NGO operating grants for 2014 under the Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE+)

DEADLINE: 15 October 2013

This call for proposals aims at co-financing the operating costs of European environmental NGOs in relation to activities provided for in their 2014 annual work programme that involve contributing to the implementation and/or development of EU environmental policy and legislation in Europe.

The main focus of the proposed work programme should relate to one or more of the following thematic objectives:

• protect, conserve and enhance the Union’s natural capital
• turn the Union into a resource-efficient, green and competitive low-carbon economy
• safeguard the Union’s citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health and wellbeing

In addition, the extent to which proposals address the following annual priorities will be given special consideration:

• Waste
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation

Which kind of Organizations can apply? Organizations independent and non-profit-making, primarily active in the field of environmental protection and enhancement with an environmental objective; organizations active at a European level either singly or in the form of several coordinated associations and which are legally established in one of the EU member states.

Finance available: €9.000.000 ( typical grant award around € 300.000; maximum € 900.000) The rate of overall EU assistance shall not exceed 70 % of the applicant's eligible expenses for the grant year.

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Using media in a safe way: to prevent violence in social networks and video games

DEADLINE: 30 october 2013

Proposals should empower children (boys and girls), young people and women to use media in a safe way to bring about attitudinal and behavioural changes with regard to the potentially harmful impact of gender stereotyping and sexualisation in the media, consumer industries, online or video games, social networking, etc.

Projects on children must take due account of the standards set out in the UN Convention on the rights of the child.

Total budget for the programme: 11.404.000 euro

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Support the development of comprehensive active ageing strategies

DEADLINE: 30 September 2013

Due to rising life expectancy and declining fertility rates, the proportion of older people in Europe is increasing rapidly. It is projected that by 2050, the ratio of people over 65 compared to the working age population (15-64 years of age) will reach 50% - double of the current levels. The present situation poses a challenge to the labour supply and to social protection systems.

 

The aim of the "active ageing" policy approach is to allow older people to remain longer in the labour market, to participate actively in society and to live independently as long as possible. The aim of this call for proposals is to provide financial support for Member State national public authorities willing to engage in the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies for active ageing. Support will be provided to national authorities wishing to involve different policy areas as well as different levels of governance and relevant stakeholders to enhance their capacity to take concrete actions for tackling the challenges posed by ageing populations.

The project proposals should start with an analysis of the specific challenges and the potentials for promoting active ageing. Based on this analysis of the present situation the proposals should demonstrate how a comprehensive strategy can contribute to improving the conditions for active ageing. Projects could either aim for:

• designing and implementing a new comprehensive strategy
• improving an existing one.

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at € 2.000.000.

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Posting of workers: enhancing administrative cooperation and access to information

DEADLINE: 13 September 2013

The general objective of this call for actions is to further improve transnational administrative cooperation between national competent bodies and social partners involved in the monitoring and correct application of Posting of Workers Directive and increase mutual trust among stakeholders, including promoting exchanges of relevant officials and training, as well as developing, facilitating and promoting best practice initiatives in the area of posting of workers in the framework of temporary provision of services.

A posted worker for the purposes of the Directive is a worker who, for a limited period, carries out his work in the territory of a Member State other than the State in which he normally works.

 

The following actions may be co-financed:

• Developing, facilitating and promoting exchanges and/or training (for example joint visits, joint inspections, short training actions) of officials of competent public authorities and/or relevant social partners in charge of administrative cooperation and mutual assistance in relation to posted workers in the framework of the provision of services.
• Developing, facilitating and promoting exchanges and best practice initiatives with respect to the access of information between public authorities and relevant social partners, such as the development and updating of databases or joint websites containing general or sector-specific information concerning terms and conditions of employment to be respected in relation to posted workers in the framework of the provision of services.
• Exchange of information and best practices (for example, seminars, conferences, round tables) and dissemination of information and best practices in this respect (for example, reports, manuals, guidelines, leaflets, newsletter, web pages).

Who can apply?

Public authorities, social partners, international organisations, non-profit organisations, research centres and institutes, universities and civil society organisations.

Budget for this call: 2.440.000 euro.

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Enhance EU-Turkey relations

Strengthening Civil Society Dialogue between the EU and Turkey-

III Grant Programmes

 Since the official recognition of Turkey as a candidate country in 1999 national and European institutions have intensified the number of bilateral activities with Turkey which fall under the scope of the civil society dialogue. The main goal of these grant programmes is to give opportunity to potential beneficiaries to get familiar with the policies of the European Union concerning political issues both in terms of legislation and implementation and to be prepared for the accession through strengthening the contacts and mutual exchange of experience between all civil society actors on political issues in the Member States and Turkey.

The program, which is divided into a “Political Criteria Grant Program” and a “Media Grant Program,” will finance Turkey and EU media institutions’ and NGOs’ common projects in the two domains.

The priority areas of “Political Criteria Grant Program” are:

• Human rights;

• Anti-discrimination;

• Democracy and Rule of Law.

“Media Grant Program” aims to strengthen the capacities of the actors of the media sector and to establish a sustainable dialogue between the actors in Turkey and the EU countries. The specific objectives are:

• Enhanced networking, joint actions and peer-learning between Turkish-EU media and media-related CSOs,

• Shared good practices and promotion of innovative initiatives and media productions between Turkish-EU media and media-related CSOs on EU matters.

 

The overall amount made available is EURO 9.000.000.

Associations, foundations, media organizations and similar institutions or actors working in these domains in a member state of the EU or Turkey can apply to the grant program.

 

DEADLINE for submission:

• to the Political Criteria Program: July 5

• to the Media Grant Program: July 12

Progress programme

European funding for Social Policy experimentation

Deadline: 15th February 2013

Activities
• Promotion of youth activation measures to tackle and prevent youth unemployment and exclusion 
• Provision of quality childcare services that focuses on the provision and quality of key services for improving child well-being 
• Promotion of active and healthy ageing, 

The planned duration of the project may not be less than 24 months nor exceed 36 months.

Eligibility of the applicant:
The applicant should meet the following eligibility criteria:
1. The applicant must be established in EU27, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Serbia
2. The applicant must be a public authority, at central, regional or local level, or a body governed by public law;

Detailed newsletter and official documents

Call for proposals 'Researchers' Night'

The European Commission has published its 'Researchers' Night call for proposals, which is part the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). 

Deadline: 08 January 2013 

Taking place every year since 2005, the Researchers' Night benefits from an ever-increasing success and impact, both in terms of number of people reached and benefits to the Marie Curie Actions. Its main objective is to bring the researchers closer to the public at large, thereby enhancing their role in the mainstream of society. With a budget of EUR 4 million, the call for proposals allows for a greater cohesion between the various actions supported, their scale, the target audience and the messages delivered. 

Call fiche

European funding: environment

European grant fund: New Knowledge for an integrated management of human activity in the sea 

 Deadline: 19 December 2012 

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) promotes the integration of environmental consideration into all relevant policy areas and delivers the environmental pillar of the future maritime policy of the European Union. An ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities is central to the implementation of MSFD and to attaining its overall objective to take the necessary measures to achieve or maintain good environmental status (GES) by 2020. 

The purpose of this Pilot Project is to develop new concept and decision-making tools for integrated environmental monitoring for the MSFD to support management of human activities in EU marine waters. The project will develop integrated monitoring strategies in selected pilot regions, based on existing sampling across various disciplines (physical, chemical, biological) and scope the potential for joint monitoring programmes (within and between Member States). It will aim to develop strategic approaches to the integrated monitoring of pressures from human activities and their effects on the environment to support the MSFD and other environmental

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European fundings for culture

European funds for culture

Deadline: 7th October 2012

Multi-annual cooperation projects can be realised in all areas of cultural activity. These projects are intended to enhance the common European cultural area with a view to encouraging the emergence of a sense of European citizenship.

Projects must have a duration of not less than 36 months and not more than 60 months

The only eligible applicants are public or private organisations with legal personality whose main activity is in the cultural field (areas of cultural or creative activity)

Cultural organisations are given support for projects to work together across borders and to create and implement cultural and artistic activities. The thrust of this programme is to help organisations, such as theatres, museums, professional associations, research centers, universities, cultural institutes and public authorities from different countries participating in the Programme to cooperate so that different sectors can work together and extend their cultural and artistic reach across borders.

Detailed newsletter and official documents

European funds for SMEs

7 Framework programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs

Deadline: 15/11/2012

Activites

1. Research for SMEs scheme

The objective of this scheme is to directly support SMEs in the project to outsource their research activities. The scheme aims at supporting SMEs in need of outsourcing research activities to RTD performers such as universities, research centres or research performing SMEs. 'Other enterprises and end-users', which belong to the same value chains as the participating SMEs, can participate, if it is in the interest of the project.

Projects aim at creating new knowledge or achieving results with a clear exploitation potential to improve or develop new products, processes or services which meet the needs of the participating SMEs.

This scheme can assist SMEs in acquiring technological know-how and accessing international networks for their medium to long-term business development and follow a bottom-up approach, meaning that the research can originate in the entire field of science and technology in all industrial sectors.

 

2. Research for SME Associations scheme

The objective of this scheme is to indirectly support SMEs through their associations /groupings to outsource research activities. This scheme targets SME associations which act on behalf of their members to identify and address common technological problems and to promote the effective dissemination and take-up of research results. Projects include research, technological development and demonstration activities and are encouraged to include other activities such as training, to facilitate the dissemination and exploitation of results.

 

3. Demonstration activity

The objective of this activity is to prove (demonstrate) the viability of a new solution (itself a successful outcome of a research project) that offers a potential economic advantage but which cannot be directly commercialised as further technological or other developments are required. SMEs often need to follow up research projects with work linked to ‘demonstration’ or production of prototypes before actually commercialising goods and services but funding for this kind of activity is not readily available. Activities could e.g. include testing of prototypes, scale-up studies, performance verification and implementation of new technological and non-technological solutions. This action could also include detailed market studies and business plans. There are no thematic restrictions.

 

4.Coordination and Support Action - supporting action

The Commission, in its proposal for the SME support in the forthcoming programme Horizon 2020, has put strong emphasis on the development of a direct face-to-face mentoring and coaching support to SMEs desiring to innovate.

 

Detailed newsletter

September: the European cultural heritage month

European Heritage Days

This joint action of the European Commission and Council of Europe gives access to visitors to thousands of rarely opened sites and unique events. This year, a stunning variety of events and monuments will be open to the public during the European Heritage Days. They range from Cistercian abbeys to cathedrals and castles, from the oldest iron printing press to Victorian grain warehouses; from coal mines to government buildings and theaters and many, many more. Some countries or regions establish an overarching theme over a series of events. For instance, France is focusing on “hidden heritage” inviting visitors to witness rarely seen or unexpected faces of heritage concealed in walls, underground or in the landscape; in the Brussels-Capital Region, examples of buildings which illustrate the engineering and technical solutions that led to the evolution of architecture over the centuries will be open to the public under the unifying idea of 'The art of building".

The list of events being offered throughout Europe runs into the tens of thousands. A number of countries are also producing joint events with a view to emphasizing the European dimension of the Programme. Ukraine, Spain, Moldova and Georgia, for instance, are collaborating on an electronic platform, which will link wine museums in cooperation activities across Europe; the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia, France and Belgium are cooperating on a youth exchange and heritage education event.

 

Launched in 1985, the European Heritage Days have been organised since 1999 as a joint action of the European Union and the Council of Europe. The 50 signatory States to the European Cultural Convention take part in the European Heritage Days by putting new cultural assets on view and opening up historical buildings normally closed to the public. The cultural events highlight local skills and traditions, architecture and works of art, but the broader aim is to promote mutual understanding among citizens. For more information about the programme by country: www.ehd.coe.int

Funding opportunities for cultural projects

EU Funds for research and developments

European funds for research: 7 Framework programme (7FP)

KBBE: knoweldge-based bio-economy

Deadline: 5 February 2013

Sustainable production and management of biological resources from land, forest and aquatic environments 

• Enabling research Area 
• Increased sustainability of all production systems (agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture); plant health and crop protection 
• Optimised animal health, production and welfare across agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture 
• Socio-economic research and support to policies 

Eu funds: Youth in Action Programme

Youth Support Systems - Partnerships

Deadline for submission of applications: 17 September 2012

This call for proposals aims at supporting partnerships with regional or local public bodies or other stakeholders active in the youth sector at European level in order to develop over the long-term projects which combine various measures of the Youth in Action Programme.

This mechanism aims at encouraging synergies and cooperation between the European Commission – via the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency – and the different actors working in the field of youth by pooling resources and practices with a view to maximising the impact of the programme and to reaching out to a higher number of beneficiaries.

The project must include activities of a non-profit-making nature that are related to the field of youth and non-formal education.

The following activities are eligible under this call:

• Trans-national Youth Exchanges
• National or Trans-national Youth Initiatives
• European Voluntary Service
• Training and Networking

Further information

Prevention of and Fight against Crime

European funds for Prevention of and Fight against Crime 

Deadline 10 August and 12 October 2012 

Proposals submitted should target at least one of the following specific objectives of the Programme:

- to stimulate, promote and develop horizontal methods and tools necessary for strategically preventing and fighting crime and guaranteeing security and public order such as the work carried out in the European Union Crime Prevention Network, public-private partnerships, best practices in crime prevention, comparable statistics, applied criminology and an enhanced approach towards young offenders; 

- to promote and develop coordination, cooperation and mutual understanding among law enforcement agencies, other national authorities and related Union bodies in respect of the priorities identified by the Council in particular as set out by the Europol's Organised Crime Threat Assessment; 

- to promote and develop best practices for the protection and support witnesses; 

- to promote and develop best practices for the protection of crime victims.

European funds for Economic impact of social enterprises

European funds for Economic impact of social enterprises

Deadline: 07/09/2012 
The objective of the activities to be funded by this call for proposals is to contribute to the availability of reliable statistics on social enterprises at national and European levels and to identify countries interested in collecting this information. 


 The aim is to provide policy-makers and relevant stakeholders for credible, comparable and systematic information and indicators on the role of the social enterprises in national economies and to offer usable and practical information to stakeholders for their decision making.


Further information

European funds for tourism

Cooperation projects to create transnational tourism products based on cultural and industrial heritage 

Deadline: 28/09/2012

The final goal of the present call for proposals is to complement regional and national policies by supporting transnational cooperation and joint initiatives aiming at designing innovative transnational products in the fields of cultural and/or industrial tourism, with a view to: 

 1) Contributing to differentiate the European tourism offer by capitalising on and giving value to the shared cultural heritage; 

 2) contributing to economic regeneration and job creation in declining (post) industrial regions through interregional and transnational cooperation projects in the field of tourism.

Further information

EU grant funds in the Transport sector

European funds for reducing Freight Traffic: Marco Polo programme.

Deadline: 21st September 2012

Five main actions:

1) Modal shift actions, which focus on shifting as much freight as economically meaningful under current market conditions from road to short sea shipping, rail or/and inland waterways

2) Catalyst actions: change the way non-road freight transport is conducted in the European Union.

3) Motorways of the sea actions: offering an integrated service, which shifts freight from long road distances to a combination of short sea shipping and other modes of transport

4) Traffic avoidance actions integrate transport into production logistics integrating transport into production logistics: reducing freight transport demand by road with a direct impact on emissions

5) Common learning actions enhance knowledge in the freight transport and logistics sector and foster advanced methods and procedures of co-operation in the freight market, with an overall objective of promoting intermodal solutions aiming at achieving modal shift or traffic avoidance

Detailed newsletter and official documents

European fundings

Call for proposals under the under the Lifelong Learning Programme

The general objective of the call is to promote the implementation of the four strategic objectives of the 'Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020)' (lifelong learning and mobility; quality and efficiency; equity, social cohesion and active citizenship; creativity and innovation) and a set of strategic priorities agreed for 2012-14.

The call is divided into two parts:

  - providing support to national implementation and awareness-raising of the objectives of European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020);

- providing support to implementation of innovative learning environments using information and communications technology.

Transnational cooperation may occur at national, regional or local level. It may cover different types (formal, non-formal, informal) and levels (pre-school, primary, secondary, tertiary, adult, initial and continuing vocational education and training) of learning and may include links to other sectors (e.g. employment and business).

Further information:

DevCamp Call4: Call For Mobility 2012

European fundings: DevCamp Call4 - Call For Mobility 2012

Deadline: 30 June 2012

V-MOVE is an international training programme for heritage professionals and researchers in the field of virtual museums, aiming to enhance the skills and knowledge of digital visualisation and communication technologies, focused on virtual museums.

The V-MOVE innovative and experimental training integrates multi-disciplinary research across social, historical, humanistic and technological sciences. Interested applicants could apply for one mobility program and prepare a specific programme of work, together with the tutor of the hosting institutions.

Read more: http://www.v-must.net/node/380

European funding - Innovative medicines initiative

European funds - Innovative medicines initiative (IMI)

Deadline: 9th July 2012 for expression of interest

The aim of IMI is to propose a coordinated approach to overcome identified research bottlenecks in the drug development process, in order to accelerate the development of safe and more effective medicines for patients, by fostering collaboration between all stakeholders such as industry, public authorities (including regulators), organisations of patients, academia and clinical centres, and enhancing Europe’s competitiveness.

The IMI 6th Call 2012 consists of two topics:

1 : Innovative Trial Design and Clinical drug development

2 : Learning from success and failure and Getting Drugs into Bad Bugs