Presentation by Andrea Natalini at SIC! Roma 2015 Sunday, 27th September 2015 at via della Cecchina, Roma

1. SIC! Roma
Social Innovators Connected
Basics on EU project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini – PRO4GEO
www.pro4geo.com

2. EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 2014-2020
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing

3. EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 2014-2020
Where to find information?
What kind of projects can be funded by the EC?
Where does the money come from?
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

4. EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 2014-2020
Where to find information?
Basics on EU funding:
http://europa.eu/about-eu/funding-grants/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/funding/index_en (by kind
of organisation)
http://ec.europa.eu/contracts_grants/grants_en.htm
(by topics)
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

5. • Erasmus Plus: education, training, youth and
sports
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus_en
• Europe for Citizens: active EU citizenship
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/europe-for-citizens_en
• Creative Europe: support the European
audiovisual, cultural and creative sector
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/creative-europe_en
• EU Aid Volunteers: humanitarian projects
worldwide
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/eu-aid-volunteers_en
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

6. EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 2014-2020
What kind of projects can be funded by the EC?
Remember that the European Commission makes
direct financial contributions in the form of grants in
support of projects or organisations which further
the interests of the EU or contribute to the
implementation of an EU programme or policy.
Interested parties can apply by responding to calls
for proposals.
 Always keep in mind the political framework!!!
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

7. EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 2014-2020
What kind of projects can be funded by the EC?
EU POLICIES
STRATEGY (EU 2020)
EU FUNDING PROGRAMMES
PROJECTS
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

8. EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 2014-2020
What kind of projects can be funded by the EC?
The European Commission is not a beneficial entity,
but a political one!!!
 To have chances to get funded, your projects
must contribute to the EU2020 strategy:
http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-a-
nutshell/priorities/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-a-
nutshell/targets/index_en.htm
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

9. EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 2014-2020
Where does the money come from?
EU BUDGET 2014-2020: € 1 082 555 M
For further information have a look at this link with
interactive graphics…
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/mff/index_en.cfm
…and remember that the money is not falling from
the sky!
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

10. What is common between this conference,
my friend Johanna’s wedding and the
Coliseum?
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

11. What is common between this conference,
my friend Johanna’s wedding and the
Coliseum?
All three of them are the product of
a project!!!
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

12. What is a project?
A project is a work effort made over a finite
period of time with a start and a finish to
create a unique product, service or result.
(Project Management Institution)
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

13. What is a project?
A set of actions (activities) leading to a
specific purpose (specific objective) within a
given time and resources
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

14. Why do we need this project?
Why should somebody else be interested in funding
our project?
For whom is the project beneficial?
Do we have the necessary competences and
financial capacity to manage and implement the
project?
Is the project innovative?
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

15. ERASMUS+ 2014-2020
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com
The EU programme for Education, Training, Youth and
Sports
2014-2020

16. ERASMUS+ 2014-2020
• KA1 – Learning mobility of individuals
• KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and
exchange of good practices
• KA3 – Support for policy reforms
• Total budget: € 14.774 billion
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

17. KA1 – Learning mobility of individuals
ACTIONS SUPPORTED:
• Mobility projects in the field of education,
training and youth
• Large scale European Voluntary Service events
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees
• Erasmus+ Master Loans
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

18. KA2 - Cooperation for innovation and
exchange of good practices
ACTIONS SUPPORTED:
• Strategic partnership in the field of education,
training and youth
• Knowledge Alliances
• Sector Skills Alliances
• Capacity Building in the field of youth
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

19. Strategic partnership: what is it?
A Strategic Partnership aims to support the development,
transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices as
well as the implementation of joint initiatives promoting
cooperation, peer learning and exchanges of experience at
European level.
It offers the opportunity to organizations active in the field of
education, training and youth to cooperate in order to
implement innovative practices leading to high quality
teaching, training, learning and youth work, institutional
modernization and societal innovation.
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

20. Strategic partnership: what kind of activities are
supported?
• Exchanges of good practices
• Implementation and promotion of innovative practices and teaching
methodologies
• Activities facilitating the recognition of skills
• Cooperation between regional authorities to promote the
development and enhancement of education
• Activities encouraging active citizenship and entrepreneurship
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

21. Capacity Building in the field of youth: what is
it?
Transnational cooperation projects based on
multilateral partnerships between organisations
active in the field of youth in Programme and
Partner Countries.
They can involve organisations from the fields of
education and training, as well as from other socio-
economic sectors.
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

22. Capacity Building in the field of youth: what
kind of activities are supported?
• Activities encouraging policy dialogue, cooperation, networking and
exchanges of practices in the field of youth, such as conferences,
workshops and meetings
• Large scale youth events (maximum duration 2 days)
• Information and awareness campaigns
• Development of information, communication and media tools
• Development of youth work methods, tools and materials, as well as
youth work curricula, training modules and documentation
instruments such as Youthpass;
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

23. Some tips for an effective project planning
1. Identify a project idea that is beneficial to your organization 
PROJECT PURPOSE
2. Research on what have been done to avoid reinventing the wheel!
3. Identify potential funding opportunities and study all the key
documents: call for grants, guide for applicants, work programme,
annual priorities, success award criteria
4. Make sure that your project idea can be adapted to the programme
objectives/priorities
5. Discuss your project idea  Get networked!!!
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

24. Some tips for an effective project planning
7. Write a Project Proposal Outline (PPO): 2-3 pages to fine-tune your
project idea, attract competent partners and obtain letters of support
by stakeholders
8. Find suitable and competent partners for your project
9. Start writing the proposal only when the project structure is well
defined
10. Make sure that what you write is clearly and easily understandable
by externals
11. Final check, submit and relax!
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

25. Formulate SMART objectives
• SPECIFIC  precise and clear about what is to be
achieved
• MEASURABLE  verifiable either quantitatively or
qualitatively
• ACHIEVABLE  possible to be accomplished with
reasonable effort from the consortium member
• RELEVANT  to the target group and in relation to the
programme priorities
• TIMELY  a deadline has been defined for the objective
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com

26. ….ready to start planning???
SIC! Roma
Basics on project planning and writing
Andrea Natalini
www.pro4geo.com