PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The LIFE programme introduced action grants for capacity-building projects for the 2014-2017 funding period. These are projects designed to build Member States' capacity to participate more effectively in the LIFE Programme. Specifically, these projects propose interventions to develop the capacity to submit successful applications for funding for projects under the sub-programmes for Environment and Climate Action. Member States that meet the criteria may each receive funding of up to one million euros for one capacity-building project. Only national level public bodies responsible for implementation of LIFE in an eligible Member State in the European Union may apply for capacity-building projects.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE CAPTA BG project addressed the insufficient absorption of LIFE funding by Bulgarian beneficiaries. The project was focused on widening access to the LIFE Programme, by enhancing support for potential beneficiaries and applicants made in the annual LIFE calls. The project team planned do this by improving capacity and creating a more cost-effective and efficient organisation for the LIFE NCP in Bulgaria. This strategy had to be achieved through four specific objectives:
- Systematic analysis, streamlining and enhancing the consultancy and support given by the NCP to potential and current LIFE beneficiaries;
- Increasing the capacity of the NCP and creating a better-equipped, interactive, spatially-distributed contact point, as well as fostering networking with EASME and other EU Member States’ NCPs;
- Enhancing LIFE policy integration, dissemination of project results, and coordination between funding sources; and
- Creating tools for monitoring the factors which influence the low LIFE absorption rate in Bulgaria.
RESULTS
The project LIFE CAPTA BG helped widen the outreach of the LIFE programme in Bulgaria by organising information days, hosting consultations and writing letters of support among other efforts. At the start of the project (2016-2017), an improvement in the quality of project proposals received was observed. Although a dip in quality occurred between 2017 and 2018, proposals were markedly better in 2020 with seven approved of 43 submitted.
The objective of increasing the administrative capacity and knowledge of the programme of the LIFE National Contact Point and CAP team was also met, despite frequent changes in personnel. The project team developed a close cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Water and is continuing to discuss opportunities for new projects.
Specific results of the project include:
- Finalisation of focus group discussions for the assessment of beneficiaries‘ capacity, resulting in an analysis for future use.
- Direct consultation and coaching in seven cities by the regional contact points, as well as info-days and writers' workshops. More than 780 stakeholders have already received training. The info-day and workshop in 2019 were attended by the TMO and the rest three Bulgarian monitors, while an info-day webinar in 2020 attracted more 130 attendees including 37 business representatives.
- Establishment of the foundations for improved awareness of the LIFE programme in Bulgaria and more sustainable knowledge on how to submit LIFE project proposals. In the last few months of the project implementation, the NCP/CAP team provided 12 letters of support for LIFE 2020 applications, while more than 130 proposals benefitted from online and phone consultations. Although initially the assistance of the TMO was sometimes required to answer complicated or unusual questions from applicants, this need decreased over the course of the project, indicating that the capacity and know-how of the NCP has improved.
- Production and distribution of a detailed guide for beneficiaries, leading to the increased success rate of project submissions in 2019.
- Registration of 91 profiles for online matchmaking, including seven potential partners from other Member States.
- Expansion of the Bulgarian LIFE website to improve dissemination and the initiation of webinars.
- Organisation of 10 exchange visits to NCPs in Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Latvia and Spain in order to increase know-how and capacity building. Around 30 representatives of the NCP and the six RCPs took part.
- Increase of NCP/RCP capacity: full-time technical assistance and experts were added in the six RCPs; five NCP staff members were hired to replace five who had resigned; two staff members were hired in the NCP; training provided for the new staff in Belgium, Croatia and Finland.
- Production of a gap analysis on the NCP capacity, which is used by the NCP in setting priorities for new capacity building projects.
- Improved visibility of LIFE through the production of dissemination materials and a media campaign that was developed by the NCP, with the help of an external contractor; the campaign included video and audio content that was broadcast to cover the launch of the LIFE Calls 2019 and 2020.
- Submission of the final analysis with recommendations on policy integration and complementary fund options.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
