Mastering winning proposals and EU Grants management

DAY 1

Module 1: The Financial Instruments for External Aid and the Trust Funds

• The MFF 2021-2027: focus on ‘Neighbourhood and the World’ and its financial instruments
• Main component of the NDICI
• Analyses and use the MultiannuaI Indicative Programmes (MIPs)
• Top priorities and management modalities of the Trust Funds

Module 2: How to Be Prepared for Funding Opportunities

• Align your objectives with the EU and partner’s country priority and expected results

Module 3: Working with the EU

• Two ways to get funding: direct negotiation and calls for proposals
• How to be proactive to ensure a fruitful relationship with the EC and EU delegations

DAY 2

Module 4: The Call for Proposals System

• Steps of the application process
• Using the guidelines for applicants
• Application documents and mandatory declarations

Module 5: Drafting Your Proposals

• General tips for successful proposals

Module 6:  Logframe Matrix

• Build your results chain
• Identify SMART indicators and reliable sources of verification
• Identify key assumptions
• Describe the main activities
• Results and indicators for development – a new DEVCO tool: how to use the tool for the preparation of good logframes

DAY 3

Module 7: Drafting the Concept Note

• Description of the action: how to identify and explain the project logic
• Relevance to the EU call and programme objectives
• Problem analysis
• Stakeholder analysis and description of target group and beneficiaries

Module 8: The Key Aspects of the Full Application

• Description of the action in detail
• Methodology: don’t forget a list of equipment and supplies and the organisational structure (staff employed)
• Sustainability: risks, impact, multiplier effects
• Workplan

DAY 4

Module 9: Drafting the Budget

• The budget format
• Direct (actual costs and apportionment of local office costs) and indirect costs
• Eligibility principles
• Financial support for third parties
• Volunteer work
• The possible use of simplified cost options
• How to justify the costs

Module 10: Key Elements of the Implementation Rules to Take into Consideration When Preparing the Budget

• Human resources vs consultants
• Handover of equipment and supplies
• Contingency reserve for possible situations of hyper-inflation

Day 1

M&E key concepts

• Why are we monitoring & evaluating
• Key definitions and principles
• EU requirements on M&E

M&E and planning

• Links planning, monitoring, evaluation
• Planning: key steps

M&E at proposal formulation stage

• Logical framework and theory of change
• Focus on indicators

Day 2

Setting up an internal monitoring system

• Key concepts and steps
• Monitoring frameworks and plans

How to collect data for M&E

• Collection techniques and tools: baselines, focus groups, field visits, sampling

M&E and reporting

• Analysing data on project activities & expenditures
• Using findings of M&E
• Reporting to the EU
• M&E, communication and learning

Types of monitoring & evaluations

• Types of monitoring and evaluation
• Preparing ToR
• EU M&E missions: ROM and external EU evaluation

Day 1

The grant contract: reporting requirements and timeline

• General requirements and deadlines
• Reporting and EU approval timeline

Preparing for reporting

• Collecting the needed information for reporting
• Dealing with changes
• Records-keeping system

Drafting interim and final narrative reports

• Introduction to narrative reports
• The Annex VI: report on activities, results and coordination mechanisms
• Updating the logframe
• Reporting on Visibility

Day 2

Preparing the financial report

• Preparatory phase
• Ensure the eligibility of the expenditure
• Currency conversion for accounting and for reporting

• Preparing the financial report
• Annexes to the financial report
• Payment procedure

Preparing for Expenditure verification

• The process
• The documents to be prepared

Annexes to the interim and final reports

• Summary of information and documents to be provided with the interim and final reports
• Documents to be kept for the expenditure verification and other possible checks and evaluations

Module 1: Propose Financial Support for Third Parties

• Let’s analyse key information from the guidelines for applicants of calls for proposals
• Who are the third parties of financial support?
• Checklist of key elements to be provided at proposal stage

 Module 2: Select the Beneficiaries of Financial Support

• The different types of selection procedures
• Calls for proposals
• Preparation activities: call announcement, full details of the call for proposals, publication of the call
• Proposals reception, evaluation and selection
• Supporting evidence of the evaluation process

Module 3: Awarding Financial Support

• Signature of agreement with the beneficiaries of financial support: key responsibilities of both parties
• Startup of financial support: briefing third parties on the use of EU funds
• Other activities of capacity development

Module 4: Monitoring and Reporting

• System of control set up to verify the eligibility of costs
• Reporting expenditure of financial support beneficiaries
• Supporting evidence and documentation that must be kept in your possession

Module 1: NGOs and Accountability

In this introductory module, we will explore the answer to the following question: Why is it important to adopt a code of conduct?

Module 2: Key Steps to Develop Your Code of Conduct

This module provides guidance and tips for getting started and properly organising the process of developing your organisation’s code of conduct.

Module 3: Key Topics to Include in Your Code of Conduct.

Your code of conduct should be developed to match the needs of your organisation, but certain specific principles and rules must almost always be included – we will look at them in detail.

Module 4: Implementing Your Code of Conduct

Enforcing the code of conduct should be one of the highest priorities of any organization. This module provides guidance on how to define your implementation strategy.

Module 5: Monitoring and Reviewing

A code that becomes outdated will quickly lose its importance and relevance. This module presents steps that can be taken to ensure that your code is always up to date.

By subscribing to the learning plan, you will have access to each course in the punto.sud learning platform. From here, you can join the live sessions, download the course materials (including PowerPoint presentations, official EU documents, infographics and other useful links and materials), complete the eLearning modules, review the recordings of the live sessions and complete the initial and final test and participate in the active forum.

Throughout the whole period, by using the forum you will be able to communicate with the trainers, post questions and share information and best practices with other participants.

Staff of not-for-profit organisations (not suggested for UN agencies and other pillar-assessed organisations’ staff) with limited or no experience with EU development programmes.

• Consultants who are interested in a detailed overview of the EU programming and funding system, the grant application process and grant management.
• University or post-graduate students.

Previous experience or knowledge relating to the access and management of EU funds is not required.

You will need access to a computer or tablet with a microphone and speakers or a headset, as well as an Internet connection. The course will be held over Zoom – no additional software is required.

• Virtual class – for 2 weeks after the end of the last training session
• eLearning – for 30 days after you first access the course

Once you have completed all the training material and passed the exit test, your certificate of attendance for each specific course will be available to download from the learning platform.

Once you have also concluded the learning plan exit test, you will receive the final certificate. The certificates are always available in your profile page with historical data of all punto.sud Academy courses you’ve attended.