Academic Resources, Fellowships & Grants

Application Deadline: May 20, 2005

See Also Frequently Asked Questions

European Union Centers of Excellence in the United States

Call for proposals for the 2005-2008 period

I. Program Overview

In 1998 and 2001, the European Union organized competitions to support European Union Centers in American universities, devoted to promoting the objectives of the New Transatlantic Agenda, and in particular building civil society "bridges" across the Atlantic. Funding was allocated for annual grants over 3-year cycles subject to satisfactory annual performance reviews. Information regarding activities of the existing EU Centers, including a summary of best practices, is available at http://www.eurunion.org/infores/eucenter.htm.

Building on the successful completion of these initial cycles of funding, and the conclusions and recommendations of the positive independent evaluation of the EU Centers program conducted in 2004, the European Commission is seeking to consolidate and strengthen the initiative by encouraging EU Centers to develop as centers of academic excellence in EU studies and as key focal points for outreach on EU issues.

The European Commission therefore invites proposals from institutions of higher education in the United States to support "European Union Centers of Excellence" during the 2005-2008 period. These Centers will be expected to implement high quality teaching, research and regional outreach programs with EU and EU-US themes. Individual Centers are also expected to participate in cooperative activities to form a national Network of EU Centers.

The European Commission is allocating around €3 million to this program for the 2005-2008 period. Centers of Excellence selected will receive funding in the form of a subsidy towards approved costs for the 2005-6, 2006-7 and 2007-8 academic years. An estimated 8 to 10 grants of up to €300,000 each will be awarded.

Applicants must provide a minimum cost share of at least 25% of eligible project costs (i.e., a minimum of €100,000 to match a request from the Commission of €300,000, resulting in €400,000 in total eligible project costs). The percentage of applicant cost share required for those receiving grants in 2005 will increase in any future competition, to 50% for a 2008-2011 competition cycle, and to 65% for a 2011-2014 competition cycle. Funding will also be provided for the Center or Centers taking a leadership role in networking and outreach activities (see below).

II. Program Policy Objectives and Expected Outcomes

The broad aims of the program are:

(1) to promote understanding and knowledge of the European Union as a major player in the global political and economic system, with special focus on the enlargement to 25 or more member states, and the yet to be ratified Constitutional Treaty; and

(2) to promote understanding of the importance of the transatlantic relationship, its political, economic, security and cultural dimensions, and the widening range of global and regional issues jointly addressed by the EU and US.

The specific objectives of the program, and the expected outcomes to be achieved, are as follows.

OBJECTIVE 1: Develop centers of academic excellence in EU studies with a view to broadening and deepening the base of European Union studies and increasing awareness of the Union’s policies.

Expected Outcomes:

New courses developed on the EU and on EU-US Relations.

• New material on the EU and transatlantic relations incorporated in existing courses.
  
  
• EU studies certificate, minor and major programs created or refined.
  
  
• Material on the EU and transatlantic relations incorporated into curricula of professional schools such as, but not limited to, international affairs, law, business, agriculture, communications and health.
  
  
• Academic research conferences devoted to issues of applied EU and EU-US public policies.
  
  
• Informed books, articles and briefing papers devoted to issues of applied EU and EU-US public policies published.
  
  
• Increased numbers of doctoral students focusing their dissertation research on the EU and EU-US relations.
  
  
• Increased numbers of university faculty and other scholars, including professional school faculty and graduate students, conducting research on issues of applied EU and EU-US public policies.

OBJECTIVE 2: Promote greater understanding of the EU and EU-US relations among regional outreach constituencies.

Expected Outcomes:

• Outreach conferences, workshops, briefing sessions and other information activities organized targeting local and state governmental officials, business people and other civil society outreach groups.
  
  
• Regional universities and colleges (4-year and 2-year) participating in EU Center activities.
  
  
• Training workshops, curriculum development exercises and information materials organized for secondary school teachers.
  
  
• Fora provided for prominent speakers from the EU institutions and EU member states.

OBJECTIVE 3: Strengthen “People-to-People Links” between university faculty, students, and their host institutions in the EU and the US.

Expected Outcomes:

• Increased number of student and faculty research and exchange programs with universities in the EU.
  
  
• Visiting EU scholars and practitioners incorporated effectively into EU Center activities.
  
  
• Greater number of co-taught courses and other curricular development programs developed, for example, by effective use of video-conferencing and other technologies.

OBJECTIVE 4: Create an effective network of EU Centers of excellence.

Expected Outcomes:

• Shared best practices among Centers.
  
  
• Active networking, coordination and project cooperation between EU Centers of Excellence.

OBJECTIVE 5: Attract additional support for Center activities

Expected Outcomes:

• Center activities embedded in ongoing university programs.
  
  
• In the long-term, ensure mobilization of new financing sources to offset diminishing European Commission support and maintain quality and volume of activities.

EU Center applicants should propose activities which clearly promote the objectives and achieve the desired outcomes described above and which they are confident will be implemented as planned, making full use of any Commission funding awarded for these activities. Competitive proposals will include a coherent mix of research, teaching and outreach activities. In all cases, Center activities must be devoted to contemporary EU and EU-US public policy issues. Applicants may vary the level of project expenses during each of the 3 academic years covered, but Centers should strike a good balance of activities and funding across the grant period, with no more than 40% of total project costs budgeted for any one academic year.

III. Content of Applicant Proposals

The Grant Application Form provides a detailed guide to the information required from all applicants. In addition to a detailed presentation of their activities and proposed expenses, applicants should be aware of the following requirements (which are also addressed in the Grant Application Form).

Host University Support and Center Visibility

Applicants should explain how their activities will reinforce and benefit from any ongoing university efforts to support international and/or European programs. They should also explain how the university will support the Center with staff and other logistical assistance and how the Center will ensure high physical and programmatic visibility within the university.

Additional Funding for Networking and Outreach Coordination Activities

Applicants may also apply for supplemental funding of up to €60,000 for the entire 2005-8 grant period, for each of the following roles (€120,000 total):

Networking Coordinator: Promoting networking activity among the EU Centers by hosting and maintaining a network website and by hosting the annual Center Directors meeting.

Outreach Coordinator: Collecting and disseminating information regarding individual Center outreach activities, particularly in sharing "best practices" regarding outreach to specific constituencies (secondary schools, business, state government officials). The outreach coordinator will also provide a "best practice" list of Center outreach publications, to be placed on the Network website regarding Center outreach activities.

 The Grant Application Form contains additional information regarding these roles. Applicants may bid for one or both of these responsibilities.

Measurement of Outcomes

Wherever possible, applicants should provide measurable criteria for judging the outcomes of all activities. These might include the number and quality of events organized; the number, quality and interdisciplinary range of participants; the number of applicants to a faculty or student research award competition; evidence of sustainable impact upon research and curricular programs and the production and dissemination of information products and education materials.

Level of Detail for Activities

Applicants are required to submit proposals incorporating activities for the entire 3-year period of the grant. However, it is recognized that in completing the Narrative Proposal Form applicants may not be able to provide the same level of detail for years 3 (2006-7) and 3 (2007-8) as for year 1 (2005-6). For example, applicants may be able to identify individual visitors during year 1 ("Jane Doe to discuss the European security strategy") but not in years 2 or 3. For those years a speaker profile is acceptable ("prominent European researcher to discuss EU competition policy"). In any case, applicants should strive to provide a complete picture of how project funds will be used over the 3-year period.

Proposed activities for years 2 and 3, such as major conferences and research projects, should thus be described in as much detail as possible. If necessary, some program content may subsequently be adapted to respond to events, in consultation with the Commission. However, any amendment to agreed project activities cannot be so substantial as to call into question the original award decision.

No Research or Curriculum Development Awards for EU Center Staff

EU Center Directors and other staff working directly for an EU Center may not receive individual research or curriculum development awards made by the Center using project funding. This is to ensure that Center funds will be used to promote broad participation by university faculty and students and to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest in the award selection process.

Annual Meeting of Center Directors

Each Center will be required to send up to 2 representatives (preferably the Center Director and Associate or Assistant Director) to a 1-day annual meeting of European Union Center Directors, to be organized and hosted by the Network Coordinator. The purpose of this meeting will be to monitor the progress of the initiative as a whole, to explore the potential for co-operative activities between Centers and to enable Centers to exchange useful experience. Travel and up to 2 nights of accommodation expenses for each participant in the annual meeting may be included in the proposal submitted to the Commission. The Center selected to serve as Network Coordinator will be allowed to reallocate these funds, if necessary.

IV. Proposal Submission Guidelines

All applicants should consult the Delegation’s 2004-5 Guide for Grant Recipients for general guidance regarding payment, reporting and other issues. This Guide will also be updated for grant recipients under this competition, to accompany award notification, with references to specific aspects of the 2005-8 EU Centers program.

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. These documents must include an external audit report certifying the applicant’s accounts for the last calendar or academic year and giving an assessment of the applicant's ongoing financial viability.¹

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 legally commit the applicant institution to the terms of that Agreement;

• curriculum vitae of individual(s) principally responsible for the project;

• list of principal related projects undertaken in the last three years (Part A, Section 3B of the Application package);

• signed Applicants’ Declaration (Part A, 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 euro² sufficiently detailed to allow identification and monitoring of the operations involved; and drawn up using the model in the Grant Application Form.

Successful applicants should also be prepared to provide electronic copies of their Narrative Proposal and Grant Application forms.

The Grant Application Form, Narrative Proposal 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@cec.eu.int or at the address below.

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

Helen Henderson
Political, Academic, Justice & Home Affairs
Delegation of the European Commission
Third Floor
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037

Applications must be postmarked no later than May 20, 2005.

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants must:

• 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 A, Section 15 of the Application package) verifying that the applicant is not in one of the situations described³;

• propose activities which occur in their entirety between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2008; 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;

• level of faculty knowledge and other university resources related to EU/US policies and the EU/US relationship;

• the details of the educational and professional qualifications of the person(s) principally responsible for 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 requirements; own resources confirmed by the signature of the legally authorized officer signing the Application Form and third party resources, if applicable, are to be confirmed in writing by the officer(s) identified in Part A, Section 14 of same.

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 and assigned scores as indicated:

• Quality and relevance of the proposed programme of activities, demonstrating in particular a capacity to achieve significant and sustainable impact and add value to the existing activities of the applicant institution (either by making existing EU studies more comprehensive or through the development of entirely new activities). (maximum score 20, minimum 0)

• Cost effectiveness in the implementation of activities proposed and particularly in the administration and working methods envisaged for the delivery, monitoring of and reporting on the activities programmed. (maximum score 20, minimum 0)

• Proven multidisciplinary approach including active involvement of professional schools. (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

• Capacity to act within a network with links to other Centers and to other domestic academic and research institutions (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

• Effective involvement of target groups beyond academic circles such as opinion leaders, business circles and organisations, think-tanks, government agencies, the media and NGO’s. (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

• Degree of commitment of the host university to support and encourage the Center both financially and in terms of accommodation and logistical support. (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

• Demonstrated ability to mobilise external funding and other resources to supplement Commission financial support and achieve long-term self-sustainability. (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

• Capacity to build on established international links with other academic and research institutions, including ongoing collaboration with universities in at least 2 EU Member States. (maximum score 5, minimum 0)

• Synergy of activities with other EU initiatives, notably, in the area of higher education such as Jean Monnet, co-operation agreements on higher education and Erasmus Mundus. (maximum score 5, minimum 0)

The total score of each proposal will be ranked against all competing proposals.

Applications for additional funding for networking and/or outreach coordination activities

Only applications from Centers which have been selected as Centers of Excellence, in accordance with the criteria mentioned above, will be considered.

Applications will be evaluated according to the following additional criteria and assigned a score as indicated:

• The ability to act as a coordination point at national level for organising networking between Centers and/or on outreach issues. (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

• Quality and relevance of the proposed program of networking/coordination activities, demonstrating in particular a capacity to achieve significant and sustainable impact and add value to the activities of EU Centres of excellence. (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

• Cost effectiveness in the implementation of activities proposed and particularly in the administration and working methods envisaged for the delivery, monitoring and reporting of networking/coordination activities programmed. (maximum score 10, minimum 0)

The total score of each proposal will be ranked against all competing proposals.

Questions and notification of results

Individual applicants should submit any questions regarding the competition in writing to Helen Henderson (helen.henderson@cec.eu.int). Within 30 days of publication of this Call for Proposals, the Commission will post a "Frequently Asked Questions" or FAQ page on the Delegation website, www.eurunion.org, summarizing responses to technical questions asked by individual applicants.

The Delegation will organize a teleconference allowing potential applicants to discuss the competition with Commission staff, to be held on Wednesday, April 20 at noon EST. To register for the teleconference and receive instructions for participation please send an e-mail message with your affiliation and contact information to Delegation mailbox Delegation-USA-EUCteleconf@cec.eu.int. Additional teleconferences may be added if all respondents cannot be accommodated in the April 20 event. Relevant information from the teleconference(s) will also be added to the FAQ published on the Delegation website.

Applicants will be informed whether or not their proposal has been accepted. The Commission intends to make its decisions by June 15, 2005.

Reporting requirements and payment arrangements

Successful applicants will be required to submit annual narrative and financial reports in hard-copy and electronic format for each of the 2005-6, 2006-7 and 2007-8 academic years. These reports will be due no later than October 31 each year.

After approval of the narrative and financial reports, interim payments for 2005-6 and 2006-7 and a final payment for 2007-8 will be made, based on eligible project expenditures.

Grant recipients requesting a pre-financing payment equal to 30% of the total Commission grant should submit an invoice for payment once the grant agreement has been signed by both parties.

The Center(s) selected to act as the network and/or outreach coordinator will be required to include those duties in the reporting schedule above

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 expense.⁴ 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 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.⁵ In-kind contributions are not eligible and will not be taken into account when calculating the grant.

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1 An audited financial statement taken from the applicant’s most recent annual report may be presented for this purpose.

2 Prices must be quoted in EUR (euro) using the appropriate European Commission official monthly EUR to US 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 above address.

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

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.

5 Any indirect costs must be included within the ceiling of €300,000 for core programming (or within the ceiling of up to €420,000 if supplemental funding is requested for both the network coordinator and outreach coordinator roles, in addition to €300,000 for core programming). For a hypothetical proposal including €400,000 in total eligible projects costs (based on a €300,000 request to the European Commission and €100,000 in matching funding for core activities and no supplemental funding), a maximum of €28,000 in indirect costs could be included in the request to the European Commission (7% of €400,000), with an additional €272,000 requested for activities and related direct costs.