Current and future European funding

VSNW Annual Conference 22 November 2012

Presenting: Angeliki StogiaChair: John Hacking

Workshop aims

• European Structural funds in the North West • Funding priorities and current opportunities to access• How voluntary and community sector organisations engage

with the programme• Provide an overview of emerging priorities for EU funds in

the new programme• Provide you with an opportunity to feed in ideas on where

the EU programmes should focus in the future

Nestac Costume Making

Empowers immigrants by providing professional training in costume-making, while also promoting education, health and wellbeing

Student Individual Learning Plans indicate most (60%) are looking at registering for further education following the training; 30% are looking at developing employability skills through volunteering opportunities while the remaining 10% would like to be involved in children activities to learn more about UK laws in regards with children.

Greenways to workEmployment skills training for “green employment” to maximise opportunities available due to the effects of climate change

Initially set out to address the issue of tenants experiencing fuel poverty providing IAG on increasing energy efficiency of their housing stock to their tenants.Working with partners to carry out another broad set of activities ranging from awareness raising in energy efficiency among planners and architects, through to provision of training to local people in energy efficiency technologies

ERDF supports regional development though actions such as business innovation and support and regeneration. It finances investment to create sustainable jobs, infrastructure linked to research and innovation, environment, communications, energy and transport and financial instruments (capital risk funds, local development funds) that support regional and local development

•Priority 1: Stimulating Enterprise and Supporting growth in target sectors and markets

•Priority 2: Exploiting innovation and knowledge

•Priority 3: Creating the conditions for sustainable growth

•Priority 4: Growing and accessing employment

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

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ERDF Programme• Changes - NWDA closed, ERDF staff transferred to CLG• Committee changes, LEPs

– New strategy sub-committee• Programme Reviewed

– Money committed/Expected spend/ Outputs, Results and Impacts

• New bidding Priority 1: Support for Business Incubator Units (North West excluding Merseyside)

• Priority 1.3: Increasing SME's Sustainable Consumption & Production and activity in the Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services Sector (North West excluding Merseyside)

• Priority 4 Call for project applications proposing the Provision of Managed Workspaces (North West excluding Merseyside)

Accessing ERDF

ERDF is accessed through the department of Communities and Local Government

• Minimum ERDF levels of funding• Projects are subject to a two stage application process:

– Stage 1: Outline Application - deliverability test and outline assessment

– Stage 2: Full application - detailed technical appraisal • LEP endorsement is required• Tight timescales – 10 Dec, 5 Dec, 14 December

European Social Fund

ESF aims to improve employment opportunities in the European Union by providing financial support towards the running costs of vocational training schemes, guidance and counselling projects, job creation measures and other steps to improve the employability and skills of both employed and unemployed people

• Priority 1: Extending Employment Opportunities: to increase employment and to reduce unemployment and inactivity

• Priority 2: Developing a Skilled and Adaptable Workforce: reducing the number of people without basic skills, developing managers and workers in small enterprises

Accessing ESF

ESF is accessed through Co-financing organisations

• Co-financing means channelling ESF and the required match funding to providers in a single stream

• Organisations which do this are called Co-financing organisations

Accessing ESF in the North WestThere are three Co-financing organisation in the North West:• Skills Funding Agency aims to improve the employability and skills

of employed and unemployed people by supporting education and vocational training schemes and learning for the 19+ (and Young People’s Learning Agency)

• Jobcentre Plus/DWP supports disadvantaged people claiming incapacity benefit or Income Support through voluntary participation in the work programme and provides targeted support to tackle workessness in families with multiple problems

• National Offender Management Service (NOMS) aims to enhance the employability prospects of offenders by bridging the existing gaps between offenders and mainstream education, skills and employment services before, during and after release from custody

Accessing ESF in the North WestProcurement mechanisms• Skills Funding Agency procures funds through an online

procurement portal after organisations have successfully registered with the Register of Training Organisations Register (the Register) operating the lead contractor model

• Jobcentre Plus/DWP procures funds to organisations on the Employment Related Support Services Network, operating the prime contracting model

• National Offender Management Service (NOMS) procures funds through the prime contracting model

ESF SFA imminent roundForthcoming tenders on Priority 2 aimed at enhancing the skills of the

existing workforce• SFA seeks to reduce underperformance in the remaining period of the

programme in the number of participants without basic skills; without level 2; those with a learning difficulty and/or disability and those who will gain a basic skills as a result of ESF support

• Registration with Register of Training Organisations• The Agency and the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) are developing

an enhanced approach to the procurement of this provision, to ensure that successful providers are best placed to address local skills needs.

• That will include a broader specification and closer working arrangements with LEPs and Core Cities, and an expectation that providers may want to develop collaborative or other networks to ensure successful delivery

European Social Fund: Small Grants

Community Grants - Helping people access the labour market• Supporting a range of activities aim at assisting the

disadvantaged or excluded to move closer to the labour market, focusing on individuals who have difficulty accessing ESF or mainstream provision outcomes

• Based on progression rather than achievement of jobs or qualifications

• Activities include first contact engagement, confidence building, help with basic skills, taster work experience, training, advice, counselling, jobsearch

• Grants up to £12K accessed through simplified application arrangements, available to voluntary sector groups who would not otherwise be able to access ESF. Grants accessed through Community Grants Coordinating Bodies

Community Learning Grants

Round 3 launched:• Round 3 launched• preference given to organisations with a turnover of no more

than £300,000 per year in each of the last 2 years • Closing date for this round is 17 January 2013 • Merseyside pot oversubscribed – no funding available but

project proposals from Halton, Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria are welcome

• Further information: Workers’ Educational Association

Requirements for accessing EU funds You will need to demonstrate• Quality standards• Capacity & Capability to deliver• Track record

You will most likely access as• Lead contractor• Sub-contractor / second level subcontractor• Contract holder for smaller grants - ESF Community Grants

European Social Fund 2014-2020

Europe 2020

• Smart• Sustainable• Inclusive

• General Regulations• ESF• ERDF• Cohesion Fund• European Grouping for Territorial

Cohesion

The draft Regulations

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Community-led Local Development

• Integrated and multi-sectoral area-based local development strategies

• Designed taking into consideration local needs and potential• Can be funded by ESF and ERDF together• Can be 10% higher intervention rate• Description of the process of community involvement in the

development of the strategy• Local Action Groups

– Build Capacity of local actors– Transparent Selection– Monitor and Evaluate

New Programme 2014-2020

• Less money for the UK the amount of funding for the UK is likely to fall, greater proportion of funding earmarked for poorer areas, however, increasing share of ESF to 25% of Cohesion funds

• Alignment with EU 2020 these objectives include raising the employment rate, tackling poverty, improving access to education, investing more money on research and development, using energy more efficiently and promoting clean technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

• Focusing resources on a small number of priorities four thematic priorities currently being proposed: promoting employment, investing in skills and lifelong learning, fight against poverty and efficient public administration and institutional capacity

• ESF to return to a more social inclusion approach, with less focus on job outcomes

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European Structural Funds 2014-2020

• Simplification proposals to simplify, speed up and improve administration and delivery, requiring member states to commit to radical simplification

• Coordinated spending aiming to bring greater coherence between funds and simplification of rules for each fund making it easier to put together projects that package support for more than one fund

• Strengthening partnerships increasing the involvement of local and regional stakeholders, social partners and civil organisations in the implementation of operational programme. Encouraging spread of community led local development approaches based on partnerships among various relevant stakeholders

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Current VCS issues

• Working with OCS Strategic Partners• Euclid Network

– Working with Commission - Social Business Initiative, Social Innovation, Financial Instruments

• NCVO– ESF, new central Co-Financer for VCS?– Role for regions, local areas, Community-Led, Inclusion

• Identifying substantial match funding for the Sector• Financial Instruments

– Big Society Capital and others– Contract Readiness, Asset Based Developments, Cashflow,

MicroCredits, Social Impact Bonds

Decision levels

• European Commission– Regulations– Finance– Partnership Principles

• Member State– Partnership– Operational Programmes

• Local Partners– Working together– Delivering change

Next Steps - Europe

• Council meeting 22 and 23 November (and 24, 25?)– Agreement on MFF??? (seven year budget)– A third of this is Cohesion Funds

• If agreed, move to agreeing Regulations• Partnership Agreements with Member States• Operational Programmes

Next Steps- England

• BIS leading on English Proposals (with DWP, CLG)– Secondment Team

• 2-3 weeks time - draft structure to be signed off by Ministers• How much central, how much local?• Roadshows across England (21 Nov - 17 December)• Spring - Consultation on Partnership• Preparations of Operational Programmes

Key Messages

• ESF, ERDF, EAFRD, EMFF working together and multi-fund • Simplification - focus on outputs and results

– Flat Rates, Lump Sums, Proportionality– Clearer rules

• Place based, transition areas and city regions– Integrated Territorial Investments– Community-led local development– Joint Action Plans - results based management

EU Reference Group

• Develop knowledge and intelligence in the Voluntary Sector about European Funds

• Draw of experience gained in the current EU funding programme to inform the development of the new funds

• Enable information to be shared and cascaded through the Voluntary Sector

• Build capacity of individuals and organisations to prepare for involvement in the new programmes

• Give individuals the knowledge and information to enable them to participate in the governance and representation roles in the new EU funding programmes

• Contact info@networkforeurope.eu

Questions ?

151 Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2AHTel: 0151 237 3972Fax: 0151 237 3973

Email: info@networkforeurope.euWebsite: www.networkforeurope.euFacebook: www.facebook.com/networkforeuropeTwitter: @network4europe