OPEN CALLS

Deadline November 30, 2023 5:00 PM, Brussels time Application link ESF+ SI+ National Competence Centres for Social Innovation Call | European social fund agency Call document ncc-call-conditions.pdf (esf.lt) Call overview This call aims at building up and consolidating the capacity of National competence centres for social innovation (NCCs). Call detail Funding under this call will be provided for transnational mutual learning projects with the objective to support: a) professionalisation and further development of NCCs that already exist or are being created in the Member States which participated in the 2020 call; b) creation of NCCs in the Member States where they were not created under the 2020 call. The call builds on the lessons learnt and the developments triggered by the 2020 call. It provides an opportunity to continue what works and to improve where weaknesses have been identified. To this end: – It provides an opportunity to reconsider which (combination of) entities are best placed to fulfil the functions of NCCs in the national contexts. – It opens up the possibility to review the compositions of the transnational consortia, with a view to optimising further transnational transfer of knowledge and mutual learning. – It provides an opportunity for the Member States which were not involved in the projects of the 2020 call to join the exercise and build up NCCs. Activities funded 1) Building and continuously improving the professional capacities for supporting social innovation through sharing successful tools and methods, approaches and models, practices and inspiring examples. This could be achieved by sharing the above-mentioned experience within the consortium, between consortia (through participation in the working group of NCCs, Sub-section 2.1.1), and with networks representing social economy and other key actors in the social innovation ecosystem. 2) Developing and nurturing sustainable relationships, networks, collaborations, synergies and learning partnerships between stakeholders and support organisations in a Member State, including the ESF+ Managing Authorities. These efforts include, inter alia: – organising thematic or regional networks of organisations engaged in supporting or promoting social innovation; – organising peer reviews of promising social innovation models and practices. 3) Creating, developing and operating a resource centre and a hub for social innovation by collecting and assessing suitable tools and methods, approaches and models, practices and inspiring examples, and by disseminating these resources through social media, conferences and seminars, as well as through a web platform 4) Facilitating and supporting (groups of) social innovation initiatives in: – validating, documenting, communicating, transferring and scaling-up their approach and experience; – creating (new forms/new combinations) community-led local development or alternative finance models for supporting social innovations; – actively using the European Social Innovation Match database, SIM16, by uploading pertinent case studies and entering relevant partner organisations in the database. 5) Raising awareness and providing guidance and training in applying/adapting suitable tools, methods, and practices. 6) Disseminating information on the available funding (the EU programmes, the shared management and EaSI strands of ESF+, national, regional and local authorities, or community-led/citizen-controlled finance for pursuing social innovation). 7) Mobilising and empowering stakeholders to develop and continuously improve policies and actions for supporting social innovations through: – creating a shared understanding of the drivers and barriers to social innovation; – organising fora and platforms to build consensus on priorities and opportunities for exploiting synergies amongst key actors in the social innovation ecosystem; – drafting/updating a comprehensive overview of the social innovation ecosystem, synthesising the public support for social innovation as well as visions, needs, opportunities and priorities of relevant social innovation stakeholders and promoters; – co-developing a shared strategy and action plan for boosting social innovation in a Member State, including under the ESF+; – drafting recommendations for improving the responsiveness, effectiveness and governance of public policy towards social innovation. ‍ Eligibility Legal entities established and registered in the Member States, which meet conditions set in the "Consortium composition" section, are eligible as applicants or co-applicants and associated partners. Consortium composition Only consortia are eligible. To be considered eligible, a consortium must include an applicant and at least two co-applicants. The members of the consortium shall represent at least 3 different Member States. For full eligibility/consortium requirements, please consult the call document. ‍ Duration Up to 36 months . ‍ Budget The estimated size of a grant is between 500 000 EUR and 1 500 000 EUR per project (but this does not preclude the submission/selection of applications requesting other amounts), constituting not more than 80% of the project’s total budget. A co-financing of at least 20% must thus come from other resources than the EU budget. Assistance For call related questions, please contact NCC@esf.lt.

Deadline December 14, 2023 5:00 PM, Brussels time Application link Funding & tenders (europa.eu) Call document call-fiche_esf-2023-homeless_en.pdf (europa.eu) Call overview This call aims to implement and evaluate innovative projects and/or policy measures through social experimentation, piloting and evaluating social innovation practices in the field of homelessness and housing exclusion. Call detail This call for proposals aims at selecting and supporting financially a limited number of beneficiaries, active in the greatest number of Member States, capable of interventions in the field of homelessness and housing exclusion. The beneficiaries may opt to implement the funded activities through re-granting to third parties. The following priorities will be implemented: (1) Social experimentation interventions defined as policy interventions that offer innovative response to social needs, implemented on a small scale, prior to being implemented in other contexts or on a larger scale, if the results prove convincing. These interventions should provide valuable information for policy-makers, avoiding the costs of launching large-scale programmes before being tested. Some social experimentations may also fail, being nevertheless an important source of information for policy-makers. (2) Capacity building of key stakeholders active in the experimentation interventions, notably local, regional and national stakeholders and civil society organisations. This includes knowledge transfer and mentoring, expertise, tools, methods and models to suitable organisations in the Member States. Activities funded To meet the above-mentioned objectives, the activities funded and carried out by a limited number of beneficiaries, in at least 3 eligible countries, should fall in the following categories: 1. Social experimentation interventions that offer an innovative response to social needs, implemented on a small scale, prior to being implemented in other contexts or on a larger scale, if the results prove convincing. This activity is mandatory. 2. Linked to point (1), capacity building of key stakeholders involved in the implementation of the social experimentation projects. These can be the non-profit-making sector, public authorities or social enterprises/ social cooperatives, active at local, regional and national level in order to carry out activities in the area of homelessness and housing exclusion. This activity is optional. In order to implement these activities, the beneficiaries can foresee the provision of financial support - re-granting - to third parties of maximum EUR 60 000 per sub-grant. The targeted third parties must be from the non-profit-making sector, public authorities or social enterprises/ social cooperatives - active at local, regional and national level and carrying out activities in the homelessness area. Eligibility In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) and be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.: − EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)) − non-EU countries: listed EEA countries and countries associated to the ESF+ or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature − be non-profit organisations (private or public), public authorities (national, regional, local), international organisations, universities, educational institutions, research centres or companies. Consortium composition Proposals by both single applicants and consortia are allowed. Proposals submitted by a consortium should be composed of at least 2 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions: The lead applicant must be either: - an umbrella civil society organisation, a network of local and regional authorities and/ or social services providers at European level (covering at least 14 eligible countries), an International Organisation or an International Financial Institution, including Multilateral Development Banks, or - a civil society organisation, local or regional authority, social service provider, or national development bank, at national level. In the case of a lead applicant at national level, at least two co-applicants should be from two other eligible countries. In this case, the consortium should be comprised of at least 3 organisations. Co-applicants can include research centres/institutes and higher education establishments (private and public). The majority of the applicants must be active in the area of the call (part of statutory aim). ‍ Duration Up to 36 months . ‍ Budget The estimated available call budget is EUR 15 000 000. The Commission expects to fund between 3 and 5 proposals ranging between 2 million and 5 million EUR each.