European Commission announces Call for Proposals for Operating Grants 2020

Deadline: 25 September 2019

The European Commission is accepting proposals for its “Operating grants 2020 to EU level networks having signed a framework partnership agreement for the period 2018-2021 and being active in the areas of social inclusion and poverty reduction, or microfinance and social enterprise finance”.

This call is financed under the European Program for Employment and Social Innovation (“EaSI”) 2014-2020 which is a European-level financing instrument managed directly by the European Commission to contribute to the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy, by providing financial support for the Union’s objectives in terms of promoting a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving working conditions.

The purpose of this call for proposals is to provide specific operating grants to support the implementation of the 2020 work programs of EU-level networks of non-governmental organizations (NGO) having concluded a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) with the European Commission.

The overall political priority underpinning the EaSI activities is the implementation of the European Pillar of social rights. The Pillar illustrates a shared commitment to foster equal opportunities, to improve access to the labour market, to fair working conditions and social inclusion, to supporting people in the face of changing realities of work and to achieving new and more effective rights for Europeans.

Priorities

Area 1: European level networks active in promoting social inclusion and poverty reduction.
Area 2: European level networks active in the promotion of access to finance on the demand and supply side of microfinance or social enterprise finance markets.

Funding Information

The total budget earmarked for the EU co-financing of projects under this call is estimated at:

500.000 for area 1
600.000 for area 2

The EU grant requested should indicatively be between EUR 100.000 and EUR 1.000.000 for area 1, and between EUR 100.000 and EUR 600.000 for area 2.

Type of Activities

The types of activities which may be funded under this call for proposals include:

Analytical activities, such as (i) the collection of data and statistics; (ii) the development of common methodologies and, where appropriate, policy analyses and recommendations; (iii) the monitoring and assessment of relevant legislation, policies and practices, including the development of statistics and indicators or benchmarks; (iv) studies, researches, analyses and surveys; (v) mapping projects, evaluations; (vi) the elaboration and publication of guides, reports and educational material; (vii) workshops, seminars, experts’ meetings and conferences;
Training activities, such as staff exchanges, workshops, seminars, capacity-building actions, train-the-trainer events, and the development of online training tools or other training modules;
Actions aiming at the creation and improving of networks, mutual learning, cooperation, awareness-raising and dissemination activities, such as (i) the identification of, and exchanges on, good practices, innovative approaches and experiences; (ii) the organization of peer reviews and mutual learning; (iii) the organization of conferences, seminars, media campaigns, including in the online media, information campaigns, including institutional communication on the political priorities of the EU as far as they relate to the objectives of the program EaSI; (iv) the compilation and publication of materials to disseminate information about the program EaSI and its results; (v) regular information on EU social and employment policy issues (e.g. newsletters and mailings), the development, operation and maintenance of systems and tools using information and communication technologies, development of web pages or a helpdesk for members.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility of the applicants
- Proposals can only be submitted by organizations having signed a Framework Partnership Agreement with the European Commission for the period 2018-2021, following the 2017 Call for Proposals VP/2017/015.
- For British Applicants: please be aware that eligibility criteria must be complied with for the entire duration of the grant. If the United Kingdom withdraws from the EU during the grant period without concluding an agreement with the EU ensuring in particular that British applicants continue to be eligible, British beneficiaries will cease to receive EU funding (while continuing, where possible, to participate) or be required to leave the project on the basis of Article II.17.2.2 of the Framework Partnership Agreement.
Geographical Location
- To be eligible, actions must be fully carried out in eligible participating EaSI countries (All Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey).
- Activities taking place in other countries are therefore not eligible in this Call for proposals. However, where the participation of the beneficiary’s representatives to events organized by International Organizations outside the eligible countries is directly linked to its work program and essential for achieving its objectives, related travel and accommodation costs (departing from an eligible country) could be accepted as eligible. This must be duly justified in the work program and will be subject to individual assessment by the Commission.
Core activities
- The following activities are considered core activities and may not be subcontracted:
  - management of the work program.