Project activities

Kick-off meeting

The kick-off meeting ensures that the project is carried out in accordance with the decision’s terms and valid legislation. In the first phase, the funding authority will invite the beneficiaries’ representatives, including the project personnel, to the kick-off meeting to discuss a common set of rules applicable to funding and implementation, as well as any regulations and guidelines that guide the activities.

Other matters to be discussed include the practical implementation of the project and key factors related to financial management, payments, reporting, monitoring and control. A memo of the kick-off meeting will be pre-pared and attached to project information.

Hint: Read the decision and its attachments beforehand to know how to ask specifying questions.

Steering group

The beneficiary will appoint a steering group for the project if it is required in the project’s funding decision. The steering group guides, supports and monitors the project’s progress with regard to both its content and costs. Its purpose is to help the project achieve its goals and guide the implementation of the project in terms of its content. However, the steering group is not legally responsible for project activities, as this responsibility is held by the beneficiary.

The aim is that project management is supported by the most extensive expertise possible close to practical activities. It is recommended that the steering group also include a representative of each gender. Members should include representatives of both genders. Memos of steering group meetings must be maintained. More detailed terms for the steer-ing group’s activities are defined in the project’s funding decision.

Hint: Try to engage the steering group in such activities in which you would also like to participate.

Self-assessment

Assessing the activities is part of normal project activities. An assessment method that best supports the activities must be selected for the project. The assessment can be a self-assessment or an external service. The project’s implementation and results must be assessed relative to its goals. In addition to the project personnel and steering group, representatives of partners and target groups should be heard during the assessment. Based on the assessment, any realignment of the project can be negotiated with the funding authority.

In addition to the achievement of goals, the assessment can cover:

• the steering group’s activities;
• communication;
• the measures carried out during the project and their quality; or
• the continuity of the activities developed during the project.

Hint: Check out the websites dealing with self-assessments.

Monitoring the project’s goals and results

Achieving results and reporting on them is essential for the effective and transparent use of public funds.

The funding received by the projects is in the form of grants. The aid will not be reimbursed if the beneficiary fulfils the conditions of the aid decision and the legal requirements. In return for the aid, the beneficiary reports on what has been achieved with public funds and whether what has been promised in the project plan has been achieved.

As the recipient of the support, your task is to report on the implementation of the project's measures and the achievement of the objectives to the funding authority. A monitoring report describing the activities and results is drawn up by payment period. The submission of the report and the approval of the financing authority are conditions for the payment of the aid.

Describe clearly in the monitoring report the operation of the project and the results achieved. Compare the results with the objectives set and analyse their achievement. The public authority controls the use of public funds and thus the interests of the taxpayer. For this reason, the authorities must know how your project is progressing and whether the project is progressing as planned.

You have probably also set quantitative targets (indicator readings) for your project in the project plan. Record in the monitoring report how the quantified targets have been achieved in the project by the end of the reporting period. Make sure that the quantitative results are correct.

In the final report, the beneficiary brings together the activities and results of the project and assesses the achievement of the project's objectives.

The monitoring reports describe the progress of the project by reporting period, while the final report assesses the overall success of the project and identifies how the activities developed in the project will continue after the project. In addition, describe the problems encountered in the implementation of the project and highlight any development proposals.

Hint: Keep the project plan visible when you type a report. Read the reporting instructions for EURA 2021 in good time.

Hint: start writing the final report well before the end of the project and allow sufficient time.

Changes in the implementation of the project

The project must be implemented in accordance with the approved project plan attached to the funding decision. Sometimes, measures do not lead to the expected results, or the cost estimate does not match specified plans, in which case submitting a change application should be considered.  If any need for change arises, contact the funding authority in advance. The project’s steering group is to discuss any need for change in the project’s implementation, content or funding before the relevant application is submitted to the funding authority.

Significant changes always require a change application and the related decision. Changes do not come into force until the funding authority has approved them through its decision. Changes cannot be approved retroactively. Changes must therefore be proactively addressed and communicated to the funding authority.

Hint: Always react to any needs for change in good time.

Hint: When using simplified cost models, it is important to ensure the opportunities to modify the cost estimate are often limited, which is why you should allocate enough time to planning your project during the early stages to have an accurate cost estimate and cost model.

Rooting and disseminating the project’s results

The primary purpose of project funding is to be a driving force for completely new activities. It is therefore important for the applicant to plan how to continue the activities or otherwise use the results. Project funding is not a permanent form of funding for activities, and project results must also be freely usable afterwards.

The key question in rooting project results is how you can productise or market your project’s results (e.g. new operating methods) in your regular activities or those of your partner organisation.

Hint: Plenty of useful guides and examples to support productisation and marketing are available on the internet.

Hint: Start rooting in your own organisation. How can you sell your product to another organisation if your organisation has not adopted it?