cooperative grants guidance ensector.rec.org/uploads/documents/cooperative grants...

Cooperative Grants Full Proposal Guidance

Belarus and Moldova

March 2013

Cooperative Grants Guidance 2

Contents

Summary .................................................................................................................................. 3 Important information ............................................................................................................... 4 Background .............................................................................................................................. 5

The SECTOR Programme in Belarus and Moldova ............................................................. 5 SECTOR components ......................................................................................................... 5

Cooperative grants ................................................................................................................... 6 Grants timeline ..................................................................................................................... 6 Grants budget ....................................................................................................................... 6 Grants focus ......................................................................................................................... 6 Cooperative grants topics ..................................................................................................... 7 Eligible activities ................................................................................................................... 7

Eligibility and conditions ........................................................................................................... 8 Eligibility of applicants .......................................................................................................... 8 Consortium members and other parties ............................................................................... 9 Administrative conditions ...................................................................................................... 9

Guidance for the preparation of full proposals ....................................................................... 10 Identification of partners and stakeholders ......................................................................... 10 Submission of full proposals ............................................................................................... 11 Preparing project proposals ............................................................................................... 11 Additional support documents: ........................................................................................... 13

Selection and awarding process ............................................................................................ 14 Registration and pre-screening .......................................................................................... 14 Evaluation of full proposals by the Advisory Board ............................................................ 14 Interviews ........................................................................................................................... 16 Notification of decisions and winners meeting ................................................................... 16 Award agreement ............................................................................................................... 16 Project implementation ....................................................................................................... 17 Grant payment .................................................................................................................... 17 Reporting requirements ...................................................................................................... 17 Budget modifications .......................................................................................................... 18 Auditing .............................................................................................................................. 18 Returning funds .................................................................................................................. 18

Information and acknowledgements ...................................................................................... 18 Access to information ......................................................................................................... 18 Grants acknowledgement ................................................................................................... 18 Use of project and donor logos .......................................................................................... 19 Endorsement and disclaimer .............................................................................................. 19

Special financial conditions .................................................................................................... 19 Purchase of fixed assets .................................................................................................... 19 Purchase of goods ............................................................................................................. 19 Purchase of services (contracting) ..................................................................................... 19 Corruption and conflict of interest ....................................................................................... 20


Summary Programme: “Supporting Environmental Civil Society Organisations (SECTOR) in Belarus

and Moldova”, part of the framework programme “Strengthening Local Environmental Planning and Environmental Civil Society in Belarus and Moldova during 2012–2014” (STREAM)

Donor:

Government of Sweden

Implementing agency

The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe

Environmental topic:

Promoting environmental protection and environmental sustainability

Total amount available for grants:

EUR 310,000

Amount per grant:

between EUR 40,000 and EUR 50,000

Target: CSOs working in the field of environment and sustainable development in Belarus and Moldova

Goal: To strengthen the capacity and role of CSOs in society and in decision making in the field of sustainable development and environmental protection

Selection process:

The selection process for cooperative grants will run from March to June 2013 according to the following schedule:

Cooperative grants launch meeting: mid-April 2013 Full proposal submission deadline: 17:00, May 27, 2013 Full proposal evaluation meeting: beginning of June 2013 Final decision by the REC: mid-June 2013 Winners meeting: end of June 2013

Projects must last for up to 12 months, starting from September 2013


Important information

The deadline for the submission of full project proposals is 17:00, May 27, 2013 Please send the electronic version of the proposal (including all the documents indicated in the checklist below) as PDF files by email to [email protected] or upload them to the SECTOR website (http://sector.rec.org/index.php?page=grants-programmes). To ease the processing and translation of proposals, please also submit Annexes A, B, C and D in Word format, and Annex E in Excel format. Please use the wording “Cooperative Grants SECTOR” in the subject line. All applications must be submitted in English or Russian and must have a one-page executive summary in English. The following documents must be submitted:

□ Annex A: Proposal cover page

□ Annex B: Project executive summary

□ Annex C: Cooperation statement (signed and stamped)

□ Annex D: Project narrative description

□ Annex E: Budget summary Supporting documents:

□ Registration documents for the lead and partner organisations

□ Copies of CSO mission/statutes of the lead and partner organisations

□ Descriptions of CSO background of the lead and partner organisations

□ CVs of project coordinators

□ Support documents from other parties (if available) For more information on this grants programme, please visit the website www.sector.rec.org or contact: Ms. Raisa Gerasina SECTOR Grants Manager Email: [email protected] Tel.: (36-26) 504-000


Background The SECTOR programme in Belarus and Moldova The programme “Supporting Environmental Civil Society Organisations (SECTOR) in Belarus and Moldova” focuses on civil society organisations (CSOs) as important actors in community development working in the field of environmental protection. The programme is implemented by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) with the financial support of the Government of Sweden as part of the framework programme “Strengthening Local Environmental Planning and Environmental Civil Society in Belarus and Moldova during 2012–2014” (STREAM). SECTOR components The components of the SECTOR programme are interlinked in order to provide comprehensive assistance to CSOs. The SECTOR programme aims to strengthen CSOs individually through organisational viability and capacity-building support; and collectively though cooperative grants and support to platform building and joint project implementation in order to enable them to tackle environmental issues effectively in the long term. Successful applicants are therefore recommended to participate in all three components of the SECTOR programme: • Organisational Development • Grants Programmes • Capacity Building and Networking More information on the programme components can be found on the SECTOR website: www.sector.rec.org.


Cooperative grants Grants timeline The application, evaluation and selection processes will take place between March 2013 and June 2013. Full proposals must be submitted by 17:00 on May 27, 2013. Proposals will be evaluated by the international advisory board at a meeting at the beginning of June 2013. The results of this evaluation will be announced by mid-June 2013. The implementation of selected projects is planned to begin in September 2013. Cooperative projects must last for up to 12 months. Grants budget The overall budget for the cooperative grant scheme is EUR 310,000. Project proposals are currently invited for cooperative grants of up to EUR 40,000, involving CSOs from Belarus and Moldova. Projects with a budget of up to EUR 50,000 should involve, in addition to CSOs from Moldova and Belarus, CSOs from other countries as project partners (non-direct SECTOR beneficiaries). Funding under the SECTOR cooperative grants programme will be directed only to CSOs from Belarus and Moldova. Grants focus The grants programme is designed to facilitate international cooperation between CSOs from Belarus and Moldova and CSOs from neighbouring Eastern Partnership (EaP), European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI-East) countries (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia) and from other EU member states, and to enable them to work together on promoting sustainable development, environmental democracy and environmental protection. SECTOR-funded projects should lead to the establishment of cooperation platforms and should support the transfer and exchange of experiences and good practices and the realisation of international agreements. These projects should also result in increased public awareness and greater public involvement in key environmental issues in Belarus and Moldova, as well as improved CSO networking and greater CSO capacities for addressing environmental challenges. CSOs should demonstrate how their project proposals are linked to international policy priorities, and should demonstrate synergies with other projects or ongoing processes in their country or region, including the EaP mechanism and the ENPI, with the aim of addressing wider regional needs in a coordinated manner. The REC encourages projects that are implemented according to the principles of transparency and equal opportunities. Projects should take into consideration gender equality, ethnic equality, ethical and moral issues and the prevention of corruption.


Cooperative grants topics Within this framework, cooperative grants should aim at one or more of the following topics, or other similar topics: • cooperation on river basin management, nature protection, biodiversity, water quality

improvement and health issues, wetland management, eco-agriculture and eco-tourism;

• the practical implementation or ratification of international agreements, primarily UNECE conventions (Aarhus Convention, Espoo Convention, PRTR Protocol, SEA Protocol and Water and Health Protocol) or key global conventions such as the Climate Change Convention and the Kyoto Protocol etc.;

• the monitoring of the implementation of international conventions, or the harmonisation of national environmental legislation with EU legislation and policies;

• lobbying for environmental policy and law development in the framework of the international and EU commitments of Belarus and Moldova, and putting this into practice; and

• contribution to European CSO cooperation networks and platforms in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development (including Eastern Partnership platforms or initiatives, the Environment for Europe process, the European ECO Forum, the European Environmental Bureau, the Climate Action Network, Women in Europe for a Common Future).

Eligible activities CSO initiatives/activities addressing environmental protection and sustainable development that are eligible for support under the cooperative grants scheme include, but are not limited to:

• public awareness raising and educational activities; • information dissemination and promotional events; • capacity building and training; • pilot and demonstration projects; • networking, cooperation and platform building with other CSOs and different

actors at national and regional level (authorities, academics, journalists, young people, businesses, women’s groups, faith-based organisations etc.) on concrete environmental topics; and

• concrete actions to improve the environment (infrastructural development and the purchase of relevant equipment are not eligible).


Eligibility and conditions Eligibility of applicants Applications are accepted from CSOs from Moldova and Belarus that are working to promote environmental protection and sustainable development. The definition of an environmental CSO for the purposes of the grants scheme is presented below. An environmental civil society organisation is an organisation registered as such that:

• does not act as an official governmental body; • is a not-for-profit entity (i.e. non-commercial); • functions at the local, regional, national and/or international level; • has a main purpose related to environmental protection and sustainable

development; and • has a presence in public life, outside family structures, and expresses the

interests and values of its members or others based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, or philanthropic considerations.

CSOs applying for cooperative grants are expected to have:

• the human and organisational capacity to develop and implement a project of up to 12 months’ duration;

• a proven track record in environmental project implementation; • experience in the areas of sustainable development and environmental

protection; and • access to the minimum equipment and facilities necessary for project

implementation.

At least two CSOs (one from Belarus and one from Moldova) must cooperate in the implementation of cooperative projects, one of them acting as consortium leader. Only Moldovan and Belarusian CSOs can be grant recipients and benefit directly from the grant budgets. The lead CSO must be a registered environmental CSO active in the field of environmental protection and/or sustainable development. A CSO may submit more than one project proposal. However, a CSO may act as consortium leader in only one of the projects submitted under the grants scheme. The lead CSO will be responsible for managing the grants project; submitting interim and final reports; and coordinating the work of all project participants. The role of the project partners and the share of the budget assigned to them should be described in the narrative statement and budget form.


Consortium members and other parties CSOs are recommended to cooperate with other stakeholders involved in environmental protection and sustainable development. Consortium members or project partners can be CSOs from Belarus or Moldova, active in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development, which directly carry out project activities and benefit financially from the grant.

Other parties that benefit from project results or those that make in-kind contributions to project implementation may be involved in project implementation without profiting from a direct financial contribution under the grant.

These other parties or indirect beneficiaries may include:

• targeted community or social groups, youth and women’s organisations, professional associations, community development groups, social groups, gender-based groups, trade unions, scientific institutions, faith-based organisations and teachers’ groups;

• the management or staff of local or national governmental authorities; or • CSOs from outside Belarus and Moldova that provide additional expertise or

knowledge. These may be CSOs or initiative groups (who will not benefit as organisations financially from SECTOR funding) based in neighbouring EaP/ENPI-East/EU countries (including Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Poland, Lithuania and Romania). However, experts from these organisations can be subcontracted to assist with the implementation of cooperative projects.

Administrative conditions When preparing full proposals, the following administrative requirements should be borne in mind: • Grants will only be given to support projects led by an environmental CSO

cooperating with other CSOs in a consortium (a minimum of one CSO from Moldova and one from Belarus).

• Projects should not last more than 12 months (starting from September 2013). • Grants will not be given to support projects that focus purely on research or scientific

work; purely operational expenditures; investments; or the purchase of land, buildings or vehicles not justified by the project’s aims (infrastructure investment projects will not be supported).

• The only eligible costs are those that relate to actual project implementation. Overhead costs not related to the project will not be accepted.

• Grants may only support the cost of salaries of CSO members involved in project implementation where otherwise they would not be able to carry out project activities. It is recommended that the costs included in the salary and consultancy budget lines comprise no more than 40 percent of the total budget.


• Grant support may not provide direct funds to staff or officials of public administrations or local or national governmental authorities. Any consultancy payments made to individuals from these groups, with the exception of payments made to cover expenses related to participation in project-related events (e.g. travel, meals, accommodation, per diem), will result in the cancellation of the grant.

• CSOs may not submit more than one project proposal as lead CSO, and may not be involved in more than two project proposals as a partner in the project application phase.

• If a CSO manages to provide additional funds for project implementation, it should demonstrate that donor commitment has been secured. In-kind contributions may include materials and supplies, work, communications etc.

• Cooperative grants awarded by the REC may be used as co-financing for projects supported by other donors, provided that the REC is notified at the project submission phase.

Guidance for the preparation of full proposals CSOs are invited to submit a full project proposal describing the project activities, approach, methodology, inputs, impact, results and outputs. In the preparation of full proposals, CSOs are advised to follow the standard guidelines for writing a project proposal that are given in this document. Applicants may also contact the REC head office for assistance and further guidelines (see section: Important information for contact details). Identification of partners and stakeholders When preparing their proposals, CSOs should look for direct project partners and indirect project beneficiaries from their own sector and other areas (e.g. CSOs, governments, institutions, universities and businesses) that are working on similar topics in Belarus and Moldova. If necessary, the grants manager can assist and advise applicants on identifying partners. There must be a partner from Belarus and a partner from Moldova. In the preparation phase, partners will need to discuss the project proposal and the actions required for successful project implementation. Information about each partner should be included in the “Cooperative Statement”. This document demonstrates that the lead CSO and its partners have agreed to work together on writing the full project proposal in order to apply for a REC grant.


Submission of full proposals The full proposal should be sent by e-mail to [email protected] or uploaded to the SECTOR website no later than 17:00 on May 27, 2013. Only proposals sent by e-mail or uploaded to the www.sector.rec.org website will be accepted. Preparing project proposals This section of the guidance describes the forms that should be prepared in order to complete a full proposal for cooperative grants application. The forms can be found in the separate annexes provided together with the guidance. The Statement of Cooperation requires an authorisation, signature and stamp. CSOs and their cooperative partners are requested to work together to prepare the full proposal. Project proposals should be prepared in English or Russian, and must include a one-page executive summary in English. The full proposal must include the following: Annex A: Proposal cover page – Must be clearly and fully completed by the lead CSO (submitted in Word format). Annex B: Executive summary in English – Must contain key project objectives, activities, expected outcomes, results and foreseen impact (one page maximum, submitted in Word format). Annex C: Statement of cooperation – Must be signed and stamped by the lead partner and each partner CSO and include the required banking details (submitted as a PDF and in Word format). Annex D: Narrative description of the project – When preparing the narrative description of the project, please fill out all sections of Annex D, responding in detail to the questions provided. This template document should be no longer than 10 pages (submitted in Word format). Annex E: Budget summary – Outline the budget for the entire project and describe the budgets for each of the partners (including the lead partner). Use the partner meeting for this purpose. The form must be clearly completed for the parts of the budget requested from the REC. Please state all amounts in euro (EUR). Although it is not a requirement, CSOs may consider using additional funds or in-kind support to cover the cost of project activities. If this is the case, please indicate this amount under Annexes E. Duplicate the worksheet if you would like to provide a detailed description of any co-financing provided (submitted as a PDF and in Excel format).


The REC is interested in knowing only about additional funds for which donor commitment has been secured. In-kind contributions may include materials and supplies, work, communication services etc. Confirmation of co-funding will have to be provided after the proposal selection process and before signing the award agreement, unless the project can be implemented without co-financing. For each item listed below, try to estimate or predict the entire cost throughout the life of the project. Be as specific as possible, even if not all of the details are known yet. Write all these details on separate sheets of the budget summary.

Budget categories:

Salaries including taxes and obligatory payments – Grants shall support the cost of the salaries of CSO members that work on the project only if this is well justified by the project proposal. CSOs must specify the amount of project management time (months or days) spent by the project coordinator, financial assistant and project activity coordinators who are part of the project team, and their monthly/daily cost. It is recommended that the costs of “salaries” + “consultancy” do not exceed 40 percent of the total budget.

Fees for experts/consultants/contracted personnel (for occasional work), including taxes and obligatory payments – Each short-term service required for this project should be placed under this budget item. CSOs must specify the amount of time (in months or days) and the unit cost. For any consultant (sub-contractor) that is selected with a cost above EUR 500, the REC’s procurement regulations must be followed. Grant support may not be directed towards public administrations, or local or national governmental authorities, their staff or officials.

Travel (tickets, transport costs) – CSOs must specify the number of trips, the destinations, the number of people traveling and transportation costs.

Accommodation and food (for participants in events) – CSOs must estimate the price of accommodation per person per night, the per diem allowance per person, the number of people needing accommodation, and the number of nights.

Equipment – CSOs must specify the type of equipment and the price per unit, and must explain why the equipment is needed (“equipment” is any good costing more than EUR 200 used for more than one year).

Supplies – CSOs must specify items and quantity, the estimated price per item, and the purpose. Supplies may include paper, calculators and upgrades to computers.

Communication costs – CSOs must specify e-mail, telephone, fax and postage costs. Only communication costs charged to the organisation’s name will be eligible.

Publication costs – CSOs must estimate publication costs and number of copies. Translation services – CSOs must estimate the price of translation services and

specify the languages. They must also estimate the number of hours or pages, the fee per hour or page, and the purpose.

Other direct costs – Costs that do not fit any of the budget categories may be placed under “other direct costs” (e.g. the rental of office or conference facilities). Unjustified costs under this item will not be considered.


Additional support documents: a) Eligibility documents: a copy of the registration certificates of the lead partner and partner CSOs, and a copy of the mission/statutes of the lead partner and all partner organisations. b) Descriptions of CSO backgrounds (one page maximum for each CSO) For each involved CSO, describe the aims, background, activities, mission and capability/capacity to implement the project (with an emphasis on experience related to environmental protection and sustainable development). Please specify: • the number of CSO members; • the number of paid staff; • the number of volunteers; • the budget for the last three years (in EUR); and • three major projects implemented within the last three years (name, objectives,

budget, main results).

c) CVs of project coordinators and other key persons involved in the project The REC requires a CV for each project coordinator that will be involved in the project’s implementation. The CV should include: • name, date and place of birth, and current employer; • number of years of experience in the field and key qualifications (relevant to the

project); • a summary of college/university and other specialised education, giving names of

schools, dates attended and degrees obtained; and • a list all positions, job titles, dates and employers, indicating the work undertaken that

best demonstrates the person’s ability to complete the project tasks. d) Support documents from other parties Other parties that benefit from project results or make in-kind contributions to project implementation without profiting from a direct financial contribution under the grant, may be other CSOs, local or central authorities, business people, academics, or any other concerned party. Support documents, intention letters and any kind of proof of the interested party’s support should be included in the proposal to indicate their commitment to the project.


Selection and awarding process

Registration and pre-screening During the registration of project proposals, the SECTOR team will pre-screen proposals for eligibility according to the following criteria:

• applicants are eligible to receive a grant (see Eligibility and Conditions section above);

• the project proposal addresses environmental protection and sustainable development issues;

• the application follows REC standards (the forms are completed, the budget and timeline are within the set limits, the cooperation statement is signed/stamped etc.);

• the applicant is a CSO with proven experience in field of environment or sustainable development and has the required capacity to implement the project.

Evaluation of full proposals by the Advisory Board Project proposals may be written in Russian or English, but the executive summary must be in English. Successful full proposals will be selected through a competitive and transparent process. Full proposals will be evaluated by an independent advisory board established by the REC based on a concrete ToR with the participation of various stakeholders, and independent experts from Moldova and Belarus and the international community. Grants will be awarded based on well-defined criteria that will judge: Project results:

• The project description demonstrates probable, realistic and clearly indicated sustainable results and a long-term impact, which will be carried on after the project is over.

• The project leads to progress towards environmental protection and sustainable development at international level.

• The expected benefits of the project for stakeholders are clearly indicated.

20%

Indicators, monitoring and reporting: • The proposal contains realistic indicators for measuring the

achievement of objectives, outputs, results and implementation progress, and provides sources and means of verification.

10%

Approach and methodology: • The project approach and methodology are clearly defined and suitable

to lead to the achievement of the expected results. • The project is built on the principles of sustainable development,

integrating the pillars of sustainability (environmental, social and

25%


economic). • The project promotes networking and long-term cooperation among

the partner CSOs in Belarus and Moldova. Partners share responsibilities for implementing the project in an appropriate, clear and fair way. The added value of the partnership is demonstrated.

• The proposal clearly identifies the benefit of cooperation between the partners under the grants project, and demonstrates the involvement and roles of the individual partners.

• The project is relevant to the community and other stakeholders dealing with environmental matters. The proposal demonstrates that the CSOs represent community/professional interests.

• The project adopts an inclusive approach in its development and implementation by involving other interested parties. The project initiates and/or improves dialogue with authorities and policy makers and promotes transparent decision-making processes. The roles and benefits of the interested parties are defined and the advantage of their involvement in different activities is demonstrated in relation to the sustainability and impact of the project.

• If applicable, the project demonstrates a rights-based approach, ensuring that gender equality, multicultural/multi-ethnic representation, and the participation and rights of women and minorities are promoted by the project to the extent possible.

Proposal quality:

• The proposal topic is within the scope of the announcement. The project builds on strategic goals defined in national and international strategic documents.

• The project goal and objectives are achievable and feasible. • There is a reasonable and realistic project implementation plan. The

implementation plan demonstrates the logical flow of activities, with a clear timeframe. The proposal indicates how the expected outputs contribute to the outcomes.

20%

Budget: • The budget is cost effective and is clearly explained and precisely

calculated, demonstrating the share of each partner. The overall budget follows the budget lines of the REC form.

15%

Organisation capability and viability: • Staff and/or volunteers have experience and competence in relation

to the issue. The CVs of the CSOs and relevant staff demonstrate the required skills and experience.

• Appropriate infrastructure (e.g. office/equipment etc.) and resources are available.

• The project builds on and supports the continuity of the organisations’ work and their roles and values.

10 %


The REC strongly recommends that applicants take the selection criteria into consideration when preparing their project proposals. The project proposals will be scored, ranked and selected against these criteria. Interviews Representatives of the REC and members of the Advisory Board may interview key actors in the proposed project as part of the evaluation. Applicants will receive notification of the date and time of any such interview at least seven days in advance. Notification of decisions and winners meeting The selected CSOs will be invited to attend a grant winners’ meeting, where they will present their projects to the other grantees and sign award agreements. The meeting will also be an opportunity for the CSOs to learn about the REC’s reporting requirements and to meet the assigned grant manager and a financial assistant from the REC’s office, who will work with them closely throughout project implementation. Award agreement All award agreements are prepared in EUR. The award agreement states the approved budget for the grant, the disbursement schedule and the reporting requirements. The award agreement also states that the project must be implemented as described in the grant application. If there is any significant change to the project proposal, it must be submitted in writing, and approved in writing by the SECTOR grants manager, before the change is implemented. Significant changes include: a budget difference of any budget line item greater than 10 percent, a change in the dates of project implementation, and changes in the purpose of the project. The award agreement must include the signatures of: • the chair/director of the lead CSO, who signs on behalf of the CSO; • each cooperative partner (including the lead CSO), who sign sub-award agreements

(these documents describe the budgets for each particular partner and serve as a contract between the lead CSO and the CSO cooperative partners); and

• the executive director of REC, who signs on behalf of the SECTOR Programme implementing agency.

All signatures must be validated with the CSO stamp. With the signature of the executive director and the stamp of the REC, the award agreement is a legally binding document. The terms and conditions outlined in the guidelines and the grants announcement are legally binding.


Project implementation

Grant winners can expect to receive the first instalment of their grant within one month of signing the award agreement. The project implementation period is 12 months. The REC’s assigned grants manager will monitor project implementation by means of direct contact and field visits.

Grant management

Grant payment The CSOs must have separate bank accounts. The lead and partner CSOs will receive payments based on the signed award agreement. Grant funds are transferred from the REC’s account to the CSOs’ EUR bank accounts in accordance with their shares. Grant payments cannot be made in cash or by cheque. The funds are disbursed in euro in at least three installments, based on the schedule included in the award documents and agreed at the winners meeting. If there are budget pre-conditions, the CSO must prepare new budget summaries to be discussed at the winners meeting. The first payment of the grant (50 percent) is made when the pre-conditions have been met and the REC has received the signed award agreement and sub-award agreements in the general case. The next payment (40 percent) is made when the SECTOR grants manager and financial assistant approve the progress reports. After the final report has been approved by the REC, the last 10 percent is paid to the CSO. In justifiable cases, the whole project amount may be paid in a single installment.

Reporting requirements In the case of consortium projects, the lead CSO is responsible for submitting all project reports. Each CSO is required to prepare a narrative and financial report and send it to the project leader. The lead CSO should write a summary describing the activities of the partners in the context of the entire project. Because it is a cooperative project, the REC is interested in hearing about the project as a whole. Before submitting the reports to the REC, the lead CSO should review the individual reports to ensure they are complete. Copies of receipts must be included in the report. The project coordinator is responsible for the reporting of all cooperative partners. The award agreement states the reporting requirements for each grant. Reports are to be results oriented in line with the narrative description. CSOs are required to demonstrate in particular the achievement of the impacts, outcomes and outputs stipulated in the project proposal. They are required to submit:


• an interim report; and

• a final report. At the winners meeting, CSOs will receive detailed reporting instructions. All reports must have a summary in English.

Budget modifications

Although the REC cannot increase the overall amount of a grant award, the budget made in the award agreement may be altered. If it is necessary to transfer more than 10 percent of one budget line to another budget line, the CSO needs written approval from the REC grants manager.

Auditing The REC’s staff, donor representatives or independent audit firms may monitor project performance at any time. The REC reserves the right to review finances and expenditures at any time during the project period or up to one year after the project’s completion. All original receipts must be kept on file for five years after the end of the project.

Returning funds

If, for any reason, conditions are not met, or the consortium fails to implement the planned activities, the full grant amount should be returned to the REC. The award agreement is a legal document and the CSOs and the REC should meet all requirements. In case of disagreement, Hungarian national law is applicable and the Court of Justice is used.

Information and acknowledgements

Access to information

Rejected full proposals are not made available to the public. All approved grant applications and their products are considered to be in the public domain. Any information resulting from grant projects is available to the public. CSOs are encouraged to highlight the results of the implemented projects on their websites and to promote them to other stakeholders. If a project result is a publication, the grantee is requested to provide the REC with complimentary copies for further distribution.

Grants acknowledgement

Acknowledgement of the support of the Government of Sweden and the REC is mandatory. Any announcement published by the CSO, such as a newsletter article or conference brochure, should include the following acknowledgement:


"This project is being implemented with a grant given through the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe's SECTOR Programme. This project is funded by the Government of Sweden.”

Use of project and donor logos

Publications, brochures, posters, t-shirts, stickers, etc. produced under this programme must feature the logos of SECTOR, the REC and Sweden. The REC will provide the official logos to the CSOs. The logos should be used together with the above acknowledgement sentence where possible.

Endorsement and disclaimer

Sponsorship by the implementing agency and the donor (REC and Sweden) of any proposal does not suggest their endorsement of the results. They assume no liability, expressed or implied, for damages arising from any activity carried out by grantees. The opinions expressed in connection with the project (or publications) do not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of either the donor or the implementing agency.

Special financial conditions CSOs should carefully follow the special financial conditions of this programme in their project preparation process. This section applies to the purchase of goods and services for grantees. These requirements apply to projects after implementation has begun, and not to the application phase.

Purchase of fixed assets

Any item for use over more than a year and having a purchase price above EUR 200 is regarded as a fixed asset. Fixed assets may be purchased only if the need for the requested fixed asset is foreseen and justified in the proposal. Any fixed assets purchased out of the grant are the property of the REC during the project implementation phase. The REC will transfer property rights to the CSO only if the REC is satisfied with the grant results.

Purchase of goods

For purchasing goods that have a purchase price above EUR 500, grantees must provide three price quotes and an evaluation statement.

Purchase of services (contracting)

If, within the awarded project, the CSO intends to receive a service, then a formal contract must be prepared between the CSO and the person contracted to supply the service (legal or natural person) (this is required once the project has started). Services include, but are not limited to, expert consulting, printing contracts, and the payment of


works. In addition to this requirement the purchase of services over certain amounts may require a specific procedure: Contract amount Procedure

< EUR 500 Agreed in proposal evaluation or with SECTOR grants manager EUR 501 – 5,000 -Three price quotes provided, plus an evaluation of the selected

sub-contractor. -Terms of reference of service.

EUR > 5,000 No contracts of this magnitude are eligible.

Corruption and conflict of interest The REC expects that grantees (both lead and partners): • will cooperate on preventing corruption within and through the granted project and will

undertake to put in place rapid legal measures to stop, investigate and charge any party suspected on good grounds of corruption or other willful misuse of resources;

• will ensure that no offer, gift or payment, consideration of benefit of any kind that would or could be construed as an illegal or corrupt practice shall be offered or accepted, either directly or indirectly, as an inducement or reward related to the implementation of the granted project. Any such action would result in the termination of the award agreement forthwith; and

• will not engage in any outside work, be involved in any business or undertaking, or hold any interest, either personally or through any company or agent, which will or may be in conflict with involvement in the grant.

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