EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT TIPS

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE EUROPE FOR CITIZENS PROGRAMME
Under the overall aim of bringing the Union closer to citizens the general objectives of the Programme are:
- to contribute to citizens' understanding of the Union, its history and diversity;
- to foster European citizenship and to improve conditions for civic and democratic participation at Union level.

Measure Town Twinning
This measure aims at supporting projects bringing together a wide range of partner towns in a town twinning event around topics in line with the objectives of the Programme and taking into
consideration the multi-annual priorities. Town twinning projects must organise project activities within 21 days (maximum duration of the project).
By mobilising citizens at local and Union levels to debate on concrete issues from the European political agenda, this measure will seek to promote civic participation in the Union policy making
process and develop opportunities for societal engagement and volunteering at Union level.
Twinning must be understood lato sensu, thus referring to the municipalities which signed or are engaged to sign twinning agreements as well as to the municipalities having other forms of
partnerships fostering their cooperation and cultural links.
Maximum grant
The maximum grant for a Town Twinning project is EUR 25 000.

The call for proposal is open under the Strand 2: Democratic engagement and civic participation: Encourage democratic and civic participation of citizens at Union level. 

The call objectives is to supporting projects promoted by transnational partnerships and networks directly involving citizens. Those projects gather citizens from different horizons, in activities directly linked to Union policies, with a view to give them an opportunity to actively participate in the Union policymaking process in areas related to the objectives of the Programme. 

Maximum eligible grant for a Civil Society Project is: EUR 150 000.

This Strand will support activities that invite to reflection on European cultural diversity and on common values in the broadest sense. In this context, it aims to finance projects reflecting on causes and consequences of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes in Europe's modern history (especially but not exclusively Nazism that led to the Holocaust, Fascism, Stalinism and totalitarian communist regimes) and to commemorate the victims of their crimes.
The Strand also encompasses activities concerning other defining moments and reference points in recent European history. In particular, it will give preference to actions which encourage tolerance, mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue and reconciliation as a means of moving beyond the past and building the future, in particular with a view to reaching the younger generation.
Moreover, projects should be implemented on a transnational level (creation and operation of transnational partnerships and networks) or with a clear European dimension.

Number of Partners: A project must involve organisations from at least one Member State.
Preference is given to transnational projects.

Maximum grant for a Remembrance project is EUR 100 000.

Deadline: 01/03/18

Measure Civil Society Projects
This measure aims at supporting projects promoted by transnational partnerships and networks directly involving citizens. Those projects gather citizens from different horizons, in activities directly linked to Union policies, with a view to give them an opportunity to actively participate in the Union policy making process in areas related to the objectives of the Programme.

A Civil Society Project must include at least two of the following types of activities:
- Promotion of societal engagement and solidarity: activities promoting debate/campaigns/actions on themes of common interest in the framework of the rights and responsibilities of the Union citizens and making the link to the European political agenda and policy making process.
- Gathering of opinions: activities aiming at gathering the individual opinions of the citizens favouring a bottom up approach (including the use of social networks, webinars, etc.) and media
literacy.
- Volunteering: activities promoting solidarity among Union citizens and beyond.

Maximum grant
Maximum eligible grant for a Civil Society Project is: EUR 150 000.

Networks of Towns are expected to:
- Integrate a range of activities around the subject(s) of common interest to be addressed in the context of the Programme’s objectives or multi-annual priorities;
- Have defined target groups for which the selected themes are particularly relevant and involve community members active in the subject area (i.e. experts, local associations, citizens and
citizens’ groups directly affected by the theme, etc.);
- Mobilise citizens across the Europe: a project should involve a minimum of 30% of invited participants. "Invited participants" are international participants sent by the eligible partners
- Serve as a basis for future initiatives and actions between the towns involved, on the issues addressed or possibly on further issues of common interest.

Maximum grant for a Network of Towns project is EUR 150 000.

Deadline: 01/03/2018