Activity Reporting

Lead Partner Seminar

14th November 2012City Hotel, Londonderry/Derry, Northern Ireland, UK

Rachel Burn

Activity Report in the Progress Report lifecycle

Reporting is important!

Activity Report Template Available at: www.northernperiphery.eu (go

to the main project reporting pack area.) 10 Sections:

General information Project Activities and Performance Project Indicators Project Financial Information Analysis of Project Activity and

Outcomes Performance Project Management and Partnership

Dynamics NPP Horizontal Principles Project Communication Other changes (partnership, target area,

other) Additional information

Section 1: General Information

Report number and period Project title Acronym and Duration Priority (Start & End date is the same as

your main application, unless otherwise agreed).

Section 1: General Information

Target area/ location of operation Partnership information

Based on the information from the application

Note: Changes need prior approval by the Secretariat Lead partner’s written request

to Programme Secretariat by mail

Associated Partners are also detailed at section 1.6

Section 1: General Information

Executive summary Overall description of project

implementation process Status of development of

products and services (outcomes so far, compared with objectives set out in application)

Will be used for wider dissemination

Section 2: Project Activities and Performance

Project activities Overall description of activities so

far Highlights of most important

activities for project implementation progress

Links between Work Packages

Section 2: Project Activities and Performance

Information taken from the application

Description of each project work package

Activities as planned in the activity plan in the approved application

Results to date

Section 2: Project Activities and Performance

Change of activities in comparison to approved application Any activity changes need pre-

approval by Secretariat Justification of the change and

impact on implementation of project

1 request for change per year

Section 3: Indicators

General indicators based on indicators outlined in application and decision (reporting should be accumulative)

Indication of university involvement, Technology institutes and SMEs should be ‘ticked or crossed’.

Equal opportunity indicators based on indicators outlines in the application and decision (reporting should be accumulative)

Involvement of Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) participating in the implementation. (reporting should be accumulative, PLEASE note that a list of company names and contact persons has to be kept and provide to the Secretariat for audit purposes)

Section 3: Indicators

Priority 1 or 2 specific indicators (reporting should be accumulative) Activity Output Result

Section 3: Indicators

Additional project indicators as in the approved application (reporting should be accumulative)

Change of indicators in comparison to approved application Any indicator changes need pre-

approval by Secretariat Justification of the change and

impact on implementation of project

1 request for change per year

Project Outcomes and Transnational Impact

Project Outcomes Overall description of project

implementation process. Status of development of

products and services (outcomes, so far, compared with objectives set out in the application)

Transnational impact Could the product/ service be

transferred to other countries? How does it make a difference

across the region? Organisational learning, i.e.

Collaboration between SMEs and universities.

Added value of the adopted transnational approach?

Section 4: Project Financial Information

Project Expenditures Total approved project budget Total certified expenditures

Current reporting period Accumulative

Section 4: Project Financial Information (performance)

Analysis of the financial performance in comparison to approved total budget Underspendings/ Overspendings/

Unexpected expenditures % of budget spent vs. % of time spent

according to project plan Will the project keep spending targets

and still achieve outputs? Good value for money

Make an analysis if transnational co-operation is providing cost efficient development of solutions. Are there cost efficient elements in your transnational implementation? Please elaborate. On the efficient use of the budget.

Cross referring to the financial report

Section 4: Project Financial Information (Budget Changes)

Budget changes Justification for the change Description of impact of changes

for the project implementation 1 request for change per year Consult the Programme Manual on

the differences between major and minor project changes.

All changes should be recorded on the NPP budget change template (accumulatively).

Important! All project budget changes should

be submitted & approved by the Secretariat prior to eligible activities ending & prior to final project claim.

Section 5: Analysis of Project Activity and Outcomes Performance

Project activity and outcome performance Analysis of project activity and

outcome performance in relation to: Indicators Time plan Budget

Section 6: Project Management and Partnership Dynamics

Analysis of Project Management dynamics List of issues discussed List of decisions taken Description of impact of decision on

project implementation

Dynamics in the project partnership Advantages of the transnational

partnership approach Challenges of international cooperation

in transnational setting

Project cooperation/ Synergies with other projects Concrete cooperation activities

Section 7: NPP 2007-2013 Horizontal Principles

Equal Opportunities – concrete steps and activities Gender: provision of day care for

children during partner meetings Age: Special tailored staff

recruitment plan for young employees

Social: Special employment plan for indigenous peoples

How did this change the working culture in the organisations participating in the project?

Section 7: NPP 2007-2013 Horizontal Principles

Sustainable Development – concrete steps and activities Implementation of Sustainable

impact assessment tool for resource use

Minimized travel plan for meetings – ICT solutions, use of environmentally friendly transportation, voluntary carbon offset/ reduction in carbon footprint

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plan

How did this change the working culture in the organisations participating in the project?

Additional new questions for All projects Evidence of energy impact Increase Decrease Neutral Project result impact on energy usage

Evidence of CO2 emission impact Increase Decrease Neutral Project result impact on CO2 emissions

Justify and describe your project energy saving / CO2 emission impact:

When making the final report:

- Please note that your project is expected to report on the following indicators related to Environmental Impact

Section 7: NPP 2007-2013 Horizontal Principles

Section 8: Project Communication

Communication indicators to measure progress on the

mandatory communication measures and expected attendance at NPP events

Communication indicators should be reported accumulatively.

List of all communication tools and promotional materials developed Purpose to exemplify indicators

given in question 8.1 Examples:

Brochure Website exhibition roll-up PowerPoint presentations Pens

Section 8: Project Communication

Provide an analysis of the internal and external communication activities Purpose to get a sense of general

performance on communication and best practices

What activities worked well, any innovative steps to enhance performance, also report on communication challenges.

Certification of compliance with the NPP and European publicity requirements Commission Regulation No 1828/2006,

Articles 8 and 9. This is a matter of eligibility: European

Commission recommends a 2% flat rate cut.

Section 9: Changes in Project Partnership, Target Area and Other Changes

Accumulative changes in comparison to the approved application/ decision

All changes require pre-approval by Programme Secretariat (as previously stated): Partnership Target area Duration Work package structure Please also list changes which

you, at the time of reporting, have not received a formal approval for (in bold).

Section 10 cont: Additional Information

Contribution to relevant strategies for your region. Name of strategy, example of

contribution, how does your project contribute?

Contribution to the EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy (EUBSRS) Identify if your project aligns with

EUBSRS. Specify which priority area.

Section 10: Feedback and Suggestions

Feedback and Suggestions To NPP bodies/ the programme

Supporting Documents… remember to include with progress report: Project claim Certificates of Expenditures Summary of Certificates of

Expenditure FLC checklists Examples of information/

dissemination material Signature!

Submitting an Activity Report

Please send the Activity report as part of the Progress Report together with other required documents to:

Northern Periphery Programme Secretariat

Att.: Responsible Desk Officer

Strandgade 91, 4.Sal

DK-1401 Copenhagen-K

Denmark

and per e-mail: secretariat@northernperiphery.eu

Assessment of the Activity Report

The Programme Secretariat is the body that assesses the Activity Report Assessment includes:

Completeness of the information Eligibility of activities carried out Coherence of activities with objectives set out in the application and decision Concrete actions meeting the NPP horizontal principles Quality of partnership and distribution of roles between the partners Current degree of project progress achieved Efficiency and effectiveness of the project implementation process Measurement of quality and quantity of project outputs and results Impact, Added value and Sustainability Improvement proposed and anticipated results Analysis of project expenditure and other budgetary matters

Assessment of activity report will be sent to Managing Authority together with the project claim

Activity Report Common Errors.

Not connecting reported activities clearly against contracted activities Not reporting Budget changes (whether approved or not) Not reporting clear details of project financial status, and impact. Lack of analysis, when requested to do so.

Errors mean that assessment can be slower!

Useful points:

The Lead Partner (LP) should remember that they act as the ’project policeman’. Reporting of activity status & claims should be submitted on-time to the LP.

The LP should monitor & track partner activity on a regular basis so progress reports are a comprehensive status report representing all those involved in the project.

No Report = No Money!!

Thank you for listening!