Call For Proposals

Application Deadline: November 8, 2006

Getting to Know Europe: Local Communities and the European Union
Call for proposals for activities during 2007

The Delegation of the European Commission in Washington, DC, invites proposals for programs that promote greater knowledge, within local communities and local governments in the United States, of the European Union (EU) and its international role, including as a partner to the US.

Activities to be Funded

All activities should be targeted at local communities and local government in the US, with applicants expected to bring together a range of local groups and to propose a package of events. These activities should help local communities to learn and understand what the EU is and what it does, to raise awareness about EU policies and institutions and the EU’s role as an international actor in the economic and political field. Wherever possible, activities should also highlight local economic, social and cultural connections to Europe. Proposed activities can also involve consular, economic or cultural representations in the US of EU Member States and EU Acceding States, as well as companies from the EU which trade or invest in the local community concerned.

All activities must take place between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007.

Activities can include:

• competitions (essay, poetry, painting, quizzes, games, EU simulations), presentations or exhibitions;
• publications, information booklets and brochures about Europe and the EU;
• other information products such as posters, leaflets, newspaper features, radio/TV programs including quizzes and talk shows, videos, websites and advertising of project events;
• training programs and briefing sessions for local officials;
• study and exchange visits; and
• town twinning arrangements with European counterparts.

Activities may take place throughout the grant period but should include events on or around Europe Day 2007 (May 9, 2007). Proposals that include activities related to the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, on March 25, 1957, are also encouraged but not required.

Who May Apply?

Institutions from the United States, EU Member States and EU Acceding States which may apply include secondary schools, universities, youth groups and associations, local community groups, local associations promoting socio-cultural exchanges across the Atlantic, media and other professional training centers and other civil society organizations such as chambers of commerce. Proposals involving 2 or more such institutions are welcome, and national "umbrella" groups with active local chapters may also apply.

Universities are included among institutions eligible to apply provided that they are not currently receiving European Commission funding for European Union Centers of Excellence.

Institutions selected will receive funding in the form of a grant subsidy towards approved costs between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. An estimated eight to ten grants of up to €80,000 each will be awarded. The European Commission contribution will cover up to 75% of total project costs, therefore applicants must be able to provide at least 25% towards these total project costs. The European Commission is allocating up to €450,000 to this program.

Proposal Submission Guidelines

All applicants should provide the following:

• official grant request letter, dated and signed;
• completed narrative proposal form and completed and signed Grant Application Form together with the required supporting documents indicated in the annex to the Application Form. NB: In the event that a grant is awarded, the same individual signing the Grant Application Form must also sign the Grant Agreement and have the authority to commit the applicant institution legally to the terms of that Agreement;
• curriculum vitae of individual(s) responsible for the project;
• list of principal related projects undertaken in the last 3 years (Part A, Section 3B of the Application package);
• signed Applicants’ Declaration (Part B, Section 15 of the Application package);
• completed, signed and stamped Legal Entity Form (Part E of the Application package);
• completed, signed and stamped Financial ID form (Part F of the Application Package); and
• itemized budget of project costs and revenues, in euro¹, sufficiently detailed to allow identification and monitoring of the operations involved; and drawn up using the model in Part B, Section 13 of the Grant Application Form.

Successful applicants should also be prepared to provide electronic copies of their Grant Application form and itemized budget of project costs and revenues.

The Grant Application Form, Proposal Narrative Form and Model Grant Agreement may be downloaded from the Washington Delegation website. Those who cannot access the internet may request materials from Helen Henderson by e-mail at helen.henderson@ec.europa.eu or at the address below.

These materials should be sent by registered mail (including by private express mail contractors) to:

Helen Henderson
Political and Development Section
Delegation of the European Commission
Third Floor
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037

Applications must be received no later than November 8, 2006.

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants must:

• Meet the criteria set out in the "Who May Apply" section above;
• demonstrate status as a legal person, to be documented by Articles of Incorporation or other proof of legal status;
• provide a signed Applicants’ Declaration (Part B, Section 15 of the Application package) verifying that the applicant is not in one of the situations described²;
• propose activities which occur in their entirety between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007; and
• submit properly completed applications and all required supporting documentation as requested above.

Selection Criteria for Operations

The Commission will assess the applicant’s technical and economic capacity to undertake the proposed project. This assessment will be based on:

• proven previous experience in the organization of activities based on the list of the principal related projects undertaken in the past 3 years;
• the details of the educational and professional qualifications of the person(s) undertaking the project, as demonstrated by curriculum vitae;
• financial and economic capacity enabling the applicant to perform the tasks involved in this project (stable and sufficient source of funding to maintain activity for the duration of the project), as demonstrated by annual accounts for the last year and other financial information provided in the Grant Application Form; and
• evidence that the applicant is able to meet co-financing requirements³; own resources and third party resources, if applicable, are to be confirmed in writing by the officer(s) identified in Part B, Section 14 of the Grant Application form by providing a signed letter guaranteeing the availability of such funding.

Criteria for the Award of a Grant

Proposals submitted in accordance with the submission guidelines and meeting the eligibility and selection criteria above will be evaluated according to the following criteria equally weighted:

• Quality of the activity proposed (maximum score 5, minimum 0).
• Expected impact of the proposed event(s) in promoting greater knowledge and understanding of the European Union (maximum score 5, minimum 0).
• Cost-effectiveness in the implementation of the activity proposed and capacity to mobilize resources to supplement the Commission’s grant (maximum score 5, minimum 0).

The TOTAL SCORE (sum of 3 criteria for maximum score of 15, minimum score of 0) of each proposal will be ranked against all competing proposals.

Questions and Award Notification

• Individual applicants should submit any questions regarding the competition in writing to Helen Henderson (helen.henderson@ec.europa.eu).
• Applicants will be informed whether or not their proposal has been accepted. The Commission intends to make its decisions no later than November 24, 2006.

Reporting Requirements

Successful applicants will be required to submit in hard-copy and electronic format narrative and financial reports covering the entire grant period. These reports will be due no later than March 1, 2008.

Grant recipients requesting a pre-financing payment at the beginning of the grant cycle (for a maximum of 50% of the Commission’s total contribution) should submit an invoice for payment once the grant agreement has been signed by both parties.
Upon request as part of their reporting, grant recipients must provide by mail to the Delegation of the European Commission in Washington, DC, certified copies of receipts and other documentation serving as proof of project expense⁴. Where the Commission decides to carry out an interim or ex-post evaluation and/or audit, the beneficiary is required to provide all necessary information.

Institutions not prepared to provide such documentation should not apply to this competition.

Additional important information

Nothing herein stated shall be deemed a financial commitment by the European Union or any of its component Institutions. Grants will be awarded on the basis of available funding and only after approval by the European Commission.

Grants will not be awarded for more than the amount requested, and the European Commission reserves the right to award a grant of less than the amount requested by the applicant.

The terms and general conditions of a prospective grant are specified in the Model Grant Agreement, including the rules governing which categories of expenditure are eligible. Submission of an application implies acceptance of the terms and general conditions of the Model Grant Agreement. Requests to modify the terms and general conditions of the Grant Agreement will not be considered.

Indirect (i.e., overhead) costs are eligible up to 7% of total project costs. In-kind contributions are not eligible and will not be taken into account when calculating the grant.
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¹ Prices must be quoted in EUR (euro) using the European Commission’s official monthly EUR to Dollar exchange rate, available on the first working day of each month at the following website: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/budget/inforeuro/index.cfm?fuseaction=currency_historique&currency=USD&Language=en. Those who do not have internet access or who have any questions may contact Helen Henderson at the address cited in this document.

² The European Commission may request additional evidence confirming the Declaration.

³ The European Commission contribution will cover up to 75% of total project costs, therefore applicants must be able to provide at least 25% towards these total project costs.

⁴ "Certified" means that a responsible institutional official must affirm by signed letter that any copied receipts and other documents submitted are authentic copies of the originals.