CALL EXTENDED - Deadline to apply is 7 July 2023 at 14h00 CEST, Brussels time!

Facilitating regional cooperation between young liberals is one of the cornerstones of LYMEC - whether it is through regular meetings of International Officers, yearly meetings of Presidents, events or trainings. LYMEC Bureau has now initiated the re-creation of the LYMEC Cooperation Project Fund, first used in 2021, aimed at giving Member Organisations the possibility to organise an event together. Jointly organised events can be beneficial to Member Organisations as it enables participants to exchange ideas and best practices. This not only strengthens the organisations themselves, but also liberal cooperation on a larger scale.

All LYMEC Member Organisations can propose projects that aim at connecting at least 3 LYMEC Member Organisations from at least three different European countries. The selected Project Proposal will get access to a LYMEC Cooperation Project Fund of 5000 EUR to co-finance their project. 

The projects or events CANNOT promote candidates or finance member organisations or campaigns at any level of governance, neither directly nor indirectly. The project must focus on cooperation between organisations and bringing together members of those organisations. 

Main objectives:

• The LYMEC Project Fund is exclusively reserved to LYMEC Associate or Full Member Organisations.
• To be eligible for the LYMEC Project Fund, at least three LYMEC Member Organisations (MOs)  from at least three European countries must apply together by sending one single project application. In other words, only one application has to be handed in per project, not per MO. MOs should co-sign the joint project application. 
• The Pan-European aspect of the initiative must be ensured and present in the duration of the whole project.
• The regional cooperation component, especially on a local level, will be taken into account during the evaluation of your project applications.
• This Project Fund is aimed at co-financing your project, therefore it cannot be the only source of funding for the initiative. It is encouraged to work on the event with other co-financing partners. Please highlight the names of the co-financing partners in the application. 

The project should focus on one of the following policy areas, as outlined in the LYMEC 2022-2024 Programme of Action:

• Future of Europe and structural reform;
• Democracy, civil rights, security and the rule of law;
• Climate, environment, energy and migration;
• Digitalisation, cybersecurity and the free internet;
• Globalisation, trade and economy;
• Education and youth unemployment.

Timeline:

• Please complete the Registration Form available here before 7 July  2023, at 14h00 CEST, Brussels time.
• The project must be carried out between the dates 15 September 2023 and 19 November 2023.  
• All the applications received before the deadline will be assessed and the best proposal will be selected. Applications sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
• The winning project will be announced by 13 July 2023. 

Additional requirements: 

• After the project, you are required to also write an article for Libertas - LYMEC Online Magazine about the event. 
• For project implementation review, a draft of a short report of maximum two pages is expected from the Project Leader(s) – reflecting on the objectives and presenting the outputs, programme and outcomes realised. 
• Proper financial administration of the project will be expected based on the agreed budget overview. Final realised budget overview must be delivered at the end of the project term. 

How to apply:

The application should include the registration form and budget template. You can download the budget template here, fill it in and directly upload it in the designated field of the registration form. 

Application form: 

• Appoint one or more Project Leaders, who will be LYMEC contact points for the whole project duration. The Leaders are expected to give regular updates on the project progress to the LYMEC Project Officers and Treasurer, if selected. An outline of the Project Leader(s)’ relevant experience in project management is required.
• Name of the proposed project
• A detailed description of the activity in line with one of the Programme of Action policy areas listed above. 
• Clearly show the pan-European dimension of the project and the involved members (at least 3 MOs from at least 3 different countries). 
• Preliminary timetable/schedule for the event with draft sessions and speakers.
• The objectives of the activity, expected outcomes and concrete outputs or deliverables.
• The audience it is aimed at and the level of participation from inside and outside the participating LYMEC MOs.

Evaluation criteria for the projects: 

• Pan-European dimension 
• Members and countries threshold 
• Financial feasibility 
• Co-financing capabilities 
• Actual interaction between members
• Link to the Programme of Action 
• Impact and deliverables 
• Appointed Project Leaders’ relevant experience 

Budget template (available here for download):

• A detailed budget of the costs following LYMEC compulsory Budget template. Additional sources of funding should also be listed (if applicable), including participants' contributions.
• Please be aware that cross-financing (other funds being applied to the same event) is required.
• The responsibility to stay within the LYMEC Project Fund budget of 5000 EUR lies on the Project Leaders. No additional funds will be made available on behalf of LYMEC.
• Only items and services directly and clearly linked to the related LYMEC Project Fund activity are eligible. The use of the Project Fund cannot be linked to the financing of an organisation’s other activities. Computers, tablets, or other technology where the primary benefit is for one person, or where the project only needs the equipment for short-term use cannot be covered. Tips, spirits, cigarettes, etc. cannot be covered. Per diems/pocket money/lunch allowances are not allowed.

Applicants consent their data to be transferred to the granting authority of the European Commission under the Portal Privacy Statement within the strictly necessary limits for implementing, managing and monitoring the Agreement. The Portal Privacy Statement is available here. You can always contact [email protected] for more information or in case of data erasure request.

Should you have any questions about the application process, please reach out to [email protected] for administrative support or [email protected] for assistance on financial or compliance issues. Any application received after the set deadline will not be taken into consideration. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.