Transcript Slide 1
Applying for
Intelligent Energy – Europe
funding
How does it work?
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Planning your proposal – the critical path
GIVE DETAILED EXPLANATIONS IN YOUR PROPOSAL !
Starting point - What is the existing situation ? What is the
problem to be solved ? What has been done so far, and by
whom ? Where do you come into the picture – and why ?
Work packages - What exactly do you propose to do ?
Results - What will be different when the project has ended ?
When you have finished, how will anyone know that you
have succeeded ? – monitor your impacts !
TARGET GROUP: Who do you need to influence / engage?
IMPACT: What measurable change will you achieve ?
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Result / impact indicators “SMART”
Indicators to measure the impact of your work:
“Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely”
For example:
Increased 7% of solar collectors in EU to carry a new product
label
Increased 10% of installers trained and certified in target regions
Planning approval delays reduced from 2 to 1 year
Audits leading to energy savings of 0,5 Mtoe per year in schools
Increased 5% of cyclists in target cities
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Writing your proposal
“Help” in Application Forms and Proposers’ Guide
Strong competition: you need a good idea !
Be imaginative, start early ! It takes longer than you think !
Easy to read? - evaluators assess it in ~2-4 hours. Have it read
by an outsider (no jargon, simple for non mother tongue readers)
Respect limits of length, but give as much detail as possible in
each work package, and explain what each partner will actually
do, how (methodology), and what will be delivered
Provide evidence of :
the problem that you plan to address / solve (market failure),
your expertise (strong CV’s),
your co-financing (letters of support, with funding commitments),
stakeholders who are committed to use the results (ideally they will
be partners or co-sponsors)
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Finding / choosing your partners
“Partner Search”
Who will own, benefit
from, use, take
forward your results?
(eg architects, bankers,
local policy makers,
urban planners,
utilities, ESCO’s, social
housing companies,
installers)
Also consult your
National Contact
Point (NCP) !
(see IEE website)
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« European added value of IEE projects»
Value generated by countries / cultures working
together:
Tackling barriers to the achievement of EU targets, by means of
real collaboration, interaction, reflection and learning across
countries / cultures, creating and sharing ideas together
IEE projects add value to local, regional & national actions
They cover the right countries – no rule ‘one fits all’: depending
on the scope of the action and its markets
They offer high transferability – to other EU regions and/or with
trigger effects on regional / local level
They have high visibility
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More thoughts on ‘European Added Value’
Multi-cultural working is difficult and expensive, so it must really
deliver added value, with results which are transferable to others
A consortium of partners from different countries is not enough
Working in parallel in different countries is not enough
Working on issues addressed by EU policies is not enough
Remember: Comparatively small (<500k€) actions can
nevertheless have high added value and impacts at EU level
Actions, which fit better at national or local level, because of
timescale, involvement of SME’s, intellectual property rights, etc,
should be excluded
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Communication is KEY
Your ideas and
solutions
X
Communication
and exchange
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Communication needs skills
Good communication
requires professional
know-how
Make sure you
have the skills
your project
needs
Communication
specialists in
your team
Subcontractors
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Key rules for granting support
Funding of up to 75% of total eligible costs
Flat Rate of 60% on staff costs to cover indirect costs
(“overheads”)
No profit
Project implementation:
Evidence required for staff costs (eg: copies of payslips)
Evidence required for co-financing (own or 3rd party)
Payment:
30% 1st pre-financing at the start
30% 2nd pre-financing at mid-term
40% Final payment
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Cost sharing principle
Costs
are not market prices, as no profit margin is allowed
are very different among EU Member States
Equal treatment means contributing with an equal share (%)
to the actual costs of organisations, not with an equal
absolut amount
Cost sharing:
Maximum 75% paid by IEE based on provided evidence
25% paid by contractor or through 3rd parties
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What kind of costs are eligible?
Staff costs for collaborative working between partners and countries –
not too much for one partner or country
Staff costs based on salary (from pay slips) + social charges (no profit
margin) – can be budgeted by staff category; to claimed only with
actual costs per person at the end of the project
Sub-contracts to specialised professionals (communication,
translation, etc.), but not core tasks
Meetings and travel – budget should be reasonable
60% of staff costs for overheads
Printing of brochures,
No research or hardware costs
Do realistic bottom up costing (mainly hours of work)
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Co-financing
Funding from EU tax payers must be justified –
who is interested in the project results?
Explain WHY your organisation is willing to cofinance the action – how will you use the results
after end of project
State clearly the status of negotiations in case of
an application for co-financing from a 3rd party
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Strengths of recent proposals
Creative and convincing idea to tackle a market based problem or
to take an opportunity one step further (ie: an approach that fits)
Demand driven with convincing commitments from market actors
(eg: industry) to use the results, well targeted dissemination plan
Clear and precise awareness of the state of the art. Competitive
proposers present their experiences, and will start from there !
Choice of partners and countries is clearly explained, and their
skills fit with the allocation of tasks in the work packages.
Appropriate efforts estimated for each partner and each work
package throughout the proposal
Co-financing is clear, and credible
Realistic, but ambitious targets. Tailor-made communication plan
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Don’ts
Don’t be too broad, don’t try to address the whole world with
one proposal – focus, and do one task very well.
Don’t include a partner unless they are really needed and have
a clear role – what value will they add ?
Don’t try to address a target group (eg: industry, planner, public
authority, fleet owner) without involving them
Don’t ask to be paid to review information which is already
available – partners should know the field
Don’t focus on policy texts! Explain the problem (market
failure) that you plan to address, and how you will do it.
Don’t repeat “old” actions – be creative, convince the
evaluators that your exciting (cost-effective) idea will have a big
and measurable impact !
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IEE website as source of information
Details of >400 ongoing
IEE projects
Project database
(launch in March/April)
Intelligent Energy News
Calls for proposals &
how to apply
Guidelines for better
communication
Support for partners
Information on how to
implement a project
Contacts & help
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/index_en.html
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How will proposals be evaluated?
Fair and equal treatment of all proposers:
Based on the criteria announced in the Call
Confidential process, no conflicts of interest
Independent external experts as advisers
Three successive checks:
1. Eligibility criteria (yes/no)
2. Selection criteria (yes/no)
3. Award criteria (scores)
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Eligibility criteria
Proposals must fulfil submission conditions (see Call)
Partners must be legal persons from EU27, Croatia,
Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein (check IEE website)
Number of project partners > 3 (1 for a new agency)
Scope must fit Work Programme priorities
Duration of projects 24 - 36 months (max)
Partners must not be in any of the situations listed in
Article 93 (1) of the Financial Regulation
Cannot be bankrupt or guilty of serious professional misconduct, or
engaged in illegal activities, etc.
Partners must sign standard “declaration of the applicant”
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Selection criteria
Applicants must show that they have the FINANCIAL
capacity to complete the action. Submit balance sheets
(not needed for public organisations)
=> YES or NO
Applicants must show that they have the TECHNICAL
capacity to complete the action. Submit information on
key personnel (CV’s), description of organisation, previous
project experience, etc.)
=> YES or NO
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Award criteria
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Relevance of the action
Quality of the methodology
Community added value
Costs and co-financing
Management and
organisation of the team
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IEE Key documents
Work Programme 2008
detailing priorities and budgets for the year
Call for Proposals 2008
detailing evaluation criteria, announcing priorities and deadlines
Application forms (special forms for new Agencies)
Guide for Proposers (special guide for new Agencies)
Available after launch of the Call on IEE website :
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/index_en.html
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Budget 2008
Type
Budget
million €
Expected
number of
grants
Deadline for
submission
Projects
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Creation of
energy
Agencies
50-60
26 June
2008
17h00
2
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Participating countries : EU 27 + NO, IS, LI, Croatia
Minimum
number of
proposers
Grants
At least 3
independent
organisations
from 3
participating
countries
Up to 75%
of eligible
costs
1 public
authority
Up to 75%
of eligible
costs
(max limit
of 250k€)
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Creation of new local / regional energy
agencies (special forms and proposers’ guide)
Agency is energy focal point / coordinator for local community
Proposals only from public authorities – deliver a public service
New “not for profit” independent legal entity to be created within
6 months of signature, not an existing body, not “consultancy”
EC support of 75% up to 250k€ (max) over 3 years
All eligible agency costs are “direct” – no overheads
Financial commitment from proposing authority, including a plan
for 5 years after EC funding ends (or pay it back !)
Defined geographical area - no overlapping with other agencies,
population >200,000 (except islands and arctic regions)
Partnerships with other agencies / organisations across EU to
disseminate EU knowledge / experience (help of Managenergy)
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NEW: Online application
Detailed budget
Part B
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Timeline : from proposal to signature of Grant Agreement
12 March
2008
Call for
proposals
26 June
2008
March 2009
Evaluation
Contract
of proposals negotiation
Project implementation
End of
November
2008
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Take another look at the IEE website :
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/index_en.html
Thank you for your attention !
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