Syndicate: European Cultural Foundation - Grants Policy

[Andreas Broeckmann <abroeck@v2.nl>]

from: http://home.pi.net/~ecsinfo/GRANTS.HTM


European Cultural Foundation


Grants Policy: Guidelines for Applicants

The European Cultural Foundation is an independent organization that
promotes cultural and educational activities and research of a
multinational nature and a European character.

To achieve this aim, the ECF develops its owns projects and supports
external projects through its grants programme. The ECF awards
approximately ECU 1,500,000 per year in grants.


Priorities within the ECF grants programme

General geographic priority is given to projects involving cooperation with
and within:
* the Mediterranean area;
* Central and Eastern Europe.

General thematic priority is given to projects dealing with issues in the
field of cultural pluralism (see the ECF's Profile for intersections).


Criteria for applicants to the ECF grants programme

* Applicants must be non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations
* Grants proposals must show proof of cooperation between several partners
in different European countries
* Grants are non-renewable and cover a maximum of 50 per cent of the total
project cost
* Amounts usually vary between ECU 2,500 and ECU 25,000, with exceptional
grants exceeding these amounts
* Project proposals which address topical European issues, are of an
innovative nature and have possible spin-off effects will receive
particular attention.

Grants will not be awarded for:
* Projects, research, study or travel costs of an individual nature
* Performances, exhibitions, tours, audio-visual productions and commercial
publications
* Institutional costs including maintenance grants, capital endowments,
payments to budgetary deficits, general appeals to funds, running costs of
an organization
* Projects in the field of health, medicine, pure or applied science
* School or student exchange programmes
* Recurring academic events and academic projects of a highly specialized
nature
* Meetings of a general and/or wider international nature
* Projects which have already been completed or begun before the time when
the Executive Committee of the European Cultural Foundation is due to
consider them
* Projects that have been rejected during a previous round of applications


How to apply for a grant

Applicants should send a project proposal to the Grants Department at the
head office of the European Cultural Foundation in Amsterdam. The project
proposal should contain:
* a short description of the organization (legal status; aims; previous
achievements; agenda for the coming year)
* an outline of the proposed programme (background; themes to be addressed;
anticipated audience; expected results; time schedule, etc.)
* a budget detailing both income and expenditure
* the names, addresses, phone and fax numbers of partner organizations

Within four to six weeks of receipt, the Grants Department will review
whether a project proposal meets the ECF grants criteria and whether a
proposal falls within the Foundation's general priorities.

If a project proposal is considered to fall within the criteria and
priorities by the Grants Department, the applicant will receive a set of
official ECF application forms.

Final decisions concerning the allocation of grants are taken by the
Executive Committee of the Foundation, which meets three times per year for
the allocation of grants. The deliberations of the Committee are
confidential and the Foundation is not required to justify its decisions.
In the event that the recipient of a grant wishes to
use the grant for a project other than the one approved by the Executive
Committee, a new application must be submitted to the Grants Department.


Deadlines for grant requests

Each calendar year has three deadlines, related to the meetings of the
Foundation's Executive Committee. Projects received after the ultimate
deadline will not be considered.

Applicants are welcome to send in their project proposals one round before
the ultimate deadline (e.g. projects to be implemented in August may be
sent in before 15 January).

15 January for projects to be implemented between May and July
15 March for projects to be implemented between August and December
15 September for projects to be implemented between January and April of
the following year

Applicants are recommended to send in their project proposals well ahead of
the deadlines.

While the final decision on a proposal is taken during the meeting of the
Executive Committee, the Foundation's Grants Department reviews on a
continuous basis whether a proposal meets the Foundation's criteria and
priorities.


For further information please contact:
Veronie Willemars,
Grants Officer

European Cultural Foundation
Jan van Goyenkade 5
1075 HN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel.+31.20.6760222
fax.+31.20.6752231
ecsinfo@pi.net