The next opening of Calls for Proposals for the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) is around the corner! If your organisation is considering applying for the first time for a CERV grant, use this step-by-step guidance to prepare yourself for writing a compelling project proposal.
The EU Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) offers project funding opportunities for a wide variety of organisations that aim to create a more inclusive, equal, and democratic society in the EU. Applying for a CERV grant can be challenging due to multifaceted application requirements, especially for (smaller) organisations with limited resources, and when applying for the first time. A well-structured approach when preparing your application will save you quite some hassle. Follow the below 6 steps to start off on the right foot.
This article explains the application aspects, for more information about the existing thematic funding areas within CERV you may also like to read my previous article about the EU CERV programme.
Before you start writing your application, check the documents in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for the Call for Proposals you would like to apply for. You will need to analyse the text of the Call itself very thoroughly to determine if your project aligns with the objectives of the EU CERV programme. The CERV programme supports projects that promote democracy, EU values, equality, rights and active citizenship. Likewise, applicants must ensure their project fits within the specific, further defined areas indicated in the concrete Call.
Your organisation itself needs to be eligible, based on the type of entity (non-profit, public authority, etc.) and the country of registration. Only organisations from EU Member States and certain associated programme countries are eligible for CERV funding. If your organisation has never applied for EU funding through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before, you will still need to register your organisation and create an account on the Funding and Tenders Portal in order to be able to proceed.
You need to ask yourself what the relevance of our project in relation to the CERV programme’s goals are. The EU looks for projects that bring innovative solutions to societal problems. Your proposal must clearly demonstrate how the project contributes to CERV’s objectives, such as for example fighting discrimination, promoting gender equality and protecting EU citizens’ rights. How does your project introduce new approaches, methodologies or tools that can contribute to CERV’s and in particular the Call’s objectives?
Moreover, determine what impact your project will have. Applicant organisations need to describe the expected outcomes, both short-term and long-term. How will the project benefit the target groups? How does it address pressing social issues or challenges identified at EU level? Does the project demonstrate an European added value? The EU is seeking to fund projects which generate value beyond national or regional interests and benefit several EU Member States.
Most CERV Calls for Proposals require you to form an international consortium to implement the project. A coordinator will have to be appointed who then applies on behalf of the consortium. The EU requires that all participating organisation have a sufficient operational capacity, such as related experience, skills and personnel to carry out the project successfully.
Strong partnerships are important. You need suitable partners from other eligible countries who are reliable and are committed to contribute to the project effectively.
When you are preparing your proposal, you will need to establish a well-structured and realistic budget in view of the expected costs, and demonstrate an efficient use of resources. A inadequate budget (in relation to the planned activities and staff resources) can harm the success of your application or cause issues during project implementation.
CERV funding usually requires co-financing. This means the EU funds a certain percentage of the project (often up to 80%), and the applicant organisation(s) must secure the remaining amount through own resources or further donors.
The EU values projects that have long-lasting effects, i.e. beyond the end of the funding. Applicant organisations should show how they will ensure the project’s sustainability, for example through continued funding from other sources, the integration into ongoing activities or policy influence.
Moreover, organisations which receive funding must already indicate in their application how they plan to share the outcomes, best practices and lessons learned from the project with relevant stakeholders at the local, national and EU levels, to enable a wider positive impact of the project later-on.
In your application, you break down the project into Work Packages including project activities and phases, and determine realistic and achievable milestones which mark the completion of key activities.
In this context, you will also need to plan how to measure the success of your project. You will need to draw up a clear plan for monitoring the project’s implementation, by using specific indicators to evaluate the project’s progress. Also, you will need to define measurable outputs. Such deliverables can be for example reports, handbooks, training materials or other specific results from the project activities.
Last but not least, get prepared to submit regular progress reports and the final report to the EU and plan in the necessary resources for the reporting.
By addressing the above key questions and steps, you will have a good starting point for your CERV application. By aligning your project’s objectives and activities with the priorities of the EU Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme, demonstrating measurable impact on areas such as citizens’ rights, equality, and/or democratic engagement in line with the Call specifications, you will increase your chances of securing funding.
Wishing you lots of success!
Do you need support with your CERV application? Please don’t hesitate to contact me.
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Author: Astrid Mechel
https://eufundingconsulting.eu
Hello, I am Astrid Mechel and I work (for the most part) with small and medium sized organisations who aim to access EU funding. It is my goal to help discovering suitable EU project funding possibilities and to provide support to submit a high-quality grant application. My main thematic focus is on grants for research and innovation, environmental sustainability as well as on social inclusion and participation.
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