Innovation Case Study. Ros Graves Project Manager, Innovation Medilink East Midlands Ltd.

Transcription

1 Innovation Case Study Ros Graves Project Manager, Innovation Medilink East Midlands Ltd.

2 Medilink East Midlands Ltd Who / what we are:- Industry association Sector Specific Life Sciences & Health Technologies Membership based Not-for-profit Geographical focus Delivering a number of grant funded projects

3 Healthcare & Bioscience inet PA1: Innovation and Sustainable Business Practice Providing innovation support to the Life Science sector in the East Midlands

4 Project Timeline Oct 2007 Phase 1 contract signed with emda SP funding to March 2010; Jan 2008 Project activity commences; May 2009 start work on erdf proposal to continue inet project; Oct 2009 erdf application submitted; March 2010 contract signed for Phase 2 with funding to June 2013; 3 project variations during the lifespan of the project; July 2012 start discussions for next phase funding; Oct 2012 submit funding extension application; Jan 2013 change of rules, submit full application; March 2013 application approved with funding to June 2015; April 2013 contract signed for Phase 3 to June 2015; Oct 2013 Phase 2 formally closed; 3 approved variations, 1 awaiting decision.

5 inet s aims Help organisations innovate Build a collaborative community Build an excellent reputation Advisers, events and network Raise sector/region s profile Attract further resources

6 Our Approach Innovation Journey into the unknown Network - knowledge Lowers risks Identifies opportunities funding, collaboration Information, advice and grant support Sector advisers Engagement

7 Project Overview: 1 Facilitating

8 Project Overview: 2 Business Support Innovation advice Signposting to opportunities Critical friend Face-to-face and remote Networking Events Newsletters Proactive linking Workshops Collaboration facilitation Special Interest Groups University and NHS Grants Innovation grant for SMEs Collaboration grant for universities

9 Grant funding for SMEs 39% grant towards innovation project (up to 10,000) to get over an innovation step

10 Innovation Support Large manufacturer of medical products Subsidiary of a multinational Issue: outdated plant near capacity Sought R&D support - ineligible inet: adviser redefined project Result: 750k investment in new facilities Grant supported (not from inet!) Publicity Manufacturing jobs/skills retained

11 Project Overview: 3 Outputs:- Business assists; Knowledgebase collaborations; Individuals assisted to start a business; New businesses created or attracted; Jobs created; Businesses improving; GVA increase.

12 Project Overview: 4 Named Partners:- Regional Universities; Regional Science Park BioCity; Regional NHS Trusts Un-named Partners:- SMEs receiving grants; Universities receiving grants.

13 Project Overview: 5 Project Team:- Manager; Innovation Advisers; Finance Support; Events Team; Strategic Advisory Panel.

14 Project Size. Phase million grant / 6.2 million exp. over 3.25 years 150 business assists (151); 30 KB collaborations (42); 60 jobs (105); 1.5 million GVA ( 5.9 million) 75 businesses improving (37) Phase 3-2 million grant / 5 million exp. over 2.25 years 120 business assists (71); 35 KB collaborations (17); 50 jobs (13); 2 million GVA ( 10k) 20 businesses improving (1)

15 Achievements Raised profile of sector and region Created regional/sector identity Developed new collaborations and relationships Brought millions to sector in region Businesses and HEIs Helped generate: New jobs, investment and new products/processes/services

16 Why seek ERDF? The activities we want to deliver fit with ERDF criteria Funds available to support the size of project that gives us critical mass Enables us to support our sector Being able to deliver ERDF projects gives us credibility with other funders Gives us a scalable project we could deliver in various LEP areas

17 ERDF Learning Curve Some staff members with experience of running / working on other types of grant funded projects academic and business. Started small with a taster project. Talked and listened to people! Talked especially to the programme delivery team.

18 Lessons Learnt. The rules can be interpreted in different ways, by different people at the same time and by the same people at different times! Answers to complex queries are unlikely to be in writing. This is just a fact of ERDF life, accept it, apply patience, be logical, and be careful.

19 Lessons Learnt. Procurement! Get quotes it s good business practice anyway. A recent grant recipient not only got a grant of 7,500, but saved 40% ( 13,000) because of our procurement rules! Have a system for procurement and stick to it. Keep every piece of documentation when selecting suppliers. Single Source Justifications best avoided, can end up going around in circles, CLG will no longer provide advice you re own your own again.

20 Lessons Learnt. Evidence for outputs / outcomes. Keep forms as simple as possible, whilst collecting all the information ERDF require. Have an enrolment form with all the background info you require, and get it filled in at the first visit, don t play catch-up later. Don t claim an output without the evidence form in your hand. We have a form for each output / outcome and use tick boxes as much as possible (but auditors need some commentary) Have a system and stick to it!

21 Lessons Learnt. Making claims for your grant. Have a system and stick to it, for instance:- formulas in a draft version of the transaction list transaction list updated monthly mark off invoices that have been claimed template for sending evidence Don t submit defrayal evidence without knowing it exists. If you have partners, make sure their defrayal evidence is certified as a true copy before they send it to you. Make sure you can justify everything you claim for auditors might still reject it though!

22 Lessons Learnt. Profiling your project. Be cautious with the financial profiling it can take longer to get the defrayal evidence than you think. Be cautious how you profile December expenditure deadline for December claims has a nasty habit of being at the end of the first week! Profile so you don t go more than 10% variance below on your budget lines, seems to be OK to be ahead of your profiled expenditure, but bad news if you re behind.

23 Lessons Learnt. Audit. Annually a random selection of projects get audited funny how often you can be selected randomly! A13 Oct 2010; Dec 2011; Oct 2012; A16 Sept 2011; Feb 2013; Oct 2014; Desk-based May Always be prepared if you have all your evidence as you go along, then there s no need to worry. Learn from your audits they may be frustrating but.. Claims over 1m will get audited. Don t expect a quick response from audit!

24 Lessons Learnt. Project Engagement Meeting. Big form, but if you ve planned your project well and sorted out your systems then the questions aren t too bad don t leave till the last minute though Have your evidence forms, processes and systems all ready before this meeting and make sure you have someone from your team in the PEV meeting who knows how they operate and dovetail Ask, ask, ask..

25 Lessons Learnt. Project Close Down. Get your project evaluation done and the report finalised as quickly as possible, without the report your last payment will get delayed.. Projects don t really ever close never throw anything away and make sure your files / records are understandable to those that come after you!

26 Lessons Learnt. Your best friend. This is your Contract Manager. They need you and you need them. Talk to them, ask their advice. They don t ask for things to be awkward, it s because they need them, for whatever reason! They want your project to work well, as much, if not more, than you do. Help them, they ll help you.

27 Lessons Learnt. State Aid You are on your own Read the guidance from BIS, read the guidance from devolved administrations, double check on the EU website, talk to other projects, if in doubt consult a lawyer You re beneficiaries will expect you to understand and be able to tell them what it all means don t fudge it with them

28 Lessons Learnt. Varying your project. This can be done. Talk to your Contract Manager. Think through the implications to vary or not to vary. Re-profiling be prepared, you may be asked to reprofile your finances occasionally, take care, make sure this doesn t result in you accidently loosing grant by altering the intervention rate.

29 Lessons Learnt. Publicity Always use the logo (and make sure it s the current one) Always make sure at least one dimension of the ERDF logo is bigger than the equivalent dimension on any other logo no matter what co-branders want Make sure your press releases all acknowledge ERDF Find somewhere visible to display your ERDF plaque

30 Planning a project You will need to put time and effort into this Where will the match come from think outside the box What will / should the outputs look like Does what we want to do fit Is the project going to be large enough What effect will delivering the project have on your organisation / staff Can we afford not to apply for ERDF? Talk to others who have delivered ERDF projects.

31 Have patience Surviving ERDF outwardly, you need to appear calm inwardly, you need to find a way to cope, I rant to the boss! For instance :- I m going to have find a way to get erdf to pay for alcohol / chocolate / therapy / straight-jacket / tissues etc.. Remember it is worth it Accept that you are never going to be perfect auditors will always find something! Don t expect your Contract Manager to be perfect either, they have to cope with more ERDF stuff than we do

32 Questions? Contact info