News article

May 2015 Welcome to the Partner Update for May which aims to keep you up to speed on the development of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme for 2014 to 2020. Over the next few months we will be making a few changes to our Update as we move into delivery. We’re creating a new Bulletin to replace this Update. You will receive an email providing access to the Bulletin and we will make them available on our website too. Latest Programme News Developments on the Operational Programmes: Extensive work has taken place over the last few months to finalise the Operational Programmes (OP) for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF). Both OPs are due to be officially adopted by the European Commission soon and published on the GOV.UK website. The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Operational Programme was officially adopted by the European Commission in February and can be found here. Funding calls:At the end of March the first funding calls were launched across all three funding streams - ERDF, ESF and EAFRD. With a number of the funding calls already closed and the remainder due to close over the next few weeks, work is underway to assess the applications received. Advice from local ESIF sub-committees is being sought on fit with local strategies and those who successfully progress through the initial assessment process will be invited to submit a full application. We are now working through the appraisals of the applications, and will be seeking views from partners over the next few weeks. Successful applicants will then be invited to submit full applications, with a view to starting activity from September, or later depending on the project. The next funding calls are due to be announced in the summer. All funding calls can be viewed here. Published guidance and information:In line with the first funding calls a series of documents, guidance and forms were published on the GOV.UK website. These have been provided to help partners when applying for funding and to explain what a successful applicant who receives funding would be expected to meet and deliver against. Potential applicants are encouraged to read the project requirements and assessment and selection documents available. GOV.UK website: Over the next few months we will be looking to make improvements to the current ESIF website pages to make it easier to find the information partners need and responding to feedback received from partners on the current content. This will mean changes to where you might currently go to access guidance and information. We will provide a full breakdown of the changes with new links to use. A new UK-wide section has also been developed for the ESIF Programme on the website and can be viewed here. Online application system for ERDF and ESF: We are aware that a number of partners have had difficulty submitting applications for the first funding calls for ERDF and ESF through the IT system LOGASnet. To help with this we accepted applications made on a Word document. For those partners who were not able to make their applications through the IT system we will let you know if we require you to do this. We apologise for any issues this caused to our partners. Work is taking place to ensure that this does not happen again. Board update:The Growth Programme Board met on 22nd May. Board members were brought up to date on the progress made in launching the funds within the ESIF Growth Programme, highlighting the current position of first calls across Programme priorities, responses to date and plans for future calls. Discussions also covered European Social Fund local co-financing arrangements and governance, at national and local level. The next meeting is planned for June. On the Horizon More documents and guidance to be published: Over the next few months we will be adding to the documents, guidance and forms that we currently have available on the website. This is likely to include guidance on Procurement and Outputs and Results, and details on the various sub-committees set up to help manage and steer Programme activities. New Partner Bulletin:As mentioned at the top of this Update, look out for the new look Partner Bulletin over the next few months. European Social Fund Opt-In funding agreements: The Big Lottery Fund have recently signed their Funding Agreements, with National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Skills Funding Agency being appraised now.Keeping in touch To provide feedback on the Update email esif@communities.gsi.gov.uk Follow the developments on the Programme on Twitter @esif1420england Visit the Programme website pages at www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding

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