Support to the social inclusion of the most
vulnerable groups, including
Roma, through more diversified communitybased social services
Call for Proposal Presentation
Info sessions
Disclaimer:
• This presentation represents summary of published
Guidelines for the EuropeAid/135483/DD/ACT/RS Call
for Proposals.
• In the case of any discrepancy between the Serbian
and English version, the English version shall prevail.
• The presentation is provided for information purpose
only and cannot be considered as part of the call for
proposals.
• The interested applicants are recommended to read
carefully the Application Package in its entirety and not
to solely rely upon the basic information provided
during the information session.
Background
• Insufficient development of community based
services in Serbia: needs are not fully met
• Need to mainstream „projects“ into
sustainable services, consolidation
• Particular vulnerability of the members of the
Roma national minority
The Objectives of the Call
Overall objective:
• To improve social inclusion and poverty
reduction among the most vulnerable and
disadvantaged groups
The Objectives of the Call, cont.
Specific objectives:
1. Provision of sustainable community-based
social services for vulnerable and
disadvantaged groups.
2. Initiatives aimed at active social inclusion of
Roma.
3. Partnering of different stakeholders involved to
achieve efficient use of resources.
4. Inter-municipal cooperation (cluster approach)
towards economies of scale and budget
efficiency.
Funds available
Total: 4 350 000 EUR (EU grants)
• Lot 1 - 2 900 000 EUR (community based services), including:
a)
b)
Non-cluster projects (2 150 000 EUR)
Cluster projects (750 000 EUR)
• Lot 2 - 1 450 000 EUR (active inclusion of Roma), including:
a)
b)
Non sub-granting projects (950 000 EUR)
Sub-granting projects (500 000 EUR)
but
the Contracting Authority may reallocate available funds
to other lot or priority.
What does this mean?
– Roma can be targeted only under Lot 2?
• NO, the approach is inclusive
– Can non-Roma be targeted through Lot 2?
• YES, the approach is specific, but not exclusive.
RULES APPLICABLE TO BOTH LOTS
Partnership „terminology“
• The applicant, is the entity submitting the application
• Co-applicant(s) participate in the action, and their costs are
eligible.
• Affiliated entities may be:
– entities together forming one entity established specifically for the action.
– entities having a (legal or capital) link with the applicants, which is not
limited to the action.
• Associates, Contractors and Third parties.
Max number of
applications and grants
• Applicant: MAX 1 application per lot
– However the applicant may be a co-applicant or an
affiliated entity in another application.
• Co-applicant: unlimited applications
– The co-applicant may be awarded more grants –
limited by management capacities (use common
sense!).
– The co-applicant may be the applicant or an affiliated
entity in another application
• Affiliated entities: unlimited applications
Co-funding
• Minimum 10% co-funding must be ensured
(salaries of public servants can be counted for
cofunding).
• It must be financed from sources other than
the European Union Budget or the European
Development Fund
Location of the actions
• Actions must take place in Serbia
(however portions of actions can take place outside,
e.g. study tours)
Ineligible activities
• Individual sponsorships (e.g. participation in
workshops, seminars, conferences and
congresses);
• Individual scholarships for studies or training
courses;
• Supporting to political activities or political
parties;
• Charitable donations;
• Actions related to tobacco, alcohol, arms and
munitions
Cross cutting issues
• Equal Opportunities and nondiscrimination
• Environment and climate change
• Civil Society/Stakeholders involvement
Indicative list of „side“ activities
•
•
•
•
Creative use of media and social media channels
Needs analysis, research and studies;
Exchanging know-how and applying best practices;
Organization of public events, performances and
competitions, other community related work;
• Promoting citizens participation, and public oversight over
delivered services;
• Business and entrepreneurs networking (to explain and
promote corporate social responsibility);
• Specialized training or retraining of staff of the service
providers or from relevant local authorities (e.g. social
service quality inspectors at local level).
However...
• The main aim of this Call is to direct work with
specific beneficiaries.
Visibility
• Plan visibility campaigns to raise awareness on
EU support to provide social services for
vulnerable groups.
• EU Visibility Guidelines for external actions:
http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/visibility/index
_en.htm.
Eligible and ineligible costs
• Simplified cost option is allowed:
– Limited to : Salaries (1.1 and 1.2) and Travel (2)
– Max EUR 60 000 (per co-applicant)
– Cannot be modified through minor changes!
• Ineligible costs are listed in pages 22, 23 of the
GfA.
• Evaluations of the action are ineligible
• Expenditure Verification Reports ("audit") will be
performed by the contracting authority (do not
include in budget)
The procedure to apply, PADOR
• Phase 1, concept note:
– All applicants must register in PADOR
– Co-applicants and affiliated entities are strongly
recommended to register in PADOR (though not
obligatory).
• Phase 2, full proposal:
– all pre-selected applicants, co-applicants and all
their affiliated entities must register in PADOR
The procedure to apply, Concept Note
Restricted Call for Proposals:
1. When applying only submit the Concept
Note.
2. If shortlisted, you will be invited to submit
Full Application Form:
– The key elements of the Concept Note cannot be
modified in the full application form.
– The EU contribution cannot vary from the
estimate in concept note by more than 20%.
What to send?
1. Concept Note
2. Checklist for the Concept Note
(Part A section 2 of the grant application form)
3. Declaration by the applicant for the Concept Note
(Part A section 3 of the grant application form)
submitted in one original and 2 copies in A4 size, each
bound.
• Instructions on page 25 of the GfA:
–
–
–
–
address,
electronic version,
sealing
etc.
Deadline to submit CN
• The deadline for the submission of Concept
Notes is 19 May 2014.
• Any Concept Note submitted after the
deadline will be rejected.
Community-based social services
LOT 1
Lot 1 – Size of grants, co-funding and
duration
• Non-cluster projects:
– MIN 100,000 EUR
– MAX 200,000 EUR
• Co-funding (funds with
which you need to
contribute to the action):
– MIN 10%.
– MAX 40%
• Cluster projects:
– MIN 100,000 EUR
– MAX 300,000 EUR
• Duration:
– Min 18 months
– Max 24 months
Lot 1 - What are community based
services?
• Law on Social Protection – services in Article
40, groups 2, 3, 4 and partially 5 (shelters)
• For groups of beneficiaries as defined in
Article 41 of the Law on Social Protection
• To be provided by local self-governments:
• Article 64 of the Law on Social Protection
• Article 206 of the Law on Social Protection.
Lot 1 - What are cluster projects?
• Community based services provided in the
inter-municipal setting
(at least two geographically adjacent municipalities)
• They intend to achieve economies of scale and
budget efficiency
Lot 1 – Who can apply?
• legal persons, non-profit-making, directly
responsible for the preparation and
management of the action, including:
– non-governmental organizations
– local authorities, including cities, towns,
municipalities or city municipalities of the
Republic of Serbia
– public institutions belonging to the social
protection sector
Lot 1 – Is partnership mandatory?
• No. However:
– Applicants registered out of Serbia must apply in
partnership with a co-applicant registered in
Serbia
– Applicants for cluster projects must apply in
partnership with one or more co-applicants.
Lot 1 –Other rules and recomendations re
eligibility of applicants
• Article 64 of Law on Social Protection,
commissioning of the services
• Licencing, deadline until May 2016
• Support to establishing of new services should
preferably take place in least developed
municipalities.
Lot 1 – Financial restrictions (most
relevant)
• Purchase of equipment and vehicles, space
rehabilitation, infrastructural works and
development of technical documentation for
these purposes:
– Must be aimed at community based service
development
– If only works or supplies, max 30% of total budget
– If both works and supplies, max 40%.
• Civil servants or other public employees cannot
receive salary top-ups
(however their salaries can be counted as co-funding)
Lot 1 – What will be funded?
Eligible actions under this lot must:
• Support social inclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged
groups in community-based settings;
• Show that the relevant decision-making institution (e.g.
municipality) will ensure the service continuation after end of
the project; ƒ
• Make service available to Roma population in general;
• Show that at least 50% of beneficiaries are women;
• Ensure monitoring of minimum standards in practice (e.g
human rights), through third parties (i.e. civil-society
organizations or municipal services)
Lot 1 – What will be funded? (cont.)
• You can select between 3 sub-objectives
(regardless of the cluster or non-cluster type
of your project):
1. FURTHER STRENGTHENING of EXISTING SERVICES
2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SERVICES
3. INNOVATIVE SERVICES
Lot 1
1. Strenghtening existing services
• Services for which national minimum standards
are already set in corresponding bylaws.
• A licensing request must have been submitted to
Ministry (at the time of submitting the full
application).
• As a minimum, the project must
– Either increase the number of beneficiaries reached
already by the service by at least 30%,
– Or expand the geographical coverage of the served
area by at least 20%.
Lot 1
2. Establishing new services
• Services for which national minimum
standards are already set in corresponding
bylaws
• Services already offered elsewhere in Serbia,
but absent in the target municipality(ies).
• Reach out to min 55 % of the target
beneficiaries
• Preferably services proposed in economically
depressed municipalities.
Lot 1
3. Innovative services
• Either:
– services for which national minimum standards
are not set, or
– cross-sectorial services.
Lot 1 - The indicators
• 30% increase of beneficiaries of communitybased social services,
• 20% increase in community-based social
services, in terms of territorial coverage
Lot 1 - In summary....
• Delivery of community based care for vulnerable
and disadvantaged groups is mandatory.
• Applicants must involve vulnerable beneficiaries
(no studies, policy analysis and research but
tangible services delivered to people in need).
• Independent oversight from experienced third
parties of delivered services is mandatory.
• Monitoring of service delivery must contribute to
respect of basic human rights.
Lot 1 - Advices
• Support all your claims with exact figures:
– how many people are in the need for the service,
– how many people are currently covered,
– how many people are to be included.
• You can use SIPRU's report as the baseline:
http://www.inkluzija.gov.rs/?p=21918&lang=sr
(If you believe report's data are not correct, support your claims)
• Make only verifiable statements: the Contracting
Authority may request and verify personal data on
the served beneficiaries.
Lot 1 – Advices, cont
• Target people with multiple vulnerability
(living in distant and isolated areas, homeless,
undocumented, those excluded in various
fields).
• Ensure that services are available to Roma
(demonstration required)
• Ensure that at least 50% of beneficiaries are
women (demonstration required)
Lot 1 – Advices, cont II
• Plan requests for licences. You will be
requested to submit evidences of such
requests.
• Plan inclusion of costs in local budgets. You
will be requested to submit letters of
commitment from local government.
• Liaise early on with experienced third parties
to ensure human rights based monitoring
within projects.
Lot 1 – Details you need to list in
concept notes
• What services you wish to sustain or develop (use
exact expressions as listed in Law on Social Protection).
• Where (which municipality, which locality) will the
services take place?
• What is the current situation:
– How many persons are currently covered and how?
– How much money is currently allocated for the services
and from whom?
– How many persons are in need for the services in total
and how is this calculated?
• How many persons you intend to cover and how?
Lot 1 – Details you need to list in
concept notes, cont.
•
•
•
•
How you intend to sustain the services beyond 2017?
What is the status regarding licensing?
How will the Roma be covered?
How will you ensure that those most in need are
covered?
• What are the selection criteria for beneficiaries.
• How will the principle "most vulnerable are first to be
served“ be ensured? How is the referral system
managed?
• If you are applying for cluster projects, why? How
much money (in nominal terms) is saved, and how?
Lot 1 – Details you need to list in
concept notes, cont
• To launch new services: list which group does the
municipality belong to.
• For innovative services: how will coverage and budget
savings be ensured? Add international experiences, if
available. Evidence cross sectorial character by submitting
letters of intent from health sector, education or other.
• To launch services physically placed somewhere (e.g. day
care, shelter, etc.) add cadastre information, exact address
of this facility and explain how accessible is this facility –
very important to request funds for investments.
• How will you ensure human rights based monitoring?
Active inclusion initiatives for the Roma population
LOT 2
Lot 2 – Size of grants, co-funding and
duration
• For non sub-granting projects:
– from 60 000 to 200 000 EUR
– Duration from 18 to 24 months.
• For sub-granting projects:
– from 250 000 to 500 000 EUR.
– Duration from 18 to 30 months.
• Minimum co-funding is 10% (funds with
which you need to contribute to the action).
Max co-funding is 40%.
Lot 2 - What are sub-granting projects?
Those proposing financial support to third-parties (i.e. subgranting scheme). Maximum amount of financial support per
third party is € 60 000.
• These third parties:
– Are non-profit making legal persons established in
Serbia, directly responsible for the preparation and
management of the action.
– Engaged in the actions that are to be undertaken
through a sub-grant as a part of their statutory activity.
– Not recipients of support from another EU grant during
the same period.
In summary these are projects that include a small Call
for Proposals within this Call for Proposals.
Lot 2 – Who can apply?
Legal persons, non-profit-making, directly
responsible for the preparation and
management of the action, including:
• non-governmental organizations
• public institutions belonging to the social
protection sector
• Independent government bodies working in
the sectors relevant for this Call
• Public health institutions
Lot 2 – Who can apply? (cont.)
• Public education institutions, such as primary or
secondary schools, universities, research centers, etc.;
• Public cultural institutions, such as museums, culture
centers, etc.
• Public companies (provided they are no-profit), such
as public utility companies, etc.
• International (inter-governmental) organizations as
defined by Article 43 of the Implementing Rules to the
EC Financial Regulation.
• Local authorities including cities, towns, municipalities
or city municipalities of the Republic of Serbia.
Lot 2 - Other rules re eligibility of
applicants
• International organisations as defined by Article
43 of the Implementing Rules to the EC Financial
Regulation
– international public-sector organizations set up by
intergovernmental agreements, and specialized
agencies set up by such organizations;
– the International Committee of the Red Cross;
– the International Federation of National Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies;
– other non-profit organizations assimilated to
international organizations by a Commission decision.
can only apply for sub-granting projects.
Lot 2 - Other rules re eligibility of applicants
(cont.)
Local authorities can apply if they meet the following
conditions:
– the Local Self-Government has formally adopted a Local Action
Plan for Roma Inclusion;
– the Local Self-Government has appointed a Roma Coordinator
(sometimes also called "municipal coordinator" or "mediator");
– ƒat least one Roma Health Mediator is active in the LSG's
territory, or the LSG can demonstrate that a formal request was
submitted to the Ministry of Health to appoint a Roma Health
Mediator;
– ƒat least one Roma Pedagogical Assistant is active in the LSG's
territory, or the LSG can demonstrate that a formal request was
submitted to the Ministry of Education to appoint a Roma
Pedagogical Assistant.
Lot 2 - Other rules re eligibility of
applicants (cont. II)
• In case the applicant is not established in
Serbia, it must act with at least one coapplicant that is established in Serbia (i.e. In
cases of NGOs not established in Serbia).
Lot 2 – Financial restrictions (most
relevant)
• Max support to third parties (for sub-granting) is
limited to 60,000 EUR per a third party.
• Purchase of equipment and vehicles, space
rehabilitation, infrastructural works and
development of technical documentation for
these purposes (investment costs) limited to:
– If only works or supplies, max 30% of total budget
– If both works and supplies, max 40%.
• Civil servants or other public employees cannot
receive salary top-ups
(however their salaries can be counted as co-funding)
Lot 2 – What will be funded?
Eligible actions under this lot must:
• develop active social inclusion initiatives for activation of local
Roma populations, targeting in particular Roma individuals or
families which are beneficiary of financial social assistance, social
housing schemes, etc.
• Include activities that specifically target vulnerable migrants and
Roma, in beneficiary selection, recruitment of staff and service
provision; information must be available in Romani language.
• Ensure that at least 50% of the served beneficiaries are women.
• Ensure that the benefits are available to Roma population in
general, and in particular to residents of Roma settlements
(including through promotional activities carried out within the
settlements).
• trigger the active participation of Roma in social life.
Lot 2 – What will be funded? (cont.)
• You can select between 3 sub-objectives
(regardless of the sub-granting or nongranting type of your project):
1. HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
(ENHANCEMENT OF EMPLOYABILITY).
2. ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING EMPLOYMENT
AND SELF-ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
3. TAKING ACTIVE ROLE IN DECISION MAKING
PROCESSES FOR LOCAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
Lot 2
1. Employability
(indicative types of projects)
• Increase and stabilize the presence of
Roma in the education system, with
particular emphasis on girls.
• Provide support to educational
institutions to include the Roma
population in education system.
• Applying measures of affirmative action.
Lot 2
2. Employment
(indicative types of projects)
• Support socially-useful work.
• Train or re-train individuals to start small or micro
business activities on key subjects (such as fiscal
legislation, accounting, business management, etc.)
• Provide micro-grants for initial start-up activities .
• Provide business advisory services to strengthen or
expand existing activities (including: design of business
plan, marketing strategy, business mentorship, etc.).
• Pilot test the introduction of "Roma Labor or Social
Mediators" within local branches of the National
Employment Service or Centers for Social Welfare
Lot 2
3. Decision making processes
• Help redefining existing local action plans or
drafting new ones
• Facilitate employment or self-employment of
Roma (e.g. by reviewing possibilities to reduce
local taxes and fees)
• Facilitate active inclusion of Roma persons in
political life
• raise public awareness about the problem of
discrimination
Lot 2 – In summary
The actions proposed under Lot 2 may include the
following types of activities:
• Direct support to children or to their families, to
decrease the drop-out rates or to facilitate return
to education
• Concrete assistance to unemployed Roma
individuals to improve their employability; to
support their access to labor market; or to start
self-employment
• Inclusion of civil society in decision making
Lot 2 - Indicators
• At least 10% increase of Roma engaged in the
communal initiatives thorough active inclusion
measures.
Lot 2 - Advices
• If you are planning to apply for the sub granting
projects, study criteria already listed and
described in the Concept note (as you will in
detail need to describe this is FAF) and present:
– the objectives and results to be obtained through the
sub granting scheme
– types of activities you intend to sub-grant
– Eligibility criteria for the sub-granting, and the criteria
for selecting of these entities
– the criteria for determining the exact amount of
financial support for each third entity, and the
maximum amount which may be given.
Lot 2 – Advices, cont.
• Always, define where exactly your project is to
take place (which municipalities, which schools,
which exact localities, which exact companies),
• Present the current situation, always giving the
number of Roma currently covered by existing
initiatives, and the number expected to be
covered through the proposed project.
• Ensure that 50% of the beneficiaries are women.
• Ensure that activities include Roma settlements
and that services are available to the residents
of these settlements (if applicable).
Lot 2 – Advices, cont. II
• Ensure that Roma are included in beneficiary
selection, but also in recruitment of project staff, and
that information on the project is available in Romani
language.
• Ensure that Roma which are beneficiary of financial
social assistance, social housing schemes are primarily
targeted within service delivery.
• If you are local authority, study the criteria applicable.
You will be asked to evidence that you meet these
criteria prior to the signing of the contract.
Final notes
• Additional info session may take place for
shortlisted applicants (to explain in detail the
FAF preparation and submission)
• If not, study provisions of the GfA for the Full
application form, including the submission of
specific mandatory documents (page 34, 35 of
the GfA).
Thank you for the attention!
Please, use the lobby for partner exchange!
We wish you good luck in preparing your
concept notes!