EU funding programmes provide financial support to public and private organisations to assist in the implementation of projects or activities that further EU policies, programmes and interests. Due to the fact that the EU funding programmes cover such a diverse range of fields, the criteria and conditions for grants will vary greatly from one field to another. The purpose of this information is to inform those organisations active in the field of sport and physical activity of the opportunities which exist and to advise them of the criteria they must fulfil in order to benefit from EU funding.
The next round of European funding programmes will run from 2014-2020 and Northern Ireland will benefit from a number of these. Of the current suite of EU funding programmes, Erasmus+ includes within its remit sport and physical recreation. It supports those activities aimed at enhancing the European dimension in sport, by promoting co-operation between bodies responsible for sport. The specific aims of the Programme are to:
Funding for Sport There are a variety of key ‘Actions’ under the Erasmus+ Programme, of which two relate specifically to the field of sport, these are:
The aims of ‘Collaborative Partnerships’ are to develop and implement innovative practices in different areas relating to sport and physical activity between various organisations both within and outside sport, in particular public authorities at local, regional, national and European levels. The budget for this programme is €14,600,000 of which €1,600,000 is ring-fenced for projects related to the European Week of Sport in 2015. The maximum grant available to a single applicant is 80% of the total project cost up to the value of €500,000. Projects aimed at ‘Collaborative Partnerships’ should focus on promoting the creation and development of European networks in the field of sport. The kind of activities supported under ‘Collaborative Partnership’ include:
‘Collaborative Partnerships’ are open to any type of public institution or not-for-profit organisations active in the field of sport and physical activity. To qualify, the partnership must be transnational involving at least five organisations from five different countries participating in the Erasmus Programme (Programme Countries).
The aims of this Action are to support the implementation of sport related strategies in the areas of social inclusion and equal opportunities. The Action further seeks to encourage and grow participation in sport and physical activity. The budget for this programme is €2,000,000 of which €600,000 is ring-fenced for projects related to the European Week of Sport 2015. The maximum grant available to a single applicant is 80% of the total project costs up to the value of €500,000. The kind of activities supported under ‘Not for Profit European Sport Events’ include:
Professional sport competitions and competitions organised by international, European or national sports federations on a regular basis are not eligible under this Action.
‘Not for Profit European Sport Events’ are open to any type of public institution or not-for-profit organisations active in the field of sport and physical activity. To qualify, the sport event must be:
All project partners seeking to apply for funding will be required to register on the Participant Portal. This will generate a Participant Identification Code (PIC) which will be required as part of the application process. Applications and further guidance is available on the Erasmus+ website. Please note that the deadlines and the eligibility criteria for upcoming calls for proposals will be published later this year. Those interested should refer the EACEA Sport website regularly. (https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/actions/sport ). For further information please contact either: Leigh Brown – leighbrown@sportni.net Paul Donnelly – pauldonnelly@sportni.net
