QUESTIONS

ANSWERS

1. Is a Cultural Center, whose founder is local municipality, eligible to be a lead applicant?

Cultural Center , whose founder is local municipality, is not eligible to be lead applicant. Please check again Guidelines for Grant Applicants (2.1.1 Eligibility of applicants: who may apply) which clearly states that lead applicant can be only registered non-governmental organization in the Republic of Serbia.

2. Can a private firm, coming from an EU Member State, be considered as an eligible partner (benefiting therefore of the Program's fund)?

According to the Guidelines for Grant Applicants (2.1.2 – Partnership and eligibility of partners), the following are eligible as partners: other NGOs, local governments and private sector. They must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as applicants referred to in section 2.1.1 (1), which means that they should be registered in Serbia.

3. Concerning the financial and operational capacity of the applicant, what minimum of: complexity of successfully implemented projects; technical expertise; management capacity and stable and sufficient sources of finance should be noted down in order for applicant to receive grade 3 (adequate) in the Evaluation grid?

Data about the complexity of successfully implemented projects; technical expertise; management capacity and stable and sufficient sources of finance that should be noted down should be accurate and verifiable.

4. May one local government be a partner or co-financier in a number of different projects to several non-governmental organizations from the same city?

A local government may appear as a partner to one or more NGOs.

On the other hand, local government can be, within its available budget, co-financier to various NGOs.

5. May an NGO that was awarded grant from EAR two years ago within the program of support to civil society in Serbia apply again bearing in mind that guidelines for applicants state that NGO can not be awarded more than one grant within the program “Fund to support civil society”?

It is correct that an NGO cannot be awarded more than one grant, but this applies only to this particular program that is launched in 2005. NGOs that received grants from EAR two years ago are eligible to apply as all other NGOs, because these are two different projects with different target groups and priorities.

6. Must 20% of total project's costs which has to be provided by lead applicant, partner or other source, be exclusively in cash?

20% of total project's costs which has to be provided by lead applicant, partner or other source must be a financial, not in kind contribution.

7. Must 20% of total project's costs that is not provided by EAR be only in cash or it could also be contribution in kind (work of volunteers, computer equipment and car)? Is it necessary to have this 20% provided before signing of the contact or it could be provided at any time during the implementation of the project?

Contribution of 20%, that applicant must provide from sources other than the EU budget, must be only in cash. This contribution must be planed and listed in the budget (Worksheet 2 – Expected sources of funding), but may be provided at any time during the implementation of the project. Contributions in kind, made by the beneficiary or the beneficiary's partners, must be listed separately and they cannot be treated as co-financing by the beneficiary.

8. Could an organization (local government or non-governmental organization) from an EU Member State be considered as an eligible partner?

No. According to the Guidelines for Grant Applicants (2.1.2 – Partnership and eligibility of partners), the following are eligible as partners: other NGOs, local governments and private sector. They must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as applicants referred to in section 2.1.1 (1), which means that they should be registered in Serbia.

9. Are study trips to one EU Member State where the partner is coming from considered as eligible cost?

Guidelines for Grant Applicants (section 2.1.3 Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made/Location) states that project must take place in the Republic of Serbia. However, study trips are eligible costs, providing that they are directly related to the project.

Please also see answer number 8, regarding the eligibility of the partner.

10. Within our project we are planning to provide grants to NGOs that attended seminars on capacity building.  Is re-granting allowed? The maximum amount of grants would not exceed 30% of total budget.

Re-granting within this program is not allowed.

11. May a partner be a non-governmental organization which was registered less than a year ago and therefore could not be in a position to provide annual financial report for 2004?

Yes. Guidelines for Applicants (section 2.2.1 Application form and supporting documents) states that partner organizations do not have to submit the annual financial report. Partners are obliged to submit only their statute or article of association.

12. What is a minimum and maximum grant that EAR provides within this Call for proposals?

Minimum amount of the grant is EUR 50,000 and maximum is EUR 150,000. A grant may not be less than 50% and may not exceed 80% of the total eligible costs of the action.

13. Are partners obliged to submit financial report as the lead applicants?

No. Only the lead applicant is obliged to submit the most recent financial report.

14. Would projects related to environmental protection have priority in relation to the projects dealing with other topics?

Within this call for proposals EAR would like to encourage NGOs that deal with environmental issues to develop quality projects in this particular area. However, all the projects will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria set out in the Evaluation Grid published in the Guidelines for Grant Applicants.

15. Must 20% of the amount that has to be provided from sources other than the European Community budget be on the applicant's account in advance or it is enough to submit the statement that a donor will contribute with 20%?

Please refer to answer number 7.

16. Is it possible to partially compensate the contribution of 20% with the use of office space free of charge?

No, the free of charge use of office space is not considered as financial contribution.

17. What are the planned starting dates of projects that are awarded a grant?

It is expected that contracts will be signed in January 2006 while implementation of projects should start in February/March 2006.

18. Could small and newly established NGOs meet the evaluation criteria?

The applicants financial and operational capacity will be evaluated in line with the Evaluation grid published in the Guidelines for Applicants. Please refer to the Evaluation Grid (Section 1 – Financial and operational capacity).

19. Should the audit certificate be completed and submitted with the project proposal?

No, audit certificate should be submitted after the realization of the project with the final report.

20. Who selects the auditor? 

The applicant selects auditor. Please see page 15 of the Guidelines.

21. Is it necessary that the lead applicant has a registered office in a local community where project will be implemented?

No. The lead applicant should be registered non-governmental organization in the Republic of Serbia.

22. Could a person who is proposed as the project coordinator be also engaged in other project or employed?

No, if the post of the project coordinator requires full time engagement.

23. Could the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Policy provide the financial contribution of 20%?

Yes

24. Is it possible to make an exception and allow the contribution in equipment?

No. The contribution of at least 20% must be a financial contribution. Contributions in kind do not represent actual expenditure and they may not be treated as co-financing by the Beneficiary (see Guidelines for Grant Applicants, 2.1.4, Contributions in kind).

25. Is the Anti-Corruption Council eligible as partner?

No, only NGOs, local governments and private sector are eligible as partners.

26. Will EAR organize trainings for project proposal writing within this program?

Trainings for project proposal writing were already organized for all organizations that expressed interest for these trainings.

27. Can a “small” NGO be a partner to a “big” NGO?

Yes

28. Could the purchase of the land be considered as eligible cost?

No

29. The applicant's most recent annual financial report is required. What if an NGO is registered and operates for less than a year?

The annual financial report is required. For newly established NGOs it is advised to partner with a well established financially sound NGO.

30. It is stated in the Guidelines for Applicants that the financial contribution may be provided by local governments or other sources but not from European foundations. What about American foundations?

The financial contribution could be provided from European foundations, but not from the European Community budget. The financial contribution could be provided also by an American foundation.   

31. If a local government is co-financer of the project, is it necessary to make an advance payment or is it enough to issue a statement that the payment will be executed? The same question applies for American foundations. 

Potential donor doesn't have to make an advance payment in the selection phase or to issue a statement that the payment will be executed.

32. May an NGO that is located in Serbia but registered for the territory of Serbia and Montenegro apply under this call for proposals?

Yes.

33. Which proportion of the project budget could be dedicated for salaries and fees?

There is no limit. However all salaries and fees must be within the limit of average local scales and necessary for carrying out the action.

34. What documents are required for establishing the partnership with local governments or business sector?

All partners, including the lead applicant, have to sign the partnership statement in the application form.

35. Are state faculties eligible as partners or associates?

State faculties may be associates, but not partners.

36. Are private persons eligible as partners?

No. 

37. Is private faculty eligible as partner?

Yes, private faculties could be considered as private sector.

38. Is the Executive Council of Vojvodina eligible as partner?

No. The Executive Council of Vojvodina is not a local government.

39. Should other donors' financial contributions be presented in the budget?

Every financial contribution should be presented in the budget and it should be presented and documented in the financial report in the same way as EAR's contribution.

40. Is NGO that has suspended business activities for several months eligible to apply?

No, such organization is not eligible to apply or be awarded a grant. Please refer to the Guidelines for Grant Applicants (2.1.1 (2)).

41. Is the partnership with the local government obligatory?

No.

42. In the case of partnership with the local government, are the salaries of its employees considered as financial contribution made by that local government?

No. The salaries of the employees, paid for their work in the local government, could not be considered as financial contribution to the project.

43. Will the overall amount made available under this call for proposals for financing the NGO projects be awarded regardless of the quality of submitted projects?

No, EAR reserves the right not to award all available funds.

44. Could equipment bought directly by an American foundation be considered as co-financing?

No.