How does EU funding work?Nick Poole, CEO, Collections Trust

Contents

• The European Union

• Why does the European Commission fund?

• What does the European Commission fund?

• Previous European Funding Frameworks

• The next financing period (2014-20)

• A typical programme

• Where to start

Europe

A Short History of the EU

• Formed originally from the European Economic Community in 1958

• Formally became the European Union under the Maastricht Treaty in 1993

• A single market under a standardised system of laws

• Aims to ensure the ‘free movement of goods, services, people and capital’

• 27 Member States (UK joined the EEC in 1973)

• The eurozone comprises 17 of the 27 Member States

• Population: 503m people

Institutions of the EUEuropean ParliamentDirectly-elected parliamentary institution of the European Union, with 754 MEPs. Passes laws.

European CommissionAdministrative centre of the European Union, proposes legislation & implements decisions.

Council of the European Union27 Ministers of State (one per Member State) who meet to discuss and set policy – eg. Common Agricultural Policy

Why does the EC fund?

• “The Commission makes direct financial contributions in the form of grants in support of projects or organisations which further the interests of the EU or contribute to the implementation of an EU programme or policy. Interested parties can apply by responding to calls for proposals.”

• To support the ‘free movement of goods, services, people and capital’

• Increasingly, to support jobs, innovation and growth in Europe

• To promote collaboration and exchange between EU citizens

• To promote the competitiveness of the European single market against the US, China and other emerging economies

What does the EC fund?Agriculture, fisheries and foodsAnimal welfareAquacultureCAPCFPPlant healthRural development

BusinessClimate actionCompetitivenessEnterprise and IndustryFree movementInternal marketSMEs

Culture, education and youthAudiovisual and mediaCultureEducation and trainingInterpretationSportYouth

Economy, finance and taxCompetitionEconomyFight against fraudFinancial servicesTaxation and custom union

Employment and social rightsEmploymentEuropean Social FundSocial affairs and equal opportunitiesEnergy and natural resources

Climate actionEnergyIntelligent Energy EuropeTrans-European networks

Environment, consumers and healthConsumersEnvironmentHealthMaritime policySustainable development

External relations and foreign affairsCommon Foreign Security PolicyDevelopment and CooperationEnlargementExternal tradeForeign policiesHumanitarian aid

Justice, home affairs and citizens' rightsCitizenshipFight against fraudImmigrationJusticeSecurity and Fundamental Rights

Regions and local developmentDisaster assistanceRegional Development FundRegional policy

Science and technologyAudiovisual and MediaInformation SocietyResearch

What does the EC fund?

• Public or private organisations, chosen by the Commission on the basis of competence and capacity

• Based on the principle of complimentary financing – the Commission does not usually fund 100% of project costs (with some exceptions)

• Grants cannot be applied retroactively to things that have already happened

• Grants have to be applied to the purposes for which they are awarded, and cannot yield a profit for the grantee

• Looking for impact and sustainability beyond the period of the grant

• Usually require involvement from institutions in multiple Member States

Why does the EC fund culture?

• “Europe’s cultural richness and diversity is closely linked to its role and influence in the world.

The European Union is not just an economic process or a trading power, it is already widely - and accurately - perceived as an unprecedented and successful social and cultural project.

The EU is, and must aspire to become even more, an example of a "soft power" founded on norms and values such as human dignity, solidarity, tolerance, freedom of expression, respect for diversity and intercultural dialogue, values which, provided they are upheld and promoted, can be of inspiration for the world of tomorrow.”

European Commission Communication on the European Agenda for Culture

Why does the EC fund culture?

• Culture cuts across a range of European policy priorities, including:

– Travel & tourism– Research & innovation– Education– Youth– Audiovisual & media– Internal market (copyright)

• Perhaps equally important, culture is key to soft diplomacy – promoting the uniqueness and values of European identity and providing a coherent narrative to a complex administrative & geographical idea

Previous Funding frameworks

• 3 key sources of funding (mostly now fully allocated):

– 7th Research Framework Programme (€50bn between 2007-2013)

– Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (€3.6bn between 2007-2013 to promote the competitiveness of European enterprises)

– Structural Funds (€86bn between 2007-2013)

• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)• European Social Fund (ESF)• Cohesion Fund

• A total investment of €140bn over 6 years

Next financing period

• Welcome to the Multiannual Financing Framework 2014-20

– Smart and Inclusive Growth (€491bn)– Sustainable growth, natural resources (€383bn)– Security & Citizenship (€18.5bn)– Global Europe (€70bn)– Administration (€62.6bn)

• A total budget allocation of just over €1trn over 6 years

• But…

Next financing period

• A lot is still to be decided

• There are likely to be priorities around:

– Culture– Research & innovation– Knowledge transfer– ICT

• The remaining calls under this financing period will appear January – March 2013

• Broad outline of future calls likely to be communicated mid/late 2013

A typical programme

• Each Department (Directorate) of the EC publishes an Annual Work Programme by 31st March of each year

• Calls for Proposals against these Work Programmes are published on the Web and via C-Series, the official Journal of the European Union

• A consortium is formed, and produces a proposal, usually led by one central organisation

• Proposals are assessed by independent experts in closed session

• The lead for your consortium is invited to negotiate

• A contract is agreed with the Commission, along with any financial provisions

A typical programme

• Each Department (Directorate) of the EC publishes an Annual Work Programme by 31st March of each year

• Calls for Proposals against these Work Programmes are published on the Web and via C-Series, the official Journal of the European Union

• A consortium is formed, and produces a proposal, usually led by one central organisation

• Proposals are assessed by independent experts in closed session

• The lead for your consortium is invited to negotiate

• A contract is agreed with the Commission, along with any financial provisions

Where to start…

• Your appetite for European working:

– How does your organisation feel about international collaboration? – Are you already engaged within Europe? – Is your management/leadership Eurosceptic?– Are you already networked with colleagues in Europe?

• Securing funding from Europe is not hard, once you know what you’re doing. Building competence and capacity requires an investment of time and effort. If your organisation is anti-Europe, it is going to be a lot harder to make that investment.

Where to start…

• Your Strategic Objectives:

– What are the strategic objectives of your museum?– How do they map to EU priorities & agendas?– Are you already conducting research?– Is your focus on public programmes?

• Ad-hoc responses to EU funding opportunities rarely work as well as proposals that build on an existing priority for your organisation. The Commission likes to fund additionality – to enable things that might have happened anyway to happen better.

Where to start…

• Your capacity:

– Do you have time to lead a consortium?– Do you have capacity to participate in someone else’s?– Can you afford the time to create project documents?– Do you have a decent eye for detail?– Can you afford to invest in travel and effort if your proposal doesn’t

succeed?

• Programmes vary significantly – some are light-touch, some are large-scale – but all require the input of effort and expense without a guaranteed outcome. You need the financial and strategic backing of your organisation to get involved.

Where to start…

• Build your network!

• Lead times on Calls for Proposals are usually 4-6 months, which is very little time to activate a consortium, build social capital and trust, create the documentation, draft and re-draft and agree budget allocations.

• Proposals work best where they build on pre-existing networks and relationships – they are fuelled by social capital, trust and energy.

• Networking with European counterparts is productive for your whole organisation, and should be ongoing, rather than just ignited in response to a CFP.

Where to start…

• Talk to us!

• Collections Trust leads on or participates in some €15m of European funded programmes, we have an excellent reputation in Europe and an extensive network of European partners. We’re looking out for partners from 2013 onward!

• The UK Cultural Contact Point at Visiting Arts has extensive experience of advising and supporting cultural and creative institutions through planning and submission of proposals – talk to Christoph & Mary!

• We’re both very happy to talk to you about your ideas and objectives and to see how they might fit with the emerging financing framework.

How does EU funding work?

• EU funding works best where there is an alignment between your strategic aims, an existing set of relationships and the European Commission’s policy priorities

• The Commission issues a call for proposals and you respond to it, usually by completing a form or forms (commonly via an online portal)

• There is no guaranteed way of securing EU funding, but the quickest way not to is not to read the forms and do what they say

• You need to expect to find between 20-50% match-funding

• You need to pay close attention to eligible costs – most programmes focus on staff and some capital costs, not on overhead or contracting

Take it further!

http://www.collectionslink.org.uk/programmes/european-projects - Collections Link (information about current and proposed projects from Collections Trust)

http://www.culturefund.eu/ - The Cultural Contact Point for the Creative Europe and Culture Programmes

http://ec.europe.eu – European Commission website, including information about the Multiannual Financing Framework & forthcoming Calls for Proposals

http://ec.europa.eu/culture/index_en.htm - European Commission website on the Culture Programme & the Culture Agenda for Europe

http://cordis.europa.eu/home_en.html - CORDIS information service on research and innovation funding in Europe

Thanks for listening!

Nick PooleCEO, Collections Trust

WC209 Natural History MuseumCromwell RoadLondonSW7 5BD

Tel: 0207 942 6080

Email: nick@collectionstrust.org.uk

twitter: @NickPoole1