FUNDING SCHEMES = PROJECT TYPES
Funding schemes refer to project types (formerly called "instruments").
They determine partnership size, budget, funding percentage and content (e.g. research in collaborative projects like Integrated Projects and STREPS; support activities in Support Actions, or coordination activities in Coordination Actions and Networks of Excellence).
These funding schemes are attributed to each "target outcome" of the Objectives of the Work programme.
Only the types of Funding Schemes indicated in the Work Programme are accepted under the respective target outcome.
(Work Programme 2011/12 introduces a new funding scheme: CP-CSA (see below))
1. Collaborative Projects
Provide support for research projects carried out by consortia with participants from different countries, aiming at developing new knowledge, new technology, products, demonstration activities or common resources for research.
The size, scope and internal organisation of projects can vary from field to field and from topic to topic.
Projects can range from small or medium-scale focused research actions to largescale integrating projects for achieving a defined objective.
Projects should also target special groups such as SMEs and other smaller actors. Minimum partnership: 3 partners from 3 EU or Associated countries.
Integrated Projects or IPs:
Large research projects that comprise partners from the entire value chain; on average they have 8 to 25 partners, with a budget around 4-10 MEUR (or more) and 3-5 years duration. But these are only indications, there is no rule.
STREPs or Specific targeted research projects are smaller sized project with an average of 5-8 partners, a budget of up to 3 MEUR and a duration of 2-3 years.
FUNDING:
Direct project costs = costs directly related to activities that are necessary to reach the goals:
Research activities: 50% of total budget
Research activities for SMEs, public non-profit organisations/research institutions: 75%
Demonstration activities: 50%
Dissemination/training/management: 100%
Indirect costs = Overheads
Either real costs where they can be calculated, or a flat rate of 20% of direct costs
SICA - Specific International Cooperation Action
This is a special Collaborative Project geared at participants from ICPC - International Cooperation Partner Countries (e.g. Latin America or Asia). Mininum partnership: 2 partners from EU/Associated Countries, 2 from the target region/country. Funding rules like a STREP.
2. Networks of Excellence - NoE
Provide support for a Joint Programme of Activities implemented by a number of research organisations integrating their activities in a given field, carried out by research teams in the framework of longer term cooperation.
The implementation of this Joint Programme of Activities will require a formal commitment of the organisations integrating part of their resources and their activities.
The average size is 20+ partners (that might be enlarged in the course of the NoE duration), 5 years duration and a budget up to several MEUR.
FUNDING:
Depends on number of researchers involved. Alternatively, same scheme as collaborative projects.
3. Coordination and support actions - CSA
Provide support for activities aimed at coordinating or supporting research activities and policies (networking, exchanges, trans-national access to research infrastructures, studies, conferences, etc.).
Minimum partnership: 1 from a EU/Associated country.
FUNDING:
100% of all direct costs. However, indirect costs are only funded up to 7% of direct costs.
4. Combination of Collaborative Projects and Coordination and Support Actions (CPCSA)
CP-CSA involves a combination of the collaborative projects and coordination and support actions (CP-CSA) funding schemes. It enables therefore the financing, under the same grant agreement, of research, coordination and support activities.
In the Work Programme, CP-CSAs on Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) combine, in a closely co-ordinated manner:
- Networking and coordination activities: for public bodies in Europe to cooperate in the innovation of their public services through a strategy that includes PCP.
- Joint research activities: related to validating the PCP strategy jointly defined by the public bodies participating in the action. This includes the exploration, through a joint PCP, of possible solutions for the targeted improvements in public sector services, and the testing of these solutions against a set of jointly defined performance criteria.
The two categories of activities are mandatory due to the synergistic effects between the two components.
