How to strengthen the engagement of Civil Society in Structural Funds? Ideas from the United Kingdom

Ingrid Gardiner

ESF Effectiveness Manager

ingrid.gardiner@ncvo-vol.org.uk

•These estimates refer to the voluntary sector only – based on the general charities definition

The UK voluntary sector: at the heart of civil society

The civil society mosaic

National and local charities | Arts and Cultural organisations Independent Schools | Foundations | Development Trusts Universities | Trusts | Trade Unions | Housing Associations Friendly Societies Faith groupsBuilding Societies MuseumsScouts & Guides Social clubsPolitical Parties Credit UnionsCo-operatives

‘Below the radar’ community groups | Armed Forces charities Exempt charities | Community Interest Companies (CICs) Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) | Industrial and Provident Societies (IPSs) | Social Enterprises | Charities

established by Royal Charter | Excepted Charities Community Benefit Societies (BenComs) |

NCVO

•data.ncvo-vol.org.uk - comment, analysis, download

•900,000 organisations•Income of £170 billion•Assets of £228 billion

•Workforce of 2.0 million

Basic Facts about NCVO• Established in 1919

• England wide remit

• Cross-sectoral approach

• 8000+ member organisations

• c. 90 staff

• £12 million approx. income

How is NCVO Financed?

What NCVO doesTraining & Capacity Building on key areas:• Governance & Leadership• Sustainable Funding• Campaigning, Collaboration & ICT• Workforce Development• Helpdesk• Pilots, knowledge sharing and new ways of

working• Co-ordinates the European Funding Network

Overview of Structural Funds• European Social Fund (ESF), European Regional

Development Fund (ERDF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

• In the 2007-2013, programme worth over £2.5 billion ESF + £2.5 billion national funding

• Programme themes – innovation & transnational approaches, community grants, and technical assistance

• Who can access funding? private, public and civil society organisations

ESF – A past and current perspective in the UK

Region Total Contract value Contracts Subs Av. Contract Value Av. no of subcontracts

Cornwall £95,525,918 38 173 £2,513,840 5 East Mids £619,794,365 124 130 £4,998,342 1 East £295,851,025 105 530 £2,817,629 5 Gibraltar £4,246,096 5 0 £849,219 0 London £559,894,315 299 811 £1,872,556 3 Merseyside £113,819,351 97 363 £1,173,395 4 NE £305,107,221 81 196 £3,766,756 2 NW £126,666,576 108 498 £1,172,839 5 SE £315,709,388 77 386 £4,100,122 5 SW £119,862,206 76 297 £1,577,134 4 South Yorks £68,019,270 23 321 £2,957,360 14 West Mids £316,354,291 131 60 £2,414,918 0 Y & Humber £471,911,955 48 342 £9,831,499 7

Eng Total £3,412,761,977 1212 4107 £2,815,810 3

Total Value and number of Prime Contracts awarded by Region 2007-2010

•Region Total Contract value % Contracts % Av. Value No. of subcontracts

•Cornwall £1,599,081 1.7% 2 5.3% £799,541 81 •East Mids £11,153,981 1.8% 35 28.2% £318,685 38 •East £43,254,436 14.6% 27 25.7% £1,602,016 110 •Gibraltar £0 0.0% 0 0.0% £0 0 •London £61,445,694 11.0% 137 45.8% £448,509 316 •Merseyside £5,317,595 4.7% 11 11.3% £483,418 106 •NE £3,357,583 1.1% 1 1.2% £3,357,583 71 •NW £44,079,605 34.8% 16 14.8% £2,754,975 154 •SE £79,034,538 25.0% 14 18.2% £5,645,324 106 •SW £16,746,228 14.0% 19 25.0% £881,380 97 •S Yorks £2,638,376 3.9% 1 4.3% £2,638,376 87 •West Mids £24,193,972 7.6% 18 13.7% £1,344,110 25 •Y & Humber £3,093,922 0.7% 1 2.1% £3,093,922 76

Eng Total £295,915,010 8.7% 282 23% £1,049,344 1267

Value and number of Prime Contract awarded to CSOs by Region 2007-2010

Structural Funds: What is happening Economic landscape : recession

EU budget & Structural Funds in particular : MORE focussed on driving the EU forward vs global competitors / EU 2020

Concentration of EU investment on top drivers of EU growth & delivering UK National Reform Plan

More flexibility to align EU funds to increase impact (regional, social, rural and fisheries)

Streamlining red tape

EU Common strategic framework investment themes1. Innovation and R&D

2. ICT: Improving access; quality and usage

3. SMEs: Improving competitiveness, incl. in the agricultural and aquaculture sectors

4. Shift to low carbon economy

5. Climate change adaptation and risk management

6. Environmental protection & resource efficiency

7. Sustainable transport and unblocking key networks

8. Employment and labour mobility

9. Social inclusion and fighting poverty

10. Education, skills and lifelong learning

11. Improving institutional capacity for efficient public administration

European Commission’s UK priorities Structural Funds • Increasing R&D spend &

‘localising’ impact of national investment

• Improving access to finance for SMEs

• More renewable energy

• NEETS; troubled families; ex-offenders; unskilled people (including employees of SMEs); self-employment/entrepreneurship

• Higher level skills

Local focus : new opportunities

More integrated programmes / geographic flexibility

• Community-led local development (all 4 funds)‘Local Action Groups’ able to draw on all 4 Strategic Framework funds

according to an integrated plan.• Joint Action Plans (ERDF & ESF only)Lump sum payments to a single beneficiary more than €5m or 10%

(current proposals) of an Operational Programme - whichever is lower - to manage a group of projects aimed at a specific purpose (but not for major infrastructure)

• Integrated Territorial Investments (ERDF & ESF onlyUrban development or Territorial strategy drawing on a multiplicity of

programme strands and programmes. Aspects of management can be delegated to a city or NGO.

Priorities for CSOs Support the Commission’s proposal to ring-fence at least

20% of ESF for social inclusion and anti-poverty

Direct access to funding for Civil Society through: - A specific Civil Society work stream within ESF - An expanded global grants programme - Simplified access through lump sum payments

Ability to utilise volunteer time as an eligible source of in-kind match funding throughout the UK Structural Funds programmes

Civil Society country representation on the arrangements for the UK Partnership Contract (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)

Priorities for CSOs Support for financial instruments (mixed grant/loan funding) for

Civil Society

Increased promotion of and support for transnational funding opportunities

Support for community-led local development approaches, community economic regeneration and social innovation

Valuing the contribution of the social enterprise sector to job creation, including professional skills and personal development

Recognising and valuing Civil Society’s contribution to the environmental and sustainability agenda

100% funding for Civil Society Technical Assistance projects