Accessing European Structural Funds

Ingrid Gardiner

EU Manager

Ingrid.gardiner@ncvo-vol.org.uk

www.europeanfundingnetwork.eu

European Funding Network

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.

European Structural and Investment Funds

2007-2013 ProgrammeDWP’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, 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. Engage, WEA, Surrey Community Action 

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Proposed Delivery Arrangements

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

Role of Partners and EFN

• LEP engagement provider• Following tight timescales investment strategies –

sent 31st of January• Information sharing• Europeanfundingnetwork.eu• Blogs and updates on website• One to one surgeries with LEPs and contribution

to LEP events • Wider information events 28th of February in Ely

and 27th of March in York

•Routes into the Programme

•Write Initial

Application

•Assess Strategic Fit

•Instruction to Invest

•Selection into the

Programme

•Develop Full

Application

•Confirm strategic

fit

•Funding Agreeme

nt

•Investment Plan

•Opt-In•Negotiated procedure with Opt-In

organisations

•Open Call Seeks ideas to deliver against

strategy

•LEP Defined Activity

•Commissioned investments /

direct bids etc.

•Local Enterprise Partnership

•Facilitation to complete full Application

Form

•Technical

Appraisal

•Funding Agreemen

t

•Project Delivery

•Project

Close

•Contract Management&

Monitoring

•Applicant

•Managing Authority •Closure

•European Structural Investment Fund 2014-20 •High Level Business Process

•Reporting – All data on IT system – Reports drawn off as required

•Annex to Paper to the Growth Programme Board

•Monitor Performance

against Strategy

•Project Implementation

Useful Resources

European Funding Network www.europeanfundingnetwork.eu

LEP networkhttp://www.lepnetwork.org.uk/

Prospectus European Fundinghttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-strategies-supplementary-guidance-to-local-enterprise-partnerships

Toolkitshttp://europeanfundingnetwork.eu/policy/cohesion-policy-2014-2020/local-enterprise-partnerships