making the most of the eu funds for the roma (mtm) launched in 2009 by the open society institute in...

Making the Most of the EU Funds for the Roma (MtM)Making the Most of the EU Funds for the Roma (MtM)

Launched in 2009 by the Open Society Institute in Budapest. Launched in 2009 by the Open Society Institute in Budapest.

Countries covered: Hungary and Bulgaria. Slovakia, the Check Republic and Countries covered: Hungary and Bulgaria. Slovakia, the Check Republic and Romania joined soon after. Currently the initiative is expanding in Serbia, Romania joined soon after. Currently the initiative is expanding in Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia.Montenegro and Macedonia.

Philosophy of the initiative: Something needed to be done to boost of the EU funds Philosophy of the initiative: Something needed to be done to boost of the EU funds for the integration of the Roma. It seemed that even the EU SFs, which were the for the integration of the Roma. It seemed that even the EU SFs, which were the most natural instrument to use for the integration of the Roma were barely used for most natural instrument to use for the integration of the Roma were barely used for this purpose. this purpose.

Management: In Bulgaria the initiative is managed by the OSI-Sofia and includes 7 Management: In Bulgaria the initiative is managed by the OSI-Sofia and includes 7

Roma partner organizations in each of the 6 NUTS-II planning regions with two Roma partner organizations in each of the 6 NUTS-II planning regions with two partners in the most poorly developed North-West region with the highest partners in the most poorly developed North-West region with the highest proportion of Roma population.proportion of Roma population.

Components: MtM has four main components:Components: MtM has four main components:

1.1. The first one is called The first one is called

Project Generation Facility (PGF).Project Generation Facility (PGF). Under this component OSI-Sofia supports Roma Under this component OSI-Sofia supports Roma

organizations, other NGOs, municipalities, schools organizations, other NGOs, municipalities, schools and businesses to develop projects for the integration and businesses to develop projects for the integration of the Roma. Since the beginning of the initiative of the Roma. Since the beginning of the initiative almost 400 applications for support have been almost 400 applications for support have been received. To date 50 projects developed with the help received. To date 50 projects developed with the help of PGF consultants to the total amount of 10 million of PGF consultants to the total amount of 10 million euro got funding. The bulk of the projects are in the euro got funding. The bulk of the projects are in the field of education, but there are also projects for the field of education, but there are also projects for the development of social services and social enterprises, development of social services and social enterprises, local development, employment and rehabilitation of local development, employment and rehabilitation of buildings and other infrastructure.buildings and other infrastructure.

2. 2. Mechanism for mentoringMechanism for mentoring

MtM has also a MtM has also a mechanism for mentoringmechanism for mentoring the the funded projects in order to guide those who need funded projects in order to guide those who need support through the challenges of managing EU support through the challenges of managing EU funded projects and involving the Roma in the funded projects and involving the Roma in the planning and implementation. The mentoring planning and implementation. The mentoring mechanism is also a tool for collecting feedback mechanism is also a tool for collecting feedback about the success and failure of different project. It is about the success and failure of different project. It is a way to extract lessons from the MtM activities, a way to extract lessons from the MtM activities, which can be useful for future planning of how to which can be useful for future planning of how to best use the SFsbest use the SFs..

3. 3. Supplementary fundingSupplementary funding MtM also provides MtM also provides supplementary fundingsupplementary funding for non- for non-

eligible costs to some of the supported projects or eligible costs to some of the supported projects or provides a kind of facility for supporting the provides a kind of facility for supporting the beneficiaries’ cash flow in the form of recoverable beneficiaries’ cash flow in the form of recoverable grants. These grants can be regarded as interest free grants. These grants can be regarded as interest free loans, which have to be recovered to OSI once the loans, which have to be recovered to OSI once the beneficiary gets reimbursed by the government. This beneficiary gets reimbursed by the government. This facility was necessary due to the very difficult facility was necessary due to the very difficult payment arrangements made by the Bulgarian payment arrangements made by the Bulgarian government. i.e. small or no advance payments, red government. i.e. small or no advance payments, red tape causing a lot of delays and late reimbursement.tape causing a lot of delays and late reimbursement.

4. Advocacy activities4. Advocacy activities

Finally MtM is also involved with Finally MtM is also involved with advocating for advocating for changing the EU SF rules in Bulgaria and at EU changing the EU SF rules in Bulgaria and at EU levellevel mainly by simplifying procedures and for the mainly by simplifying procedures and for the prioritization of Roma integration. This means more prioritization of Roma integration. This means more funding for programmes benefiting the Roma and funding for programmes benefiting the Roma and contributing to their integration. The next planning contributing to their integration. The next planning period for the EU SFs are a special focus of period for the EU SFs are a special focus of

advocacy.advocacy.

Project Cycle of the PGFProject Cycle of the PGF

Summary on the quantitative progress during the Summary on the quantitative progress during the respective reporting period of 1 March 2011 to 5 F respective reporting period of 1 March 2011 to 5 F

20122012

Projects developed to be submitted for funding

Projects submitted for funding

Projects awarded funding

Projects pending decision

People involved in project design

Roma involved in project design

Trained people

*Roma people trained

Number of people who would benefit

Number of Roma who would benefited

Localities that benefited PGF support

Type of locality benefiting PGF

Urban Rural

307 170 47 43

Total 38 40 23 28 143 65 28 083 8804 90 90

* Planned to be trained under 3 submitted employment projects – 400 Roma and 400 non Roma

Projects funding data (number of projects Projects funding data (number of projects and amounts - 1 March 2011 to 5 May 2012) and amounts - 1 March 2011 to 5 May 2012)

Decade Area Projects developed to be submitted for funding

Projects submitted for funding

Projects awarded funding

Projects pending decision

Rejected projects (not financed)

Education

12 project (no potential for further development) 9 projects under development

26 projects 2 395 671,08 euro

7 projects 561 890,81 euro


Employment

15 projects ( 6 projects no potential for further development and 1 project under development)

1 projects 106 757 euro

1 project ( LAG Lyaskovets- Strazhitza ) 1,993,673 euro and 5 projects – 508 760,33

1 projects 106 757 euro 1 projects

145 858,72 euro

Health care 1 project 1 project 30 717 euro

1 project 30 717 euro

Housing 1 project 1 project 2 183 673,47 euro

1 project 2 183 673,47 euro

Other-ECDs (Early Childhood Development)





Total 38 projects40 projects - 9 939 991,76 euro

23 projects - 7 323 316,40 euro

28 projects - 3 114 672,97 euro

3 projects - 2 712 185,25 euro

Thank you for your attention!

Please visit our website pgf.osi.bg

making the most of the eu funds for the roma (mtm) launched in 2009 by the open society institute in...

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