FAQS
OBJECTIVE 2 FAQS FAQs on the Objective 2 Programme Bidding Round
Q: When was the Objective 2 Programme launched? A: The Single Programming Document (SPD) was agreed by the European Commission on 7 March 2001. The Programme was officially launched on 21 March 2001. The SPD lays down the detailed regulations for the entire Objective 2 Programme. Q: What is the bidding process? A: All bids for Objective 2 funding must be submitted through the four Area Partnerships. Expressions of Interest are the first stage of the bidding process. These are used by each Area Partnership to select those projects which should then be invited to develop a full ESF or ERDF bid. Q: What happens once the Expressions of Interests are submitted? A: The Expressions of Interest will be used to develop a strategic package of bids which meet the priorities set out in local strategies and those defined in the SPD. Selected projects will then be invited to develop full ESF or ERDF bids. Q: How are Expressions of Interest to be assessed and who will be involved? A: Each borough /Area Partnership will decide how they will do this. You should ask your borough/Area Partnership contact for this information Q: Is it possible, under ERDF, to match capital with revenue funds? A:
As a general rule, no; capital can only be matched with capital, and revenue with revenue. In certain circumstances mixing the two funding streams may be possible, but seek specific guidance from GOL on this. Q: Can "income" be used as match funding? A: Reasonable levels of income can be allowed as part of the funding package, but the applicant organisation must underwrite any shortfall. Please note that the grant will reduce if income is declared after the project is approved. Q: Can I use ESF Objective 3 Co-financing money as match funding for a bid under ESF Objective 2? A: No. You cannot match any European funding with other European funding. Q: How many years funding is there available? A: Projects must spend all their funding by 31 December 2006. OBJECTIVE 3 ESF FAQS
Q: Can any organisation apply for ESF funding? Organisations must be legally constituted with separate bank account. In reality, organisations that do not have a track record in the delivery of training or learning services for ESF target groups are unlikely to be funded. Q: Can I bid to more than one CFO at a time to fund the same project? Yes, but you will usually be asked to declare this on your application form. Also, moderation panels that are responsible for final project approvals will cross reference applications against all CFO rounds to ensure that there is not duplication or double funding of projects. Q: Can a beneficiary from a previous project become a beneficiary of a new ESF co-financed project? Yes, but there should be clear progression provided for the beneficiary on their new programme. However, be aware that no beneficiary can benefit continuously from ESF support for more than three years. Q: Should our organisation be aiming for the lowest unit cost to compete with other providers successfully? All projects will have to prove that they can efficiently and effectively deliver the project they are applying for. Quality of provision is also essential and it would normally be expected that projects making costly, significant and diverse interventions will cost more, and therefore have a high or higher unit cost. Q: When should we plan for ESF delivery when we are not sure what will be the funding or target priorities? The answer is now! Voluntary and community sector organisations will have a clear remit or mandate to provide particular services to their potential beneficiaries. You should be forward planning against your own priorities and then seeking appropriate funding to realise them. Q: We were 5 minutes late in getting our application in. Do we have No. The rules are very strict in this case and provide an even playing field for all applicants. Q: If we are unsuccessful with our bid, should we seek feedback from the funder? Certainly – feedback about your bid is essential if you are going to improve future applications. Remember; please use LVSTC to give you guidance and advice on the suitability and quality of your bid before you forward it to the funder. Q: Will ESF fund capital costs in a project? ESF is primarily a revenue programme and will not fund large sums required for capital needs. The current restriction is that no purchase on capital goods to support a project should be more than £1,000 per item. Q: Trainees will have to travel regularly to and from their work placements which are all over London. Can I fund this in my ESF project? Yes – indeed it is encouraged to provide direct support in this way to ensure beneficiary retention. When you are planning your project, you should carefully consider what direct beneficiary support costs could accrue such as crèche or nursery provision, special needs support and learner’s support. Q: Will we need match funding to deliver a co-financed project? NO – CFOs should fund 100% of your project and you need to describe and include all the costs associated with the successful delivery of your project. If the project is already being part funded or the capital needs are being supported from another fund, you should declare it on the application form. Q: Is it necessary for the Lead organisation to be a delivery partner in a partnership bid? NO! However, some CFO’s [such as Jobcentreplus] do specify that lead organisations MUST be a deliverer in any partnership project that is funded through them. Q: If we over- deliver on our contracted profile, will we get paid for the extra outcomes or we have to turn beneficiaries away when it looks like we will over achieve on outcomes?
Providers only get paid on contracted agreed profiles for outputs/ outcomes. This can however be re-negotiated and the decision is solely up to the funder through their Contracts Manager. Q:What if our track record is not in delivering the exact same service or activities as specified in prospectuses? Can we still apply to deliver the project?
Yes, providers can apply but consider the fact that you will be competing with other providers who are experienced and have a good track record in providing the activities and services specified. Q: Can other delivery partners be brought in later if a partner is not able to meet their obligations within a partnership? Normally, NO! But providers must inform the funder of such a significant change. In which case, an agreement (which may involve additional partners) may be reached that will be mutually beneficial to both parties. Q: Should a solicitor [ prior to submission of bids or project start date] ratify the Memorandum of Understanding between partners? It is not required at the moment but it is worthwhile to get legal advice to ensure comprehensive and robust systems are in place for the benefit of all partners. Q: Are the legal costs associated with partnership agreements for bids claimable? At present, legal costs are not claimable if they are incurred prior to the project start date. Q: Is an informal or draft agreement between partners sufficient for submission of bids which can then be formalised/ legalised once a project is approved? Yes. Q: Are asylum seekers eligible for ESF funding? Asylum seekers are eligible if they have permission to work, have Exceptional Leave to Remain and are also funded under pillar 5 in the EQUAL 11 programme. Under the latest guidance, asylum seekers can receive information and /or advice or training that does not lead to employment directly. Q: Can a provider be the Lead partner in one bid and be one of the partners in another or multiple bids during the same period? Yes but bear in mind there is cross- referencing by all the funders to ensure there is no double funding of activities or projects.
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