What is a grant? A direct financial contribution – donation – from EU budget An action - contributing to EU policy achievement Functioning of a body acting for EU interest, part of EU policy Payment - non commercial nature Operating grant Specific features differentiate from procurement contracts

Questions to identify a grant To whom is addressed? Who designs the operation? GRANTS Who is responsible for operation implementation? What represents the contract amount? Who retains ownership of results Has the beneficiary a financial contribution? Is the operation a commercial act? Does it create profit? F31

GRANTS Grants features Operation proposed Not addressed to CA to CA by potential beneficiary ( applicant) Not addressed to CA administrative functions The grant beneficiary is responsible for operation implementation GRANTS Represents a % of total eligible costs Grant Beneficiary retains ownership of results Is not a commercial act and must not create profit? Grant Beneficiary has a contribution to operation Financing ( exceptions) F31

GRANTS Basic Rules PROGRAMMING TRANSPARENCY SOUND MANAGEMENT EQUAL TREATMENT GRANTS CO-FINANCING NON-CUMULATION NON-PROFIT NON-RETROACTIVITY F31

Programming Grants scheme - set within a programme framework Objectives Timeframe Work programme involve all other programme features

Transparency Information available and easily accessible Availability of grants Call of proposals publication Grant contracts publication - exceptions

Equal treatment Impartiality Evaluation of proposals evaluation committees ( with or without assessors) same evaluation criteria Public information accessible for all applicants

Non-cumulation Limitations for one beneficiary One grant for a given action One operating grant per financial year

Non-retroactivity Cover costs incurred after contract signature date Special cases Grant for action already started ( but not completed) - not eligible expenditures prior submission of proposal/signature date Operating grants - may not be more than 4 months after the start of beneficiary budget year Expenditures before the start of the financial year – not eligible

Co-financing General rule – do not cover all costs – requirement : contribution of the beneficiary Exceptions Humanitarian aid Crisis situations Health and fundamental rights actions Action resulting from implementation of Financing Agreements or actions with international organizations

Non-profit Profit definition Action Profit = receipts – costs ( for the action) Operating grant Profit = surplus balance of operating budget

Rules of sound management Availability of funds before process start Use of standard documents Record keeping Procurement procedures applied Deviations form procedures subject of approval

Award Procedures CALL OF PROPOSAL Compulsory for grants award DIRECT AWARD SPECIFIC SITUATIONS JUSTIFIED

Call of proposals – local or international Always published on EuropeAid website and Published locally Except when organised by a service of EC HQ COMPULSORY INTERNATIONAL

Call of proposals – open vs restricted OPEN - as a general rule RESTRICTED Cases Technical nature of the field Expected number of applicants Note: prior approval as required by centralised/descentralised management system

Partnerships Grant contracts – part of framework partnership agreements Common objectives Nature of actions Procedure for awarding specific grants Duration max 4 years

Direct award Urgency (circumstances not attributable to CA) “ de facto “ & “ de jure” monopoly situation Exclusive competence ( field or geographically) Single organisation – operating/ capable to operate When the body is identified in basic act as grant recipient International organisation - joint management for action implementation “ Low amount” grant - descentralized system

Low amount grants 2 conditions Max size - <= 10 000 Euro Potential beneficiaries Community based organisations Other local organisations Without Call for Proposal Observe basic rules Use publicity measures Evaluation procedures

Restricted CfP Phases and Steps Measures applicable to OPEN CfP differences: Phases and Steps 1. Concept note 1 Opening and administrative check 2. Full application 2. Evalution Reporting for each phase ( formats per phase/steps) Evaluation issues ( case EC HQ services – use assesor) Number of applicants qualified – limited- in guidelines Amount requested - max 20% deviation in application compared to concept note and maintain percentage

10 steps in grant scheme/programme management 1. Design- setting objectives 10. Ex post evaluation- meeting objectives 2. Decision on financing 9. Checking the final reports 3. Development of Call for proposals documentation 8. Implementation of projects – monitoring and financial control GRANT SCHEME 4. Announcing Call for proposals 5. “Promotion” activities 6. Submission of project proposals 7. Evaluation and award

Responsibilities of the Evaluation Committee responsible for supervising the work of assessors, coordinating the evaluation process in accordance with the procedures in this Practical Guide and ensuring its impartiality and transparency. responsible for carrying out all administrative tasks connected with the evaluation procedure (supervising the opening session; keeping and filing the minutes of all meetings etc.) have collective responsibility for decisions taken by the Committee Chairperson Secretary Voting members

Assessors If the proposals received are (or expected to be) particularly numerous or highly technical assessors can be used the same assessors may be used for the different stages detailed examination of proposals may be carried out by assessors so that the Evaluation Committee may conduct its deliberations on the basis of their assessments Assessors may attend the meetings of the Evaluation Committee as observers to present the results of their assessments and answer any questions from Committee members.

Process: 1. Opening meeting 7. Meeting – decision on 2. Meeting – decision on administrative check/ any clarifications 3. Meeting – decision on administrative check after any clarifications 4. Meeting – decision on concept notes 5. Meeting – decision on Financial and operational capacity 6. Meeting – decision on Relevance 7. Meeting – decision on Scores for Methodology Sustainability Budget 8. Meeting – decision on eligibility-establishment of final list

Innovations in new PRAG related to GRANTS Changes in evaluation procedure: eligibility conformity are checked only for the proposals selected for financing Reduction of requirements regarding the administrative conformity New annexes related to the reporting are introduced Simplified rules for governance of small grants to the community-base organisations (grant lower than or equal EUR 10,000)