The Application Process
Partnership is key to the way Structural Funds are delivered in Scotland and, in addition to providing co-finance, a range of organisations are involved in Programme decision making and delivery.
Key partners include:
- the European Commission;
- the Scottish Executive;
- Programme Management Executives (PMEs);
- Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Companies, Further and Higher Education institutions, environmental agencies, the voluntary sector and, increasingly, the private sector.
Structural Funds will contribute up to 50% of a project's total eligible costs. The Project applicant (who must be a public sector body) therefore has to find 'match funding' for the remaining cost of the project, sometimes in conjunction with a number of organisations.
Projects are appraised by Advisory Groups, which include key partners as members, before being considered by a Programme Management Committee and then the Programme Monitoring Committee for strategic fit and Programme policy implications. Projects are then finally approved by the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning at the Scottish Executive.
Structural Funds support a wide variety of activities, including large scale infrastructure projects, business support to small and medium-sized enterprises and a range of training programmes. Before applying for funding you should:
- Check which area your project will be delivered in on the Programme Area Map.
- Check whether the kind of project you wish to undertake and the location in which it will be based are both eligible under one of the Objectives which covers that area (don't forget to consider the Community Initiatives as well).
- Contact your PME directly for advice about your application - see the links page to find the right web site. There are various deadlines for the submission of applications and you should check with the relevant PME.
- It is also a good idea to download the Single Programming Document or Community Initiative Plan from the relevant PME site (these are very large documents - summaries are available on some of the PME sites). These will give you an idea of the aims of the specific Programme - you will have to demonstrate that your project fits with this as well as local and national priorities.
- Don't forget that your project must comply with the European Commission's state aid rules - if you're not sure, see the State Aid Unit's website or ask the relevant PME.
The online Data Capture System for making a project application is accessible from PME websites listed above or directly from the link below:
European Structural Funds Online