
• SO 4: Gender equality (All Wales)

7. ESF Priority 3: Youth unemployment and
attainment
• SO 1: Youth employment – 16-24 year old NEETs
(All Wales )
• SO 2: Youth attainment and engagement – 11-24
year olds at risk of becoming NEETS (All Wales )
• SO 3: Take up and attainment of levels in STEM
subjects 11-19 year olds (WW&V only)
• SO 4: Early years (WW&V only)

8. Draft ERDF priorities 2014-2020
ERDF Priority 1: Research & innovation (All Wales)
ERDF Priority 2: SME Competitiveness (All Wales)
ERDF Priority 3: Renewable energy & energy efficiency
(All Wales, greater scope of interventions in WW&V)
ERDF Priority 4: Connectivity & urban development
(WW&V) / Connectivity (EW) (greater scope of
interventions in WW&V)

9. Rural Development Plan (RDP)
• Fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture, forestry,
and rural areas
• Enhancing competitiveness of all types of agriculture and enhancing
farm viability
• Promoting food chain organisation and risk management in
agriculture
• Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems dependent on
agriculture and forestry
• Promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low
carbon and climate resilient economy in agriculture, food and forestry
sectors
• Promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic
development in rural areas.

10. Draft priorities for Ireland-Wales Cross border
Co-operation Programme 2014-2020
• IW Priority 1: Cross-border Innovation
• IW Priority 2: Adaptation of the Irish Sea and
Coastal Communities to Climate Change
• IW Priority 3: Cultural and Natural Resources and
Heritage
• For further information please contact:
IrelandWalesCrossBorderProgramme@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK

11. Further information
Timescales – WEFO to up-date
Draft summary of the ERDF and ESF Structural
Funds Programmes in Wales (covers WW&V and
East Wales)
The Economic Prioritisation Framework

12. Routes of access for EU Structural
Funds
• Direct applications to WEFO (‘lead/joint’ sponsor)
– Read WEFO Guidance for Project Sponsors
• Partnership approach with third party lead body
• Contracting opportunities on
www.Sell2Wales.org.uk

13. Potential ESF & ERDF delivery
opportunities for the third sector
• Welsh Government departments:
• Education & Skills: Strategic footprint for ESF employment &
skills delivery 2014-2020
• Communities & tackling poverty
• Health
• Economy, Science & Transport
• Local authorities
• WCVA projects
• Other third sector led projects

14. How can WCVA help?
• 3-SET support
–Advice on project development (’critical friend’) and
brokerage
–Help to identify contract delivery opportunities
–Training/capacity building
–Events and networking
• Third sector European forum (3-SEF) – network of
support for lead/joint sponsors

15. Further information
•Contact 3SET@wcva.org.uk / 0800 2888 329
• Or local groups can speak to local SET teams:
http://wefo.wales.gov.uk/publications/sets/outreach/?l
ang=en
•www.wcva.org.uk/funding/europe
•www.wefo.wales.gov.uk
•www.europa.eu