European Resource Procurement - European Funding

Summary

European Union funding for businesses and communities comes from a range of different programmes, the Objective One structural funds, being the most familiar The Objective One programme has now closed for new applications, although money can continue to be spent until December 2008.

South Yorkshire has been awarded futher structural funds which will form a transitional programme from 2007 to 2013.  There will be two plans, a national plan for the European Social Fund (ESF) skills and education funding; and a regional plan for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which supports economic development and business investment.  Both plans are currently being developed and negotiated. 

There is also a wide range of grants to pursue specific policies.  Examples of other programmes are Lifelong Learning which supports education and training; PROGRESS which supports social integration; and LIFE which funds environmental protection. These are detailed further in the section below.
There are also opportunities for businesses to compete for European Union contracts. All official EU information can be found on the European Union website and the Official Journal of the European Union.

EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL FUNDS

South Yorkshire has funds ring-fenced from the national ESF and regional ERDF plans, the total amount for South Yorkshire is anticipated to be £412 million.  The management arrangements will be different from the current programme. ERDF funding will be managed through a regional programme and ESF will be managed through a national programme.

The new programme for structural funds covering the period 2007 – 2013 has now been launched.  

ERDF will be managed as a regional programme and ERDF programme can be found at the following address on Yorkshire forward’s website:

http://www.yorkshire-forward.com/asset_store/document/erdf_programme_yorkshire_and_the_humber_2007_-_13_13296.pdf

The “Priority Prospectus”, the document which defines the activity to be supported, will be launched on March 8^th,

ESF is a national programme, but influenced through regional frameworks.  The funds will be entirely co-financed by Jobcentre Plus and the Learning and Skills Council.  General information on the programme can be found at http://www.esf.gov.uk/.

The first round of tenders have been launched and the responses are currently being appraised by the two bodies.  A smaller round of tenders will be launched by the LSC later in the spring and details will appear on their procurement website.  Organisations interested in delivering this work should complete the Pre Qualification Questionnaire currently on the LSC’s website.

Jobcentre Plus website address http://www.dwp.gov.uk/supplyingdwp/what_we_buy/european_social_fund.asp

LSC website address https://lsc.bravosolution.com/web/login.shtml

GRANTS TO PURSUE COMMON POLICIES

The EU also offers many other grants to support activities in line with its policies. These grants are accessed through bidding rounds, which are opened for one or more periods each year. To find out what is available at any time look in the EU's Official Journal or the Europa website.
Examples of the kinds of grants the EU offers include:-

For businesses, one of the most interesting is support for research and development (called the 7th Framework Programme FP7).  This funding supports the development of new products and services and builds research capacity across Europe. 
Organisations, especially small  and medium sized businesses, can be supported by the new Competition and Innovation Programme (CIP)
Social Inclusion work can be supported through a new fund called PROGRESS.
The European Union also has a wide ranging programme of funding in the field of Information Society Technologies. The e-Europe website and The Information Society''s Portal both contain useful information on grants. insert links
The European Union supports Education and Learning at all ages.  Further information can be obtained from the Socrates website or telephone 0161 957 7755

Other programmes support young people, citizens, cultural development, the audio-visual industry, environmental protection and sustainable use of energy and resources.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS

In addition to grants the European Union has a variety of work programmes for which it publishes tenders. In addition to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEC), tender information is now published on the TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) website. Click on the link on the right for more information.

 

Eligibility

 

Funding from the current Objective One programme can be accessed for indiviudals and SMEs through current projects only. 

 

Procedure

Approach the intermediary dealing with the type of funding you required, as detailed below

 

 

Business enterprise and investment:

 

• Businesses with under 250 employees should contact
• For investment funding: Business Link: tel: 0800 073 7474
  and / or South Yorkshire Investment Fund, tel: 01709 386377
• For skills funding managers: tel: 0845 230 20 20
• Skills for Rural Businesses: South Yorkshire Rural Skills project at Lantra, tel: 01924 256788

 

Development and Infrastructure

 

• Businesses large or small looking to invest in Barnsley should contact the Barnsley Development Agency at telephone 01226 785541

 

People Communities and Skills

 

For tenders and lists of currently supported projects

• Post 16 and community learning: SYLSC
• Skills for unemployed people the Jobcentre

For support and jobs if you are not in paid work

• ILM team at Barnsley Development Agency

For opportunities to learn near where you live

• Neighbourhood Learning Net

To find out about e-learning in schools, colleges, community settings and small businesses

• South Yorkshire e-Learning Programme

Support for communities

• Local Community Partnership telephone Lynn Kelly on 01226 773826 or look for more information on Community Partnerships on the Council's website.
• To develop a Social Enterprise: contact the CERT team at Barnsley Development Agency.

 

 

Helplines

 

For further information contact the Council by emailing us at the following address: europeanteam@barnsley.gov.uk

You can call or fax us on the following numbers.

Telephone: 01226 773048
Fax: 01226 294026

The external contact for information is the Objective 1 Directorate telephone number 01709 763600.

 

Charges/Fees

 

You can find a guide to potential sources of match funding on the website fo the Department of Trade and Industry.

All EU structural funds require match funding. This is a contribution from public and/or private sources and rates of match funding vary. Some projects have already incorporated the match funding required and can offer free services to individuals or businesses. Others may require a contribution to costs from the business.

 

Method of payments available

Not applicable.

Opening times/Locations

Not applicable.

How the customer can help

Not applicable.

Application form references

Not applicable.

Leaflets

The Objective 1 Directorate publishes a newsletter and individual projects may publish leaflets or newsletters.

Distribution points

Direct from Objective 1 Directorate or project sponsors.

Legislation

 

The EU's State Aid rules govern what financial help the public sector can give to businesses and (in some cases) voluntary and community groups. They do this to try to ensure fair competition across the EU.

The State Aid rules may limit how much of any activity can be funded by public grants (or tax relief), whether from Europe, the UK Government, government agencies or local government.

For more information on state aid rules the DTI, Department for Communities and Local Government and Yorkshire Forward websites all contain further details.

 

Response times/Next steps

 

Not applicable.

 

Out of hours procedure

 

Not applicable.

 

Contact details

 

europeanteam@barnsley.gov.uk

Telephone: 01226 773110

Fax: 01226 773305

European and Regional Strategy Team
Chief Executive's Department
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Town Hall
Barnsley
S70 2TA

 

Related Links:

 

• Objective 1 website
• European Union website
• OJEC
• Seventh Research Framework Programme
• Towards FP7
• e-Europe website
• Information Societies Portal
• Socrates website
• TED
• Business Link
• South Yorkshire Investment Fund
• A4E
• South Yorkshire Rural Skills
• Barnsley Development Agency
• LSC
• Jobcentre+
• Neighbourhood Learning Net
• e-SY.info
• Community Partnerships
• DTI Match funding
• DTI State Aid
• Department for Communities and Local Governement
• Yorkshire Forward
• Lifelong Learning Funding Discussion Forum 
• New Administration Systems - IT NASIT
  

Last modified on 16/9/2008