«Management of KA2 projects»

Project Title: Guidelines for Developing and

Implementing STEAME Schools
Kick off Meeting, 19 November 2019

Leonidou Stella
Foundation for the Management of
European Lifelong Learning Programmes
 Content
 Overall Management of the Project

 Budget Headings

 Transfers of Funds

 Grant Reductions

 Organizational and Practical Arrangements

 Overall Management of the Project
Grant Agreement between the coordinator and the NA

 The Grant Agreement that is signed between the coordinator of the

Partnership and the coordinator’s NA is complemented by the following
Annexes:

 Annex I: General Conditions

 Annex II: Project, Budget, Organizations (Summary of the Approved
Budget)
 Annex III: Financial and Contractual Rules (Eligible Costs and Supporting
Documents per Budget Heading)
 Annex IV: Applicable Rates (For Budget Categories that are based on Unit
Costs)
 Annex V: Mandates (Signed and Submitted at Application Stage)

!! The coordinator has the obligation to send all the above to the partners, along with any
other official document concerning the project
 Overall Management of the Project
Amendments of the Grant Agreement between the coordinator
and the NA (1/2)

 Any request for Grant Agreement Amendment must be submitted by the

coordinator to the National Agency in written form, provided that:

 All project partners agree

 It is for the project’s overall good
 It is well and reasonably justified
 It is submitted before the date of the requested change
 It is submitted at least one month before project completion

!! Specific amendment request forms are provided by the Cyprus NA, which can be found at
the following link: Amendment Request Forms
 Overall Management of the Project
Amendments of the Grant Agreement between the coordinator
and the NA (2/2)

 The following are subject to the NA’s approval, following a formal request for
amendment:

 Leaving Partner
 Addition/Substitution of Partner
 Changes concerning the work program
 Change in project duration
 Budget Transfers between different budget headings that are
not described in Article I.3.3. of the Agreement

!! The Cyprus NA has the right to reject an amendment request, in case that the request is
not valid or not well justified
 Overall Management of the Project
Leaving Partner
 In the case that a partner has left the project and has not been replaced by
another partner (with the same expertise), the following apply:

 The unused part of the withdrawing partner's budget may be re-allocated to the
remaining partners according to the re-allocation of the withdrawing partner's
tasks to other partners in the project

 No organization can receive more PMI support than what is specified in the
Programme Guide. The budget of the withdrawing partner can be repartitioned,
but only to specific tasks

 Neither PMI nor other costs are eligible if the leaving organization has not made
any contributions to the project
 Overall Management of the Project
Changes in Project Duration

 The duration of any project is possible to be extended for up to 6 months,

provided that the following apply:

 All the partners have given their consent

 The extended project duration does not exceed 36 months
 The project end date is before the 31st August 2022
!! In case that the project duration is extended, the funding for Project Management and Implementation
does not increase
 Overall Management of the Project
Agreements between the Coordinator and the Partners
 Additional Agreements between the coordinator and the partners are not
obligatory, but recommended by the NAs, to regulate all parties’ rights and
obligations, as regards the following:

 Preparation for and management of the work program

 Attribution of intellectual property rights
 Communication of information and documents
 Total Erasmus+ Contribution for the Partner
 Payments (Payment Schedule, Bank account details of the partner): Each
payment must be associated with a specific set of completed tasks and outputs
 Reports (Reporting Schedule, Provision of information and documents necessary
for reports’ submission)

!! The coordinator can proceed with different installments of payment per partner,
depending on the tasks assigned to and completed by each partner
 Budget Headings
Budget Headings for KA2 Projects

Project
Transnational
Management Intellectual Multiplier
Project
and Outputs Events
Meetings
Implementation

Transnational
Learning, Exceptional Special Needs
Teaching, Training Costs Support
Activities
 Budget Headings
Maximum grant per project and capped maxima amounts

 Maximum grant awarded: different from project to project, defined by

multiplying 12 500 EUR by the duration of the project (in months) and up to
450 000 EUR for projects with the maximum duration (36 months)

 Some of the maxima amounts per budget heading are capped per month, so
that the grant awarded divided by the number of months results in a
maximum of 12 500 EUR. However, the beneficiaries can use-up the total EU
grant received for the project in the most flexible way, throughout its
duration and according to the way the activities need to be implemented
chronologically in the work plan

 Beneficiaries must agree on the distribution of the EU grant between them

depending on their respective workload and contribution to the
project activities and results
 Budget Headings
“STEAME ”– Approved Budget Headings

 Project Management and Implementation

 Transnational Project Meetings
 Intellectual Outputs
 Multiplier Events
 Learning/Teaching/Training Activities
 Exceptional Costs

!!! The supporting documents per budget heading are listed analytically in Annex III of the Grant
Agreement (“Financial and Contractual Rules”). However, you should keep all the supporting
documents in the project’s folder (for example, invoices and receipts), in case
you are asked to provide them during checks and audits
 Budget Headings
Project Management and Implementation

 Do not submit your final report, before the official end date of the project,
even if you have completed all project activities! If you submit your report
prior the project end date, you will not be reimbursed for the months left for
the project to finish, as regards contribution to Project Management and
Implementation costs

 You are allowed to transfer up to 20% from this budget heading to other
headings, but be careful when you do so, as it might be the case that, during
final report evaluation, the NA considers part of the requested funding for
other budget headings as ineligible. This is often the case for funding related
to Intellectual Outputs
 Budget Headings
Project Management and Implementation

 PMI funds can be used for covering any costs that are relevant to the
project (costs that are eligible under other budget headings), as proof of
activities undertaken and outputs produced under this heading is only
provided in the form of a description of these activities and outputs and
not in the form of supporting documents. Remember, however, to keep
all invoices and receipts that are directly relevant to PMI in the project’s
folder, in case you are asked to provide them during checks and audits.
 Budget Headings
Transnational Project Meetings
 The grant under this budget heading takes the form of a unit contribution,
corresponding to the participants’ travel and subsistence costs (A single
amount covering both travel and subsistence costs). The unit contribution is
based on the travel distance between departure and arrival cities.

 Travel Distances must be calculated using the Distance Calculator, a tool

developed by the European Commission. The applicant must indicate the
distance of a one-way travel to calculate the amount of the EU grant that
will support the round trip
https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/distance-calculator_en

 Participation of learners is not recommended

 Budget Headings
Transnational Project Meetings
 If a different place of origin or venue is reported, the beneficiary must
provide the reason for this difference. In addition, since this leads to a
change of distance band, the actual travel tickets or other invoices
specifying the place of departure and the place of arrival must be provided
at final report stage

 The beneficiaries must be able to demonstrate a formal link with the

persons participating in transnational project meetings
 Budget Headings
Transnational Project Meetings

!!! In case of parallel implementation of TPMs and LTTs, funding is received

for LTTs only

!!! If the TPM takes place before or after the LTT, then full funding is
provided for TPM and only individual support funding for the LTT
 Budget Headings
Intellectual Outputs
 Only paid personnel of the beneficiary organizations can claim staff costs for
Intellectual Outputs

 The beneficiaries must be able to demonstrate the formal link with the person
concerned. A payslip or an employment contract must be provided as proof of
the nature of the relationship between the two parties. In the case that an
employment contract uses a language other than English, an English translation
(of relevant articles only) must be provided at final report stage. Any financial
data that are not relevant for the Program can be erased

 Persons working for a beneficiary on the basis of service contract (e.g. web
designers etc.) are not considered as staff of the organisation concerned. Their
working time may be eligible under "exceptional costs”

 Timesheets must be signed by the legal representative of the

beneficiary and the person concerned
 Budget Headings
Intellectual Outputs

 When an IO is considered as ineligible during the application evaluation (= not

funded under this budget heading), the beneficiaries are still expected to
implement it, due to the fact that it is part of the project’s work program and
thus, one among other necessary steps for the completion of the project/the
achievement of its objectives

 When funds are transferred from elsewhere to a specific IO, the total number of
working days reported for this IO must be realistic and in line with its content

 The applicable category of staff does not relate to the professional profile of the
person, but to the function performed by the person in relation to the
development of the intellectual output
 Budget Headings
Multiplier Events
 A multiplier event must always be in direct relation with at least one Intellectual
Output

 Support is provided only for participants not representing one of the organizations
directly involved in the project  University students are eligible for participation in
Multiplier Events, when their University is one of the partner organisations, only
when they are enrolled in a programme offered by a Department different than the
one implementing the project

 Remember to keep all relevant invoices and receipts (for example, room
rental/catering receipts), even if the final eligible amount corresponding to this
budget heading will be calculated based on unit cost (local and international
participants)
 Budget Headings
Learning,Teaching and Training Activities

 Travel: The applicant must indicate the distance of a one-way travel to calculate the
amount of the EU grant that will support the round trip, using the Distance Calculator

 Support to participants in Learning, Teaching and Training Activities taking place in

their own country is eligible, provided that the activities involve participants from
beneficiary organisations from at least two different Programme Countries and that
the distance between the place of departure and place of arrival is at least 10 km

 Beneficiaries must be able to demonstrate the formal link with the persons
participating in Transnational LTT activities, whether they are involved in the Project as
staff or as learners
 Budget Headings
Exceptional Costs
 Eligible Costs:
 Costs related to sub-contracting/purchase of services
 Costs related to the depreciation costs of purchased equipment
 Costs of rental or lease of equipment
!! In the case of equipment purchase, rental or lease only the amount
corresponding to the share of time of the use of the equipment for the
project can be claimed

 Rules of Allocation:
 Sub-contracting must be related to services that cannot be directly
provided by one of the participating organisations
 Equipment cannot be normal office equipment or equipment
normally used by the organisations involved in the partnership
 Transfers of Funds
Between Budget Headings

Without an amendment of the Grant Agreement:

 All transfers falling under this category are described in the Grant
Agreement (“Special Conditions, Article I.3.3.”)  Table, Slide 23

!! Any transfer made, cannot result in an increase of the total awarded budget
or the maxima set for each budget heading

With an amendment of the Grant Agreement:

 All the transfers that do not fall under the previous category
 Transfers of Funds
Between Budget Headings

Without an amendment of the Grant Agreement:

 Transfers of Funds
Within Budget Headings

Changes within the same budget category are allowed (increase the number
of participants, mobilities etc), provided that there is no significant deviation
from the initial project results/ aims
 Grant Reductions
 Ineligible Activities at Final Report Stage:
If the NA declares an activity as ineligible, the grant amount corresponding to
the activity concerned must be reimbursed by the beneficiary in full. The
reimbursement must cover all budget categories for which a grant was awarded

 Poor, partial or late implementation of the Project:

A grant reduction based on poor, partial or late implementation may be applied

to the total final amount of eligible expenses and may be of:
 25% if the final report scores at least 40 points and below 50 points (Total Of
Maximum 100 Points)
 50% if the final report scores at least 25 points and below 40 points
 75% if the final report scores below 25 points
 Organizational and Practical Arrangements
 You should keep an Excel File for registering the real costs associated with
the Project. This applies also to costs associated with budget headings that
are based on unit contributions

 You are advised to request for offers, when dealing with excessive costs (for
example, when buying travel tickets), to be able to efficiently manage the EU
funds

 The legal representative of the coordinating partner must be kept updated

by the remaining partners at all times during project duration and no
decision must be made without his/her consent

 Apart from the transnational activities, you are also expected to organize
a number of local activities, involving the Media, the local authorities
and a number of relevant policy makers at local or national level
 Organizational and Practical Arrangements

 Project management within each partner organization must be the responsibility

of a group of people and not of a single person (staff changes etc.)

 You should apply fair and transparent criteria for the selection of participants in
the various project activities. You are also advised to keep records of the
selection procedure

 The use of Europass is strongly recommended

 The agenda of a transnational activity must be the result of strong cooperation

among all project partners, before the activity takes place