1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

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

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

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

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

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

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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)