How to prepare a successful project proposal? (A) MOTIVATION FOR APPLICATION. Culture Programme is NOT supporting. Mateja Lazar, CCP Slovenia

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1 How to prepare a successful project proposal? Mateja Lazar, CCP Slovenia (A) MOTIVATION FOR APPLICATION Networking: cooperation with cultural operators across Europe European partnership: mutual exchange of experience and best practice Synergies: objectives can be better achieved on European level... EU financial support/grant = a means to achieve a goal Culture Programme is NOT supporting Nationally designed project activities Projects managed on national level Projects dedicated entirely to the Audiovisual sector Profit-making projects 1

2 (B) PARTNERSHIP Organisations (= coordinator & co-organisers) participating in your project have to be 1....eligible (public or private organisations active in the cultural field and registered in one of the eligible countries) 2....professionally competent & qualified to complete the proposed activities (Operational capacity > coord.+coorg.) 3....financially stable (Financial capacity > coord.) 4....NOT bankrupt, guilty of grave professional misconduct involved in the design & implementation & funding of the project! Define the role of ALL the co-organisers conceptual and implementation role and financial contribution! (B) PARTNERSHIP ways of cooperation Applicant organisation and Co-organisers Conceptual role Implementation role Financial contribution From a country participating in the programme Associated Partners Support the implementation of a project (exchange of knowhow and experience) From participating countries or third countries No financial contribution (possible but not obligatory) (B) PARTNERSHIP ways of cooperation Applicant organisation = coordinator Submission of the joint application Signing of the grant agreement Distribution of the grant among the co-organisers Agree on the grant distribution during the planning phase! Responsibility for sound financial management and the final report (activity report, financial statement, list of invoices) 2

3 (B) PARTNERSHIP Choose project partners you already know if not find them in due time! Organise preparatory meetings Jointly plan the project Look for co-funding (in all partners countries) How did you establish contacts with partner organizations? (N=40) 21% 2% 7% collaboration already established other organizations CCP Sl 70% other How did you learn about the EU cultural programme? (N=40) 8% 12% 5% 7% 10% 23% CCP partner organizations Artservis media EU web sites Ministry of Culture 35% other 3

4 (C) PROJECT PLANNING Answer to basic questions: Why? What? Who? Where? When? Start preparing the application in due time!!! Don t wait for the last day How long were you working on your application? (N=14L) 7% 7% 36% from 14 days to 1 month from 1 to 3 months from 3 to 6 months more than 6 months 50% (C) PROJECT PLANNING Programme Guide: read it carefully incl. the footnotes Award criteria: Your project proposal will be evaluated by experts on the basis of award criteria. Develop your project idea according to these criteria! Well written project description: Be as clear & detailed as possible & provide consistent data (with additional explanations on specific circumstances or choices taken ) (C) PROJECT PLANNING Do research on current issues: European cultural policy - European Agenda for Culture European Years - The Programme aims to build links with the activities related to years that are devoted to a specific theme at European level. AIM: raising awareness on current topics, exchange of best practices, policy debates 2008: Year of Intercultural Dialogue (one of the specific objectives!) 2009: Year of Creativity and Innovation 2010: Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2011: Year of Volunteering 2012: Year for Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity? 4

5 (C) PROJECT PLANNING Budget: Prepare a detailed and realistic budget! Check carefully what are eligible and non-eligible costs, direct and indirect costs Check with your accountancy whether you are able to recover the VAT which is NOT the same as being taxable legal person (NB: VAT is eligible only if the organisation can t recover it!) Are you able to raise funds for 50% of the total budget from other sources? Start fundraising immediately and not only after you get the EU grant! Think twice before you decide on the amount requested. Most difficult parts of the application form? (N=14L) 10% 13% 10% unclear questions project description 30% budget form attachments 37% filling in the application in a foreign language Have you received the total EU grant according to the contract (after the conclusion of the project)? (N=14L) 36% yes no 64% 5

6 (D) PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION Organise regular meetings with partners Build up a monitoring system (evaluate the progress of the project implementation) Develop the audience Extend the network Prepare the Final Report in time and in line with the grant agreement Think about continuing cooperation Don't give up in case you do not succeed: read reviews and apply again! Have you continued with the project activities after the conclusion of C2000 project? (N=40) 34% 66% yes no Do you still cooperate with your partner organizations after the conclusion of the C2000 project? 24% yes no 76% Contact your national CULTURAL CONTACT POINT (a) Promoting the programme (b) Helpdesk: - Information - Advisory service -Technical assistance (workshops, checking applications ) - Support for project partner search (c) Promoting successful projects 6