first meeting of the south-southeastearn enpi cbc nips network florence, 23 june 2009 workshops...

First meeting of the south-southeastearn ENPI CBC NIPs network

Florence, 23 June 2009

WORKSHOPS

Promoting viable and effective trans-national partnerships

Supporting high quality projects generation and development

The project life cycle Partner search and identification

Involvement of key stakeholders

Defining the scope of the project (needs assessment and background analysis)

Refine details of the project proposal and funding request responding to all application requirements : Context and strategy Objectives, expected results, outputs Activities and methodology Responsibilities Human and financial resources estimation and schedule

What comes first, the idea or the partnership?

Easily identifiable joint needs

Often in close geographical proximity

Partners often know each other

Key actions: thorough needs analysis and ensuring local/ regional/national stakeholders backing

Partnership

Idea

Partnership

Idea

Common needs, partner regions are aware of the challenges but have different options of how to tackle them

A range of different partners can be brought in

Key actions: disseminating the idea, testing the relevance, wide partner search



WORKSHOP

Promoting viable and effective trans-national partnerships

ENPI CBC programmes aim at unifying different actors from EU and Neighbourhood countries in a partnership around shared needs and common development goals reflected in the projects.

1+1=3!! Achieve a bigger goal then if you were alone.

Different views on the same subject means also a higher potential for stronger and more strategically relevant results.

Therefore ENPI CBC projects:

can’t just be built on solid contents but also on the quality of partnerships needed to implement them;

should integrate the right partners in order to secure that key stakeholder interests are taken on board.

Working together is what define ENPI CBC projects

Regulation n. 1638/2006: art. 14 allows for a large variety of eligible actors.

The Joint Operational Programmes and the Guidelines for grant applicants: set the eligibility criteria for applicants and partners and the composition of the partnership.

A partnership must include: 1 Lead partner = Applicant/Beneficiary (submits the

application, signs the contract with the JMA and is responsible for the overall project implementation);

A minimum number of partners from different countries (sign the partnership in the application, sign a partnership agreement with the Lead partner).

The partnership can also include associated partners (must be mentioned in the application pack).

Partnership requirements under ENPI CBC programmes

Partnership constituted around a project proposal will be evaluated from a twofold point of view: formal requirements in term of number, kind and geographical

origin… (eligibility criteria); financial and operational capacity and methodology (award

and selection criteria). In addition to prove having relevant experience in the sector

addressed by the proposal:

How the partnership is evaluated

Lead partners should : Have appropriate project

management experience and track record

Have sufficient financial and co-financing capacity

Have appropriate human resources

Partners should: Have technical capabilities to

implement the activities Be able to receive and

properly use funds Co-finance activities

Quantity vs quality: the question of being a successful partnership is not “how many” but “which” partners because it’s not the number of partners listed in the application that makes the partnership ideal but rather their expertise necessary to carry out the planned activities.

The partnership dimension should:

have a sufficient trans-national representation;

be promoted horizontally (among different socio economic and policy actors policy: administration, private sectors and business organisations, associations, universities, etc. ) This means that a partnership should not include only organisations from one sectors (for instance universities), but from other sectors affected by the project as well (build coalitions with relevant stakeholders);

be promoted vertically (different levels of authorities, from the local to the national level).

What makes a “good” partnership?

Group discussion:

Partnership success factors: what else should NIPs suggest to ENPI CBC project promoters in order to develop a good partnership?

Partnership challenges: what are the mains difficulties that project promoters may encounter in developing a trans-national partnership?

Finding the right partners: search channelsTargeted General

Existing contacts, previous partners

Sector organisations

Networks

Local, regional, national groups / initiatives (nationally)

Databases about projects previously carried out in the same field

Programme (JTS, NCP/NIPs, JMA)

National, regional, local groups / initiatives (trans-nationally)

External expertise

Media: websites, publications, etc.

Finding the right partners: what is the right mix?

capacity

sector

type: public, private, NGO, etc

experience

geographical spread

skills

The project partnership mobilised should be able to support the achievement of results and lasting impacts

The partnership principle is implemented through: formal partnership =

project partners; informal partnership

= involving relevant (internal and external) stakeholders and wider target groups

Finding the right partners: complementarityExample of a grid to assess whether partners complement each other in terms of expertise and experience required for the project

Lead Partner

Partner 1 Partner 2 Partner 3 Partner 4

Activity 1 Significant experience, for ...

Significant experience for ...

Some experience, for ... Particularly interested in learning about...

Minor experience, including ...

Particularly interested in learning about ...

No experience.


Activity 2 No experience


... ... ... ...

Programme support: combining bottom-up and top-down approach

Tools and activitiesFinding partners

Initiating the idea

Developing the project

Partner search forums Project idea forms and project idea database

Info days, open days Guidelines and application pack Questions and answers Clustering of projects Thematic seminars Gap analysis and thematic scoping studies

Programmes evaluation

Group discussion:

What are the most effective activities and tools that programmes could adopt to facilitate the partnerships development process?

Can NIPs/NCPs support partnership development? If yes How? What kind of support do NIPs/NCPs may need to strengthen their skills in delivering support to project developers?



WORKSHOP

Supporting high quality projects generation and development

Main features of ENPI CBC projects Have clear need for territorial cooperation: CBC programmes

are defined by the value of cooperation between regions in different countries and projects that could be implemented just as effectively without cooperation have no place in the programmes.

Have clear links to the programme strategy: partners should ask themselves whether their aims fit into the programmes’ priorities and measures.

Give clear contribution to the ENP policy.

Have clear objectives and these can be implemented through a set of clearly defined activities marked by milestones of project implementation.

Have set clear responsibilities, which will serve as key reference points for partners throughout the implementation process.

Have a realistic budget avoiding both under and over-budgeting.

Linking project ideas, programmes priorities & local development strategies

BOTTOM UP Project ideas should be identified and developed coherently with the

interests and needs of the partners (bottom up)

TOP DOWN In designing the project partners should gain a good understanding

of the: Local needs (of the territories involved) Programme requirements (objectives, priorities, eligible actors

and actions) making sure that the project idea is in line with these. Other strategic documents such as EU, national regional and

local development policies, programmes and plans covering the project themes. PROJECT SCOPE

(objectives: target group, geography, content delivery, quality)

Project generation is a joint process

All partners should be involved since the preparatory phase in order to: Incorporate ideas (the initial individual ideas should

be put on the table and discussed) Identify knowledge and experience each partner

brings to the project and what each partner expects to get from the project;

Jointly develop objectives & outcomes, budget, timing, responsibilities and tasks to achieve objectives;

Jointly assign coordination function to partners responsible for different activities and identify the Lead Partner.

Project generation: background analysis

Is it the right idea?Target groups needs assessment, stakeholder involvement

Is somebody else doing the same?

Assessment of existing projects and activities

Can we build on previous work?

Integrate the results of previous projects, develop follow-up projects

Does it fit into the programme and other strategies?

Review all relevant documents

Project generation: face-to-face preparatory meetings

To establish/expand personal contact Ensure common understanding Understand motivation Clarify what is required Gain commitment Integrate interests and needs Browse ideas, explore opportunities

Are particularly key where a new partnership is established

Programme support: combining bottom-up and top-down approach

Tools and activitiesFinding partners

Initiating the idea

Developing the project

Partner search forums Project idea forms and project idea database

Info days, open days Guidelines and application pack Questions and answers Clustering of projects Thematic seminars Gap analysis and thematic scoping studies

Programmes evaluation

How can programmes help? Tools

Project idea forms

Project ideas database

Project ideas book

Project idea forms are useful for initial presentation of the idea

They are non-binding Must be short and clear Can be included in a programme “project

ideas database” or in a programme “project ideas book”

Can be a strategic tool if the potentials are optimised - Is it not just a “shopping list”

Can provide indication about: the project’s ambition what are “hot” topics from a bottom-up

perspective how do they match programme priorities what are the weakness in term of contents

and partnership

How can programmes help? Project development events

Focused/thematic seminars

On themes that require particular attention (e g new themes for the programme or following to the results of a call to provide information on main strengthens and weaknesses of the submitted proposals)

Involve project developers, field experts, national representatives, NIPs/NCPs, etc.

Partner search forums

Cover the whole programme priorities

Involve project developers, field experts, national representatives, politicians, NIPs/NCPs, etc.

Importance of project development events… for ENPI CBC

programmes…for project developers

Early idea about what is the interest in the programme – biggest/lowest areas of interest

Develop an overview about different ideas and on how they match priorities and measures

Early idea about who is interested – are there new actors/target groups

What are the grey areas; where is the lack of information; what are common problems with regards to contents and application requirements

Obtain specific information about the programme requirements necessary to submit a successful application

Share/exchange ideas – project idea incubator; have the opportunity to obtain external input – experts

Meet potential partners – start forming partnership

Build momentum – inspire project development

From idea to application

= setting objectives,

results, outputs

= defining activities and

choosing methodology

= developing the budget

How will we know

if we have

succeded?

PROJECT IDEAWhy?

What are the

needs?

WHAT FOR?

What do we want to

change?

WHERE, WHEN by WHOM? How we

will achieve

this?

WHICH Human

and financial

resources?

= defining the indicator

system

Fill in the relevant parts of the application form

Which projects are programmes looking for?

Cross border cooperation

Additionality

Different perspectives

Relevance to the whole area

Policy link

Horizontal integration

Clear activitiesand results

Strategic approach

Durability

All this should be ensured while dealing with:

Mix of working cultures and languages

Mix of partner types & expertise

Remote team work Programme rules and

requirements

How to demonstrate a real cross-border impact?

Joint Development

Joint Implementation

Joint Financing

Joint Staffing

Ground rules for true cooperation projects used under ETC programmes. They are also included In the Guidelines for grant applicants of the BSB ENPI CBC programme under the ”Relevance” criteria for selection.

Recommendations for a good applicationENPI CBC Programme coherence: Demonstrating relevance to the programme. Demonstrating project relevance to specific programme

needs Demonstrating contribution to programme objectives

and priority indicators. Identifying synergies and fields for cooperation with

other projects or initiatives working with similar issues within and beyond the programme.

Identifying and involving stakeholders throughout the project

Demonstrating the wider impact of the project on a regional/national level and identify links to other programmes, initiatives and funding mechanisms.

Recommendations for a good applicationInternal project coherence:

Clearly defined joint/common problem with a need for cross-border cooperation (the project moves beyond reports, studies, strategies to action and change).

Convincing unity of the project application (the application should not leave the feeling of being a collection of individual sub-projects and it iinvolves true co-operation actions).

Sound project objectives with a clear, logical flow between project aims, objectives, activities and outputs.

Well-defined indicator system with baseline/target identification for activity/output/result/impact indicators.

Clear division of roles and responsibilities on the basis of specialisation and capabilities of each partner.

Well-defined and realistic activities and work plan with clearly defined milestones.

Transparent project budget (i.e. it is easy to understand why the project is applying for the amount requested).

How to properly answer questions during the call? Transparency and equal opportunity is the ground

rule.

NO adivice on the quality and relevance of a specific application (eligibility of the partnership and of the activities). Only information on the programme, on how to fill in application forms and on applicable elgibility rules.

Constantly liaising with the JTS and JMA to inform them about questions raised and to get feedback on how to answer.

Check the answers given by the JMA/JTS to potential applicants through the web page for ensuring consistency and coherence.

When providing information… Emphasize the CBC aspects (and priority given to integrated

projects) and remember that projects must fall within the scope of the relevant Programme’s priorities and measures and their respective indicators. Urge applicants to identify an issue where trans-national cooperation is essential, or where trans-national experience would bring about a better solution (applicants should not regard to trans-national programmes as a simple funding source for a local investment).

Specify Lead parterner and Partners responsibilities. Explain eligibility rules (partners, activities and expenses). Explain evaluation process and criteria. Mention controls. Invite project developers to calculate realistic costs. Don’t just communicate the requirements that project developers

have to fulfil, but also the benefits and development opportunities they could expect from a CBC project.

GROUP DISCUSSION:

What are the main challenges to quality project generation and development? What the programme should do? What tools are most effectives?

Who should take responsibility for assisting with project generation and development?

How far should assistance be provided?

What questions should be left to the JMA/JTS to answer?

first meeting of the south-southeastearn enpi cbc nips network florence, 23 june 2009 workshops...

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