EUROPEAN FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

At this page, you get an overview on potential funding opportunities in the ICT sector. For more details,please contact Margaretha Mazura (+32 2 2190305). The EMF Newsletter provides regular information on open calls. If you do not yet receive it, please subscribe to it FOR FREE

General EU webpage for EU Grants in all sectors: http://ec.europa.eu/grants/index_en.htm

FRAMEWORK PROGRAMMES:
Framework programmes are the R&D funding programmes of the EU. On the basis of co-financing, the EU tries to dedicate 3% of its GDP for the 7th FP from 2007-2013. ICT - Information and Communications Technologies are one of the priorities. Call 3 has been closed on 8 April 2008. Call 4 is expected late 2008/beginning 2009.
FP7 information portal.

Competitive and Innovation Framework Programme - CIP
NEW call for ICT PSP: A new call is open, with deadline 9 September 2008. Althoug considered as tool for SMEs (in continuation of eTEN, eContent etc.), it has its focus - yet again - on publi sector institutions. The focuses of the new call are:
- ICT for user-friendly administration, public services and inclusion
- ICT for energy-efficiency and sustainability in urban areas
It is not fully clear why these topics that are covered by eContent + and the below Intelligent Energy Europe Programme respectively, need to be covered by this programme as well.
More information...
CIP unites new with already existing funding inititatives, as a response to the Lisbon goals. The three pillars of CIP are:
- The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme geared at SMEs to improve European competitiveness; draft budget: 2.6 BEURO
- The ICT Policy Support Programme which will continue efforts started as eTEN, eContent etc. Draft budget: 800 MEURO
- The Intelligent Energy Europea Programme for new and renewable energy. Draft budget: 78 MEURO.
The first call ended in September 2007 and we will see what the results are. No call for 2008 foreseen. More info can be found at the DG Enterprise website.

eContent Plus:
The call for proposals 2008 has been published on 20 March, with deadline on 12 June 2008. Proposal submisison documents, work programme and call text are available at the eContent Plus website.
eContent Plus foresees 3 sets of measures:
- Facilitating access to, use and exploitation of digital content
- Improving quality and facilitating best practice for digital content
- Reinforcing co-operation and awareness
Priority areas are: geographical, educational, and cultural/scientific and scholarly content.
The instruments foreContentPlus projects:
Targeted projects correspond to the usual 50% funded projects (comparable to STREPS in the IST programme), with an average duration of 1.5 to 2 years, funding of 1-3 MEURO and country coverage of 5-10. The latter does not necessarily correspond to partners, as one partner could be sufficient if it can convincingly state its European coverage;
CEPs are Content Enrichment Projects that are funded up to 80% (no indirect costs fundable), with an average duration of 2 to 2.5 years, 3-5 MEURO funding and, again, 5-10 countries coverage. NO CEPS foreseen for Call 2006!; and finally
Thematic Networks that cover 100% of the co-ordination costs and the travel/subsistence costs of partners (no indirect costs fundable), with a duration up to 3 years, 0.4 to 1 MEURO contribution and 8-15 countries covered.
Former "accompanying measures" at a 100% funding do not exist any more. These will be called for by tenders.

SIP Safer Internet plus: A call has been published on 12 March 2008, with the deadline on 28 May 2008. Call info, project submission documents and work programme, can be found here.
The SIP call is based on four actions:
a) fighting against illegal content
b) tackling unwanted and harmful content
c) promoting a safer environment
d) awareness raising (including consumer and data protection and network security issues like viruses and spam).
Instruments available:
Targeted projects, Thematic Networks (both treated like in eContentPlus) and Integrated Networks. The latter refer to Hotline nodes (action a) and awareness nodes (action d) and are funded at 50%. Co-ordinating nodes of these are funded at 80% due to their European nature.
Former "accompanying measures" at a 100% funding do not exist any more. These will be called for by tenders.
Further information: Safer Internet Plus website

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES:
New Lifelong Learning: Next call expected in autumn 2008 for projects in 2009.
Educational programmes were put together as Lifelong Learning programmes. Programmes include LEONARDO for vocational training, GRUNTVIG for adult education, as well as TRANSVERSAL actions (language, ICT, awareness raising) that must cover at least two of the LLP programmes. Multilateral projects are supposed to last max. 2 years, networks 3 years and accompanying measures 1 year. The financing is 75% maximum, with an overall maximum between 150.000 and 250.000 EURO per year, depending on the action.
A shortlist of proposals selected in the first call ban be found here.
News on LLP-Lifelong Learning can be found at the LLP website.

CULTURAL PROGRAMMES:
Please note: one of the eContentPlus priorities is Cultural Content, one of the ICT programme is challenge 4, digital libraries that deal with cultural content.
Culture 2007-2013: NEW SCHEME - SIMPLIFICATION!
The next call for projects starting in 2009 is published no (June 08), with a deadline on 1 October 2008.
The programme has be refurbished and simplified!This concerns the application form (reduced to 14-17 pages) as well as the financial tables (4 instead of 18). Another important feature is the fact that until 2013, all call deadlines will be the same: 1 October for collaboration measures and projects, 1 November for operational grants, and 1 May for projects geared at third countries; 1 February for translations.
Instruments available: There are so-called co-operation measures (strand 1.2.1) that last 1-2 years, with a maximum funding of 50-200.000 EUR and min. 3 partners from 3 countries; and co-operation projects (strand 1.1) with min. 6 partners from 6 countries over a period of 3-5 years, with a maximum funding of 200-500.000 poer year. All funding is 50% of total cost max.
BUDGET 2009: 45 MEUR: approx. 100 collaboration measures, 12 multi-annual projects, 7 projects with third countries. Success rate 2007 approx. 25%. More info...

Media 2007:
The European Commission proposed a programme in the audiovisual field until 2013, scheduling 1000 MEURO for the overall period. A deadline for support to films and financing is 8 July 2008
- Single projects (for production companies): development of drama, animation or creative documentary; max 50 KEURO

FUNDING PROGRAMMES WITH THIRD COUNTRIES:
Please note that Call 3 of the FP7/ICT has a strain geared at International co-operation.
Switch-Asia: The former Asia Invest programme underwent a total refurbishment. The new programme is called Switch Asia and focuses on sustainable consumption and production. Sustainable production projects can last between 24 - 48 months, with a grant of 1- 2.5 MEURO (80% of total costs; 90% in case of least developed countries). Sustainable consumption projects last between 24-36 months, with a grant budget of 0.5-1 MEURO. Only non-profit organisations can apply. At least one partner from an EU and 1 partner from an Asian country. Guidelines and application forms can be found at: EuropeAid,
Central Asia Invest Programme 2007/8: This programme is geared at the countries of Central Asia, i.e. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The overall objective is to promote the sustainable economic development of the private sector and os SMEs. Project duration: 12-24 months; 200-500 KEURO grant (max. 85% of total eligible costs); min. 1 partner from EU, 1 partner from Central Asian country.
Pro-Invest: This programme is geared to foster economic collaboration with ACP-Africa,Carribbean, Pacific countries. Funding schemes exist for intermediary organisations as well as companies. Visit the Pro-Invest website for further information, or contact Margaretha Mazura (+32 2 2190305).

EUREKA:
EUREKA is the initiative of European States to use national funding sources for projects involving at least 2 partners from 2 different countries. EUREKA answered to the European Commissions Green Paper on the ERA and asked for more involvement of industry in the EU-funded Joint Technilogy initiatives through the existing EUREKA clusters. For full EUREKA position, click here.
Eurostar programme of EUREKA: NEW
This programme is geared at SMEs with a minimum of 10% of its activities or annual turnover dedicated to research. It combines EU funding with the easier submission scheme of EUREKA. Proposals can be submitted continuousely, with two deadlines per year. The next deadline is 21 November 2008.
More information on Eurostars. Support for project submission: Margaretha Mazura (+32 2 2190305)

At the EUREKA meeting in Maastricht in June 2005, the eConTec umbrella was approved. It is geared at technologies that foster the creation, aggregation and distribution of digital content. UMbrellas try to create a critical mass of projects in a spoecific field and SUPPORT POTENTIAL PROJECTS TO FIND PARTNERS AND FUNDING! For more info, Margaretha Mazura (+32 2 2190305) or check out the Umbrella's website.

Last up-date: 25/06/2008