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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Grant Purpose and Target

Core objective: To contribute to enhanced youth engagement and youth inclusion in the programmes and policies of the EU Delegation to North Macedonia by providing technical, administrative, and communication support to the Youth Advisory Board (YAB).
Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: The target recipients are non-profit, non-governmental umbrella youth organizations established in North Macedonia.
MUST state if grant is 'SECTOR-SPECIFIC' or 'SECTOR-AGNOSTIC': This grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC focusing on youth, civil society, and governance.
Geographic scope and any location requirements: Actions must take place in North Macedonia.
Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Organizations must be legal persons, non-profit, non-governmental, established in North Macedonia for at least 7 years, and hold 'umbrella youth organization' status for at least 5 years (as per national law).
Grant frequency and program context: This is an open call for proposals supporting an existing and recurring initiative (the Youth Advisory Board) as part of the broader EU Integration Facility (EUIF) in North Macedonia.

Financial Structure

Total indicative budget for this call for proposals: EUR 250,000.
Maximum grant amount per project: EUR 250,000.
Funding rate: Maximum 90% of the total eligible costs of the action. The remaining balance (at least 10%) must be financed from sources other than the general budget of the European Union or the European Development Fund.
Eligible costs: Reimbursement of actual costs incurred. Costs must comply with Article 14 of the general conditions to the standard grant contract.
Contingency reserve: A contingency reserve not exceeding 5% of the estimated direct eligible costs is allowed, but can only be used with prior written authorization from the contracting authority.
Indirect costs: Eligible for flat-rate funding up to 7% of the estimated total eligible direct costs (excluding volunteer costs and project office costs). If the applicant receives an operating grant from the EU, they may not claim indirect costs for their incurred costs.
Ineligible costs: Debts and debt service charges, provisions for losses, costs already financed by another EU grant, purchases of land or buildings (unless necessary for direct implementation with ownership transfer), currency exchange losses, in-kind contributions (except authorized personnel costs for volunteers' work), bonuses in staff costs, negative interest charged by banks, credit to third parties, salary costs of national administrations personnel.
Co-financing: Required for the balance (at least 10%). Contributions in kind are not treated as co-financing.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type and Status

Must be a legal person.
Must be non-profit-making.
Must be a non-governmental organisation registered in line with the Law on Associations and Foundations in the Republic of North Macedonia.
Must be established in the Republic of North Macedonia for at least seven (7) years before the call launch date.
Must have the status of an umbrella youth organisation according to the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policy of the Republic of North Macedonia, for at least five years at the moment of publishing this call for proposals. A certificate from the Agency for Youth and Sport is required to confirm this status. Note: Due to the late adoption of bylaws (end of 2020), organizations may not have formally held this status for 5 full years, but still need to fulfil the criteria outlined in Article 9 of the law and provide the certificate.
Must be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action; cannot act as an intermediary.
Must not be in any of the exclusion situations (e.g., bankruptcy, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, serious breach of contract, or subject to EU restrictive measures).

Applicant Structure

The lead applicant must act individually; no co-applicants are allowed.
Affiliated entities are permitted if they have a structural link (legal or capital link, i.e., control or membership) with the lead applicant. This link must generally exist independently of the grant and prior to the call for proposals. Affiliated entities must satisfy the same eligibility criteria as the lead applicant.

Geographic Requirements

Actions must take place in North Macedonia.

Exclusion Criteria

The lead applicant and any affiliated entities must not be detected in EU restrictive measures.
Must not have an established debt to the Union.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online via PROSPECT (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/prospect/). Online submission is obligatory.
Lead applicants, and any affiliated entities, must register in PADOR (online database) and ensure their profile is up-to-date (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/pador). A unique EuropeAid ID is required.
A two-step submission process: Applicants submit both the Concept Note (Annex A.1) and the Full Application (Annex A.2) together initially. Only Concept Notes are evaluated first. If pre-selected, the Full Applications are then evaluated.
Applications must be submitted in English.
It is strongly recommended to register in PADOR and submit in PROSPECT well in advance of the deadline to avoid technical issues.

Required Documentation and Materials

Concept Note (Annex A.1): Must include Page 1 (filled in) as a cover, a summary table, description of action (max 2 pages), and relevance of action (max 3 pages).
Full Application (Annex A.2): Must include general information, detailed description of action (max 13 pages), methodology (max 5 pages), indicative action plan (max 4 pages), sustainability (max 3 pages), Logical Framework (Annex C), and Budget (Annex B).
Supporting Documents (submitted with Full Application):
- Statutes or articles of association for the lead applicant and affiliated entity(ies).
- Declaration on honour (Annex H) signed by the lead applicant and all affiliated entities (for grants > EUR 15,000).
- Audit report (for grants > EUR 750,000) or self-declaration (other cases) on the lead applicant's accounts for the last 3 financial years.
- Copy of the lead applicant’s latest accounts (profit and loss, balance sheet).
Documents not in an official EU language should include an English translation of relevant parts.

Timeline and Deadlines

Application deadline (for combined Concept Note and Full Application): 12 September 2025 at 17:00 (Brussels time).
Initial planned duration of action: Minimum 30 months, maximum 34 months.

Application Assistance and Information

An information session will be held on 24 June 2025 at 11:00 (Brussels time).
Questions may be sent by email to [email protected] no later than 21 days before the deadline. Replies will be published online; individual replies are not provided.
IT support for PADOR and PROSPECT is available via the online support form.

Post-Award Requirements

Successful applicants will be offered a standard grant contract (Annex G).
For grants exceeding EUR 60,000, beneficiaries and affiliated entities (excluding natural persons, pillar-assessed entities, governments/public bodies) must complete a self-evaluation questionnaire on Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEA-H) (Annex L).
Visibility of the European Union as a funder is required, typically by displaying the EU emblem and relevant funding statements. Derogations may be permitted in exceptional cases for security or political sensitivities.

Evaluation Criteria

Step 1: Concept Note Evaluation (Total Max 50 points)

This step assesses the relevance and design of the proposed action.
Each subheading is scored between 1 (very poor) and 5 (very good).
Relevance (Max 20 points, weighted x2 for total 40 points):
- Relevance to the objectives, sectors, themes, and specific priorities of the call for proposals.
- Relevance to the particular needs and constraints of the target country/regions/sectors.
- Clear description and definition of target groups and final beneficiaries, their needs, and how the action addresses these.
- Particular added-value elements (e.g., promotion of partnerships, innovation, best practice).
Design (Max 10 points):
- Soundness of the intervention logic (including expected outputs, outcomes, impact, risks, and assumptions).
- Clarity and appropriateness of proposed activities and their linkages.
- Integration of relevant cross-cutting issues (human rights, gender equality, environmental sustainability, etc.).
Concept Note Threshold: Must score at least 30 points and be ranked within the top proposals (total requested contributions equal to at least 200% of the available budget).

Step 2: Full Application Evaluation (After Concept Note Pre-selection)

This step evaluates quality, proposed budget, and capacity of applicants.
Each subsection is scored between 1 (very poor) and 5 (very good).
Selection Criteria (Max 20 points for Operational & Financial Capacity):
- Financial Capacity (Max 10 points): Lead applicant must demonstrate stable and sufficient sources of finance to maintain activity and participate in funding (verified via audit reports or self-declarations).
- Operational Capacity (Max 10 points): Lead applicant and affiliated entities must have the management capacity, professional competencies, and qualifications for the action.
- Selection Criteria Threshold: Total score for this section must be at least 12 points, and no subsection score can be 1. Failure to meet this will lead to rejection.
Award Criteria (Total Max 80 points):
- Relevance of the Action (Max 30 points, weighted x2 for total 60 points): Consistency with the call objectives, relevance to country/sector needs, and targeting of beneficiaries.
- Methodology (Max 20 points): Coherence and feasibility of the proposed activities, implementation approach, and overall design.
- Sustainability of the Action (Max 15 points): Expected long-term benefits, risk analysis, multiplier effects, and plans for financial, institutional, policy, and environmental sustainability after the grant period.
- Budget and Cost-effectiveness (Max 15 points): Justification of the budget, assessment of value for money, and financial feasibility.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory and Ethical Compliance

Strict adherence to environmental legislation and core labour standards (International Labour Organisation conventions).
Commitment to and respect for basic EU values: human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights (including the rights of minorities).
Adherence to a 'zero tolerance' policy for all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEA-H).
Full compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and regulations.
Prohibition of unusual commercial expenses (e.g., commissions not specified in contract, payments to unidentified payees, payments to tax havens).

Financial and Administrative Compliance

Applicants (and relevant associated persons) must not be in any situation that would trigger early detection or exclusion from EU funding (e.g., fraud, grave professional misconduct, significant financial irregularities).
Mandatory PADOR registration and maintenance of an up-to-date profile.
Submission of a Declaration on Honour (Annex H) is required, certifying compliance with exclusion and selection criteria.

Project-Specific Requirements

The grant strictly supports the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) in North Macedonia, focusing on providing technical, administrative, and communication assistance.
Actions must contribute to enhanced youth engagement and youth inclusion in EU Delegation programs and policies.
Financial support to third parties by the grant beneficiary is explicitly not allowed.
Mandatory visibility of EU funding must be ensured through correct and prominent display of the EU emblem and relevant funding statements.
Lead applicants can submit only one application under this call and can be awarded only one grant.

Risk Management

A detailed risk analysis and contingency plan must be provided, addressing physical, environmental, political, economic, and social risks, along with specific mitigation measures.

Strategic Alignment and Sustainability

Proposed actions should align with the EU Youth External Action Plan and the National Youth Strategy of North Macedonia.
Projects should demonstrate potential for multiplier effects, including scope for replication, extension, cross-fertilisation of experience, and knowledge sharing.
Clear plans for the sustainability of the action after the funding period must be outlined, covering financial, institutional, policy, and environmental aspects.

Grant Details