Applying for SOLID funding in the UK

An Overview

London, 25th May 2012

Andrea QuattrinEU Funding Project Liaison Manager

AGENDA

Overview of the Funds• Context• What does it mean in practice?

EIF & ERF in the UK Applying What makes a good application Q&A?

12.500.000 210.000

25.500

£154.000.000

extra-EU passengers

Visas

Asylum applications

Allocated to the UK from ERF and EIF since 2007

CONTEXT

• Part of the EU SOLIDARITY MECHANISM , the EU Framework Programme that provides financial support to Member States to help them deliver a consistent approach on migration issues.

• Comprises 4 funds:1. European Integration Fund (EIF)

2. European Refugee Fund III (ERF)

3. European Return Fund (RF)

4. External Border Fund (n.b. UK does not participate)

• From 2014 plans to merge EIF, ERF and RF into 1: the Asylum and Migration Fund (AMF)

Solidarity Funds Management in the UKBrief Overview

Apportionment BoardDCLG, UNHCR, UKBA

HR,UKREP, DWP

RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY (RA)

Link between projects and Commission

Submit multi-annual and annual programmes to the Commission

Complete progress and final reports for the Commission

Organise selection and award procedures

Ensure the fund is administered correctly

Produce Grant Agreements/ Service Level Agreements

Undertake financial and non-financial monitoring of projects (both RA team members and professional auditors)

Liaise with the auditing and evaluating bodies

Maintain central records

WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN PRACTICE?

EIF and ERF: eligibility

UK allocation Target Group Eligible actions

EIF

Around £97m between 2007 and 2013

14% of the total EU Fund

Newly arrived TCNs* legally resident in the UK for up to 10 years

OR

TCNs* in the Third Country, awaiting travel to the UK with a view to settlement

Excludes: Visitors, Students

Pre and Post arrival introductory programmes (language, citizenship)

Intercultural dialogue

Integration

Capacity building

Research and evaluation

ERF

Around £57m between 2008 and 2013

11% of the total EU Fund

Refugees

Humanitarian Protection

Resettled persons

Asylum seekers (for reception projects only)

Excludes: DL

Reception

Integration

Resettlement

Capacity building

Research and evaluation

* Third Country Nationals (i.e. Non EU/EEA nationals)

NB: ONLY costs that meet the eligibility rules can be match-funded by the Funds

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Survey

Pre-travel element

E-learning

Vocational/entrepreneurship training

Volunteering/work experience/further learning

Signposting

Cultural visits

Citizenship classes

Language classes

IN PRACTICE:EIF projects in the UK: an overview

Average funding to awarding body mode project of over £115K per annum

Private Voluntary

Sector

Private Company

University/College

Local Authority

Partnership

Executing body mode - PBS and Integration for “Big Society”

Funding allocation 2007-2011

Awarding body mode

Executing body mode

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Increase understanidng of Asylum procedures

Achieve Sector-specific qualifications

Language support/courses

Work experience/placement

Progress into employment/further learning

Social and personal development

IN PRACTICE: ERF projects in the UK: an overview

Average funding to awarding body mode project of over £60K per annum

Executing body mode – Gateway resettlement project, COI service and Italian Asylum Liaison Officer

Private Voluntary

Sector

Local Authority

Private Company

Funding allocation 2007-2011

Executing body mode

Awarding body mode

APPLICATION PROCESS

SOLID calling!

Calls for proposals are NOW open for the

EUROPEAN INTEGRATION FUNDS 2011 AND 2012

The deadline for bids: 4pm on Monday 28 May 2012

For more details go to: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsfragments/61-eif

The application pack is available via the Home Office's Emptoris e-procurement site: https://sourcing.homeoffice.gov.uk/sso/jsp/login.jsp

Future calls?

Future calls for the ERF and EIF may be held in the Autumn, but details are not yet available. We will publicise through stakeholder letters, grantfinder.co.uk , dsc.org.uk, email signatures…Or monitor the UKBA website at:

EIF: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/workingwithasylum/integrating_other_migrants/

ERF:http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/workingwithasylum/integration/

Pre-application workshop are organised by the RA shortly after the call opens

MATCH-FUNDING: HOW DOES IT WORK?

WHO CAN APPLY?

• Central Government departments

• Government Agencies

• Local authorities or organisations running under their auspices

• Academic institutions

• Limited companies (although no profit can be made from the EU grant)

• Non-Governmental Organisations

• International Governmental Organisations

• Partnerships of any of the above organisations

NOTE:

• Organisations MUST be registered in an EU Member State

• Individuals cannot apply

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO PROVIDE

The following documents must be submitted:

1. Completed application form2. Scanned, signed copy of declaration (final page of application form)3. Completed project business plan – all templates completed4. Completed Management & Control Systems (MCS) Questionnaire including

one from each partner in the case of a partnership bid5. Set of last two years’ accounts6. CVs/Job Descriptions of key staff7. Forward Budget Toolkits – one for each year of the project8. Signed partner declaration (where applicable)

If possible:9. Letter from your match-funder confirming that funding is ring-fenced. If not

possible, this will be requested as a pre-requisite to finalise your Grant Agreement. Indicate in the business plan (Template I) where you expect the match-funding to come from

WHAT MAKES A GOOD APPLICATION

• Complete the Bid yourself.

• From experience we have had several Applications submitted by projects who have employed a professional consultant to write the bid only for the project to fold very quickly as it was clear the Organisation either didn’t understand what the consultant had committed them to or were not in a position to operate within the sometimes complex structure of EU Funding requirements.

• Know what your Bid is about and exactly what you are signing up to.

COMPLETE THE APPLICATION YOURSELF AND BE HONEST

SUITABLE TARGETS

Targets should be:• Consistent and transparent: the targets set at the beginning should be the targets reported on all the way through

•Grounded in realism, evidence or logical thinking

– What basis have you got for thinking the target is realistic?

– What evidence can you use to back it up?

– Is it measurable?

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking the RA will be more likely to support projects with high, overly ambitious targets (but don’t set the bar too low either)

RELEVANCEEligible actions and beneficiaries

• Are the relevant target group(s) addressed?

– How have you identified and how are you going to reach your target group?

– Have you made realistic estimates of the number of people from within the target group you will reach? (i.e. can you provide evidence of researching an identified need?)

• Are all actions identified by the project eligible?• Is the project based on a well identified researched need?• Does the project address a recognised gap in services in a known

area/location? • Is the project innovative (if relevant)?• Does the project quantify how the outputs will impact the UK/EU

priorities?

EFFICIENCYValue for Money

• Match funding in place and evidenced?

• Ratio of target group to funding (Value for Money)

• Are costs justifiable, reasonable and correctly allocated?

• Did the project provide a realistic budget for the entire project?

• Are the costs stated in the budget and application form consistent?

• Is the project description clear (showing added value)?

CAPACITYCapacity to Deliver

• Experience in delivering similar projects/ working with target groups/ dealing with EU funding

• Is the information provided consistent throughout?

• Experience / skills of staff involved

• Is the organisation structure appropriate?

• Is the partnership based on an existing relationship?

• Is implementation plan detailed and realistic?

• Have risks been identified with contingencies in place?

• Are the targets realistic?

EFFECTIVENESSCapacity to Monitor

• Relevant systems in place e.g. accounting/HR systems

• Are financial and other recording systems robust?

• Are project outcomes and impacts quantifiable and measurable?

• Are monitoring activities specified?

• Is the project sustainable?

• What monitoring systems/resources are in place?

UKBA Website

EIF: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/workingwithasylum/integrating_other_migrants/

ERF:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/workingwithasylum/integration/

USEFUL LINKS

Q&A ? ?

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Thank you for your attention!

Andrea Quattrin

EU Funding Team:

EuropeanSolidFundsEnquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

…SOME ADDITIONAL USEFUL INFORMATION: WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU NEED?

EXPENDITURE: WHAT ARE THE LIMITS?

• Expenditure must be

– ELIGIBLE: only costs in line with the rules and forecasted in the Budget can be co-financed by the Funds,

– DIRECTLY RELEVANT to the project

– FINANCIAL (cash) transactions – no contributions in kind

– justified by official invoices

– identifiable and verifiable

– recorded in accounting records

– incurred during project year - anything outside the project year will be ineligible

Eligible costs without adequate supporting documentation = ineligible cost

• “All documents regarding expenditure and audits on the programmes concerned are kept available for the Commission and the Court of Auditors for a period of five years following the closure of the programmes”

• Closure of the programmes = date that the European Commission ‘signs off’ the UK’s account for the programming year. Note this may be several years after the completion of your project not simply 5 years immediately after the completion.

What does this mean for projects?

• Keep all documentation regarding your project for five years after the RA informs you that the Commission has closed the programme to which the final year of your project relates

• E.g. a project running from 2011-2012 would have to keep documents for five years after the closure of the 2012 programme

• Likely to be retention period of at least 8 years

• Ensure organisation’s normal document retention policies are superseded by the EU rules

DOCUMENT RETENTION: HOW LONG DO YOU NEED TO KEEP EVIDENCE?

When? Continuous

Why? Ensure performance against targets, Ensure solid financial and project management Provide support

Key tools:• Monitoring forms• Interim and final reports and financial toolkit• In-year monitoring visits: Two or more per year• Desktop checks• Interim and final audit: conducted by auditors on behalf of RA. • Workshops: up to two technical workshops each year• Continuous communication

MONITORING: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

THE FUNDIN

G CYCLE

*To be eligible for interim payments, the beneficiary should evidence that at least 60% or 50% of the total budgeted costs (respectively for projects match-funded 50% and 75% by the Funds) has been spent on eligible actions. Interim payments will be assessed on a case by cases basis.

Staff costs

Staff working Full-time on the project• Job description or contract confirming duties and contractual hours• Evidence of total salary and on costs (eg. Salary slip or payroll)

Staff working a proportion of their time on the project• Timesheets (MUST provide details of tasks performed, signed by the member of

staff and countersigned by line-manager) • Evidence supporting daily/hourly rate (eg. evidence supporting the calculation of

the rate or official evidence stating the rate.

Support staff not working directly on the project (cost apportioned to project)• Evidence of total salary and on costs (eg. Salary slip or payroll)• Evidence supporting apportionment ratio

FINANCIAL MONITORING REQUIREMENTSEvidence - 1

Subcontracting

• Evidence of procurement exercise compliant with EU funding eligibility rules: e.g. if above €5K, then you need to show that at least 3 quotes have been considered.

• Copy of the subcontracting contract stating costs, tasks required reporting and monitoring activities performed by the lead beneficiary these should provide evidence that the subcontractors are abiding by the same eligibility rules applied to the lead beneficiary

FINANCIAL MONITORING REQUIREMENTSEvidence - 2

Consumables and supplies• Invoices, receipts• Evidence to confirm the relevance to the project.

Travel and subsistence• Evidence of tickets, boarding passes confirming costs of travel, dates and

destination• Evidence supporting relevance to the project (meeting notes, agendas, emails)• Evidence supporting subsistence rates and practices

FINANCIAL MONITORING REQUIREMENTSEvidence - 3

Specific expenses relating to the target group

• Evidence that the beneficiaries fall within the Fund eligible target group• Evidence of the support provided – invoices, receipts etc.• Evidence that the beneficiary received the assistance - e.g. signed statement,

receipt

FINANCIAL MONITORING REQUIREMENTSEvidence - 5