EuCham is available to enter in and/or form consortia to participate in international tenders throughout Europe. Reliable, with professional staff and worldwide network, EuCham constitutes a valuable partner in any relevant cooperative agreements and partnerships with national and regional governments, universities, regions, research centres, NGOs, cultural, training and education institutions.
The Department stands on 15 years of experience in project management, fulfilling applications and proposals in regional development and grant-awarding, with a successful track record in important international and European funds concerning various areas, from environment protection to youth support.
The EPD, composed by a team of professionals, is specialised in finding and achieving resources made available by private and public bodies on the international level.
Development areas
- regional development
- training
- social affairs, education and employment initiatives
- migration and border fundings
- rural development
- infrastructures
- agriculture
- territorial cooperation (cross-border, transnational and interregional)
- research & development
International and European funds have become crucial to launch a business and develop partnerships. In this particular period, characterised by a shortage of money, access to these financial resources makes the difference between success and failure. Proposals get constantly rejected leaving the available resources untouched. Most of the time the causes are related to the applicant’s lack of preparation in the field of public financing, grants and funds.
Regional development
The term regional development indicates a general effort to reduce regional disparities by supporting economic activities in regions (employment and wealth-generating). These regional disparities can be tackled by means of large-consortia projects able to unlock economic potential and implement social cohesion.
This approach is driven by analysing the past policies, which have failed to reduce regional disparities significantly and help individual lagging regions to catch up, despite the allocation of significant public funding. Partnering with EuCham will ensure you that all the resources will be efficiently employed.
Social affairs, education and employment initiatives
Social inclusion and education can be effectively implemented through projects in order to strengthen cohesion and equality in society. However, these projects have to consider each individual’s need and circumstances. Thus, it requires strong cooperation between all the key stakeholders: public authorities, employment services, career guidance providers, education & training institutions, youth support services, business, employers, trade unions, etc…
Migration and border fundings
Bridging foreign cultures, borders have always been an opportunity for business. However, in order to avoid transforming them in barriers, they require efficient controls (border checks, as well as surveillance) to facilitate legitimate travel, while tackling irregular border crossings and visa fraud.
The investments required to achieve these results can be very large and specific funds like the External Borders Fund (EBF) have been established to provide a concrete financial support.
Rural development
Traditionally, rural regions have been supported by subsidies. Nevertheless, this kind of economic support has been scarcely effective in improving life-conditions and development in rural areas. Several countries are therefore shifting their approach to a focus on places rather than sectors. New and more effective strategies. However, promoting rural development poses numerous regulations and governance challenges: coordination across sectors, across levels of government, and between public and private actors. EuCham represents an ideal partner to any consortia operating in this field.
Research & development
Many of the major international funds available focus on research and development, which is a key factor for economic competitiveness. Through cooperation among universities, laboratories, research centres, the staff and resources available increase as much as the achievable results.
Cooperation between research institutions and businesses is extremely effective, providing with the former with funds and resources and the latter with an increased economic competitiveness.
Territorial cooperation
The modern day challenges are not contained by borders and solutions to those require working across borders. In this respect, territorial cooperation stands out as a key tool in efficiently addressing common challenges.
Territorial cooperation helps better address similar threats as well as promote more balanced development. Furthermore, joining forces also contributes to fostering integration and inclusion as well as avoiding duplication of efforts and resources.
Infrastructures
Investments in infrastructures represent a traditional way to improve local economies, involving substantial financings. Furthermore, these constructions result in job opportunities in the short-mid term and improvements in attractiveness for further investments and economic activities in the long term.
Agriculture
Agriculture is a strategic economic sector which affects both territory and local communities directly. Thus considerable resources and several funds are available: to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of farming and forestry; to protect the environment and the countryside; to improve the quality of life; to diversify the rural economy; to support locally-based approaches to rural development etc…
Services
Partnerships building
A good partnership makes the difference between success and fail. Well-developed relationships result in far more successful applications, better quality feasibility studies and business plans. However finding a suitable partner is an obstacle, which is even more daunting when the call is open only to international consortia.
The EPD represents an excellent partner. Empowered by the EuCham worldwide network, the Department can individuate for you a list of eligible partners based on skills, competence, experience, business, extend list.
Fund selection
New calls for proposal are published every day and they can cover many different areas: from research and innovation to job opportunities for the younger generations. Furthermore, grant-makers can be pursuing specific goals. For this reason the field of public and private financings can be very confusing for fundraisers.
The EPD, with its expertises, will help you individuate the funds more appropriately to your business or project, as well as the calls from which you can benefit.
Assistance with project implementation and accounting
Some calls put high demand on project leaders and coordinators. Among their tasks, financial management is crucial for the proposal success, as each call involves specific financial rules. Inflexible reporting, precise documentation, concrete deadlines and eligibility rules are also among the requirements. One of the main challenges is managing a correct financial accounting. Most funds are blocked and/or must be returned to the grant-maker, if the financial accounting rules have been breached.
This Department can assist you through the whole project and help you absolve all these tasks in order to avoid such eventualities.
Assistance with project planning
A successful project must be supported by a consistent feasibility study and a detailed business plan, all tasks hard to fulfill and require a specific training. Partnering with EuCham gives you access to a team of experts that can help you develop your project with benchmarking, market researches, financial consulting, feasibility studies, developing and implementing business plans.
Furthermore, thanks to its recognised know-how will assist you in writing a correct application and a convincing project which will be eligible to get the fundings.
Training
The Department offers specific courses in project management and public funding. This way companies can shape their own experts in European project management and grant awarding. The lectures are held by an experienced staff and every participant will be provided with the necessary learning materials. Moreover, practice has been given an important role in the lessons, in order to build real and independent professionals in this field, able to start and run a project on their own.
Table of some funding opportunities available
| Funding Opportunity | Field | Allocations |
| European Social Fund | Supporting jobs, helping people get better jobs and ensuring fairer job opportunities for all EU citizens. It is implemented by national agencies one per each country. | 2015: 10 billion EUR |
| 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. | 2015: 650 million EUR |
| Global Innovation Fund Grants | To propose innovative, cost-effective solutions that address any major development challenge in any country (or in multiple countries) in the developing world. | 2015: 13.84 million EUR |
| Youth Guarantee | Youth unemployment | 2015: 21 billion EUR |
| Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) | Promote the efficient management of migration flows and the implementation, strengthening and development of a common Union approach to asylum and immigration. | 2014 – 20: 3.137 billion EUR |
| Life | Supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the EU. | 2014 – 2020: 3.4 billion EUR |
| Commonwealth Foundation grants | Funding sustainable development projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation. | 2015: 30,000 GBP |
| AGFUND International Prize for Human Development | Awarded every year with the aim of inciting and encouraging innovation and creativity in the areas of human development. | 2015: 500,000 USD |
| Catalytic Fund Grants 2015 for Urban Development | It is a Cities Alliance funding instrument which provides grant support for innovative projects that strengthen and promote the role of cities in poverty reduction and in sustainable urban development. | 2015: 50,000 – 200,000 USD |
| Common Fund for Commodities | Supporting implementation of innovative interventions that target new opportunities in commodity markets leading to commodity based growth, employment generation, increase in household incomes, reduction in poverty, and enhancement of food security. | 2015: 60,000 – 1,500,000 USD |
| USAID Development Innovation Ventures | Topen to NGOs around the world to apply and get support for project ideas that provide breakthrough solutions to development challenges around the world. It accepts project ideas on innovative solutions to problems related to development. | 2015: 20 billion USD |
EuCham Nonprofit Ltd
PIC number 925239157
Contact the responsibles for the Project Department
Mr Vasiliy Kolebanov – projects@eucham.eu
Mr Marco Cagnolati – projects@eucham.eu
Past responsible: Ms Serena Scorza – Project Partnership Manager
Advisory Board
Mr Toon Otten, Mr Alessandro Farina, Mr Patrik Kovács