PROSPECTS FOR FUNDING OF SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED PROJECTS IN 2017

 

At the START Final Event in December 2016 it was time to say good-bye to the START facility that attracted over 1.000 project proposals and supported more than 200 stakeholders with the implementation of 48 innovative project ideas from the twelve Priority Areas of the EU Strategy of the Danube Region in the past two years.

The keen interest in START showed the need for small-scale funding facilities – especially for small and/or less experienced organisations to realise transnational initiatives.

But although START has come to an end, there are more funding schemes for small- and medium sized projects well under way for 2017. With the Danube Strategic Project Fund (DSPF), managed by EUSDR Priority Area 10, and the Seed Money Facility of the Danube Transnational Programme project promoters have the opportunity to gain support for developing project ideas and for implementing small- and medium sized projects.

Danube Strategic Project Fund (DSPF)

The Danube Strategic Project Fund is co-financed with funds provided to the European Commission by the European Parliament and the City of Vienna and will be managed by PA 10 of the EUSDR (City of Vienna) in close cooperation with EuroVienna, affiliated entity to the City of Vienna.

The funding facility covers all Priority Areas of the EUSDR, but particularly addresses project ideas that have an impact on EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood policies, have connections and/or spill-over effects on the territory covered by the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), include cross-cutting issues related to more than one EUSDR Priority Area, follow a multi-level governance approach, support the establishment of economic and social cooperation and/or has a focus on youth policies.

There are two types of projects to be funded by the DSPF: A) Development of a future strategic project or B) Implementation of an entire small- or medium-sized strategic project.

The facility provides funding up to 100.000 EUR per project with a co-financing rate ranging from 50% to 90%. The actual partnership is granted a pre-financing of 40% of the total project budget and an interim reimbursement of 30% at the project mid-term. The duration for the DSPF projects is expected to be 12 months.

Eligible project partners are bodies established under public or private law, have legal personality and belong to one of the following types of organisation: National, regional and local authorities, SMEs or start-ups, academies and Universities (in particular applied research and development units), and associations and social partners. Project partners have to be located in the territory of the EUSDR or the EUSAIR.

More information on the DSPF

Seed Money Facility – Danube Transnational Programme (DTP)

The Seed Money Facility of the Danube Transnational Programme is a funding facility for the preparation of transnational project ideas that are expected to be submitted to further EU and/or national or regional funding programmes. The funding scheme is currently developing by the DTP and is planned to be accessible in the course of 2017.

The DTP Seed Money Facility seeks to support project preparation of projects that are considered strategically important for the EUSDR. Therefore each EUSDR Priority Area highlighted specific topics within its thematic focus. Project ideas submitted to this facility should address one or more of these topics.

As the facility aims at supporting professional project preparation, the Seed Money Facility supports the development of transnational project concepts that are expected to be further submitted to other funding programmes (e.g. Interreg, Horizon2020, national or regional funds etc.)

The co-financing rate for the projects is 85%. The expenditures will be reimbursed after the completion of the project. The duration of the projects is expected to be 12 months.

Eligible project partners are bodies established have legal personality and belong to one of the following types of organisation: National, regional and local authorities, bodies governed by public law, international organisations and private bodies (including private enterprises from EU countries of the programme area) from the partner countries and regions of the Danube Transnational Programme (which is identical with the area of the EUSDR).

DSPF and DTP Seed Money Facility at a glance
^{(based on the presentation of the DTP at the START Final Event)}

	DSPF	DTP SMF
Managing bodies	EUSDR PAC10 – City of Vienna	Danube Transnational Programme Managing Authority/ Joint Secretariat (Budapest)
Thematic scope	all EUSDR Priority Areas, focus on 7 joint objectives	Selected topics of all 12 EUSDR Prioirty Areas
Amount per project	70,000 EUR – 100,000 EUR	approx. 40.000 EUR (tbd)
Financial contribution (co-financing)	min. 50% – max. 90%	85%
Type of eligible costs	Based on real costs certified by external auditor	Lump sum
Payment of contribution	Pre-financing of 40%, interim reimbursement of 30% at project mid-term	Total reimbursement after the evaluation of the project outputs
Reporting needs	Mid-term and final report	Final report
Type of project outputs	Based on the addressed topic (defined by partnership)	3 compulsory outputs defined by the DTP
Eligible Lead Partner countries	Partner countries of the EUSDR	Only EU member states of the EUSDR
Eligible other partners	all countries and regions of the EUSDR and the EUSAIR	all countries and regions of the EUSDR
Partnership	min. partners from 2 different countries: LP + 1 and max. 3 other partners	min. partners from 2 different countries: LP + min 1 and max 4 other partners(tbd)
Type of project	Type A) Preparation of a future strategic project Type B) Implementation of an entire strategic project	Preparation of a future strategic and transnational project
Project duration	12 months	12 months