FAQ

APPLICATION SUPPORT *toggle_category*

1. Is it possible to have a phone conversation with the project coordinators regarding filling out the Application Form?

Applicants are not consulted by phone in order to ensure the principle of equal treatment of applicants. For individual questions concerning the eSINNIS Portal, please contact the IT Helpdesk: IThelp@esf.lt

Non-IT related questions should be sent to the following email address: ltu@esf.lt

For transparency purposes, relevant answers will be added to the FAQ page.

2. Where can the Call documents be found, in particular the guidance notes and the Application Form?

The Call Conditions can be found here: Innovative Approaches Tackling Long-Term Unemployment.

All support for applicants can be found here: Resources.

3. What qualifies as an organisation registration document? Is the PIC number mandatory?

Suppose your organisation is already validated by the Central Validation Service (status ‘validated’) and you have a Participant Identification Code (PIC), which you can find in the register of all EU programme participants. In that case, you do not need to submit the organisation’s registration certificate. You can check whether your organisation has already been registered here.

If the Central Validation Service has not validated your organisation (your organisation has not registered to obtain a PIC yet or has registered but the status is still ‘declared’, etc.), please provide the documents that prove your organisation’s legal status.

4. Can one legal entity submit more than one project application?

Under this Call, an entity may only participate as the coordinator in one consortium.

5. How will the confidentiality and safety of the data provided in the Application Form be ensured?

All data provided in the Application Form will be processed in accordance with the applicable data protection laws, including Regulation 2016/679. It will be processed solely for the purpose of the assessment of the application, the subsequent management of the grant and, if necessary, the monitoring, evaluation, and communication of the programme. For more details, see Article 14 of the Grant Agreement: annex-2_-grant-agreement-template_24.04.17.pdf

6. What happens, if not all documents are submitted in time for the call deadline?

All applications must be submitted directly online via the eSInnis Portal ((e) Social Innovation Information System). Register to the eSInnis here: Registration | eSInnis+.

Connect to eSInnis after registration here: Login | eSInnis+.

Once the deadline has passed, it is no longer possible to make corrections, add mandatory or non-mandatory documents or submit the Application Form.

7. Will the information in the application or annexes be corrected if any uncertainties arise for the evaluators?

The experts, who evaluates the Application must have no oral or written communication with the applicant or the partners. If any problems arise during the assessment, the experts should contact the Granting Authority. The Granting Authority will decide whether the beneficiary needs to provide additional information or clarification, or whether the application should be assessed as submitted.

8. Is it possible to insert images or charts in the Application Form?

Any charts and images may be added to the Application as Annexes. To put them directly to the text in the Application is not possible.

9. What information do I need to provide in part A of the Application Form?

Please refer to Annex 3 of the Call, which is the model Application Form:

https://www.esf.lt/data/public/uploads/2024/04/annex-3-application-form.pdf

10. How should level C1 of English language skills be attested?

To certify your language level, you must provide a declaration (Annex 8 Declaration of the Professional Competencies).

11. Regarding operational capacity, should the Coordinator's experience in (1) the coordination of consortia (2) long-term unemployment projects be included in the same Annex 5?

Annex 5 refers to previous projects and Annex 8 to your professional skills. If the two pieces of information match, you should include them in both annexes.

12. Does the Declaration of Honour (DoH) have to be signed by all the Beneficiaries or just by the Coordinator?

The Declaration of Honour must be signed by all Beneficiaries.

13. The DoH states: "During the implementation of the project My organisation will make co-financing contribution not less than 20 % towards the eligible costs of the project that are not covered by the project funding (...)." Our consortium will provide the required 20% co-financing, but it will not be shared equally. The distribution of the co-financing between the Beneficiaries will be specified in the future Consortium Agreement.

The Declaration of Honour for Beneficiaries (Annex 6 to the Application Form) is updated to include more flexibility in distributing the co-financing between the Beneficiaries. The 20% co-financing clause is no longer mandatory if a different arrangement has been specified in the consortium agreement. Annex 6 can be found here: Annex-6-amended-version-1.pdf

14. Is it possible to organise a preparatory consultation to check the project concept before taking it further?

Preparation consultations are not provided. All analysis and preparation work must be completed prior to submission of the Application, which will be assessed after the submission deadline.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES AND ORGANISATIONS *toggle_category*

1. What types of entities are eligible to lead a consortium and how many beneficiaries should a consortium have?

To be considered eligible, a consortium must include an applicant (coordinator) and at least one co-applicant from another EU Member State than the coordinator, or from an eligible non-EU country, as stated in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Call Conditions. Furthermore, among these entities, at least one legal entity must demonstrate a proven track record of at least one year’s experience in the field of long-term unemployment. The proof of such experience should be declared in Annex 8 to the Application and can be found here: LTU-Annex-8.-v2.docx.

2. Is it enough for two people to apply for the funding, or do we need a company to get the funding?

Natural persons cannot be applicants, co-applicants or associated partners. When forming the consortium, it is necessary to consider including an applicant (coordinator) and at least one co-applicant from another EU Member State than the coordinator, or from an eligible non-EU country, as stated in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Call Conditions. Furthermore, at least one of these legal entities must have at least one year's experience in the field of long-term unemployment.

3. Can only one type of entity form a consortium, e.g., only public or only private legal entities?

There is no restriction on whether all consortium entities are of one type, e.g., all consortium members can be public legal entities. However, the applicant must explicitly explain how the member entities of the consortium will contribute to the mutual learning, joint work, and implementation of the project, what each member brings to the process, and how the mutual learning will be organised (e.g., peer review or any kind of peer support, etc.). The roles of the consortium members reflect their experience, and expertise or their need for knowledge and policy examples. In this respect, it is useful to include in the consortium a variety of stakeholders (NGOs, competent public authorities, employment providers, local communities, social economy entities, etc.).

4. What kind of supporting documents are needed from associated partners and institutions that will support the project?

There are no fixed conditions for the submission of supporting documents from associated partners and/or institutions that will support the project.

Section 6 of the Call Conditions provides information on eligibility, eligible participants, and consortium composition.

5. Is there a model for the Consortium Agreement?

There is no template for a consortium agreement. Please note that a consortium agreement is for the internal use of the legal entities involved in the project implementation. You do not have to submit the agreement to the Granting Authority.

6. Can non-EU countries participate as partners or associated partners in the Consortium?

Only entities established in EU Member States, listed European Economic Area (EEA) countries, and countries associated with the ESF+ (Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, and Serbia) or countries with which an association agreement is being negotiated and for which the agreement enters into force by the deadline of this Call can be part of the Consortium (Moldova).

7. Is it possible to have more than one partner from the same country?

Projects should be transnational, involving at least two partners from different EU Member States or eligible non-EU countries (see Section 6.1 of the Call Conditions). Applicants can form national partnerships as long as the aforementioned transnational criteria are followed. The Call Conditions do not specify the number of national partners that the beneficiary has to cooperate with.

8. Can an international organisation be the applicant?

The current Call restricts international organisations from applying or partnering on a project. However, international organisations can participate in a project as associated partners.

9. What is the definition of an international organisation?

An international organisation means an organisation and its subordinate bodies governed by public international law, or any other body which is set up by, or on the basis of, an agreement between two or more countries.

10. Can Bosnia and Herzegovina participate as a co-applicant in this Call given that it has not yet signed the Agreement to join EASI? It has however expressed interest and its Agreement is currently being concluded by the Commission.

As stipulated in Call Conditions, Section 6.1. ‘Eligible participants’, in order to be eligible, the applicant acting as coordinator, co-applicants, and associated partners must:

- Be a legal entity (public or private body),

- Be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:

- EU Member States,

- Non-EU countries: listed European Economic Area (EEA) countries and countries associated to the ESF+ (Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, and Serbia) or countries with which an association agreement is being negotiated and for which the agreement enters into force by the deadline of this Call. Thus, we would like to kindly clarify that the agreement must enter into force by the deadline of this Call, which is 30 September 2024.

11. Could the UK be included in a consortium?

Unfortunately, the UK is not an eligible partner for this Call.

12. Should entities that coach or support the target group in their job search be considered beneficiaries?

It is at the applicant’s discretion to select consortium members and agree on the innovative approach to be transferred or scaled up. As defined in the Call Conditions, beneficiaries – the signatories of the Grant Agreement (either directly or through an accession form) – are expected to collectively contribute to the smooth and successful implementation of the project. This means implementing their respective project parts properly, complying with their obligations under the Grant Agreement, and supporting the coordinator in fulfilling their responsibilities. In conclusion, it is up to the applicant to assign roles as he/she sees fit.

INELIGIBLE COSTS *toggle_category*

PARTNER SEARCH *toggle_category*

1. Where can applicants search for project partners and for social innovation initiatives developed and tested in other countries?

The European Competence Centre for Social Innovation manages the Social Innovation Match (hereinafter 'SIM') database, a platform that aims to promote the transfer and/or scaling up of social innovations across Europe. Currently, over 170 social innovation initiatives are already visible.

Please follow this link to register and to search for partners: Social Innovation Match | European Social Fund Plus

It is also planned to hold an Online Matchmaking Event during the application phase. Detailed dates are published on the website News - SI+ (socialinnovationplus.eu).

2. Should partners only be found in the Social Innovation Match database?

All projects must establish operational partnerships with at least one partner from a different Member State or eligible non-EU countries (see Section 6.1 of the Call Conditions). However, the partner does not necessarily have to be from the above-mentionned database. The SIM database is only to help you find a partner, but it is in no case mandatory. Please note that the partnership project must benefit the target group. Therefore, it is up to the beneficiary to know which partner would be suitable for their planned activities.

3. What is the best number of partners per project?

There is no simple answer to this question. It depends on many factors. The applicant has the best knowledge of their country or region and the target group they want to work with, so they can foresee inviting partners to help implement the project. It is also possible to think of informal as well as formal partners who will help with the project.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT PROVIDERS *toggle_category*

1. Is it possible to award the Grant to other smaller organisations that will be involved in the employment of the long-term unemployed?

The Grant can only be received by the beneficiaries of the consortium (coordinator and partners). Thus, regranting is not possible. However, it is possible to involve employment providers in the project as a partner even after the Grant has been received by the consortium. For a detailed description of how to introduce new partners to the project who will act as employment providers, please refer to Section 2.4 ‘Requirements for employment providers’ of the Call Conditions.

2. Can you explain who can be an employment provider for the long-term unemployed in the scope of the current Call?

Employment providers are understood in a wider sense, e.g., they are not necessarily national employment agencies. It can also be another entity, a local community, a municipality etc. As you can see from the description of previously tested local employment initiatives (Section 1.4 of the Call Conditions), there are different ways of employment depending on the country or regional settings, depending on the initiative itself.

3. Must the employment provider be a project partner, or can we just collaborate with local stakeholders in this respect?

The employment of target group members is an essential part of the Call. If you are not the employment provider for the target group of the project, you have to involve employment providers as described in Section 2.4 of the Call Conditions (Requirements for employment providers).

The inclusion of employment providers in the consortium is essential. However, if your organisation is going to act as an employment provider (meaning it will transfer remuneration to the long-term unemployed), then you are already in line with Section 2.4 of the Call Conditions.

4. Are there any specific requirements for jobs provided for the long-term unemployed in the scope of this Call?

It should be underscored that any opportunities created for the long-term unemployed persons must supplement existing offers and services rather than simply redistribute them. Each employment position is eligible for remuneration for a maximum of 24 months within the timeframe of the project. Long-term unemployed persons may be employed on a part-time basis, tailored to their capabilities, with flexible working options to accommodate their diverse needs and circumstances.

Also, secondment options are possible for the long-term unemployed in line with the applicable national laws. In this Call, secondments can only occur in national set-ups. This is different from temporary work, where an employee is temporarily leased to another company, which is not eligible under this Call.

For more information, please refer to Sections 2.4 ‘Requirements for employment providers’ and 2.5 ‘Essential elements of the application’ of the Call Conditions.

5. Can we place the long-term unemployed in our country’s companies, where they will learn a wide spectrum of skills to help them find permanent employment?

As stated in Section 2.5 (Essential elements of application) of the Call Conditions, any opportunities created for long-term unemployed persons must supplement existing offers and services rather than simply redistribute them. In other words, you have to consider if such job placements represent social innovation or if they simply reproduce existing offers available on the labour market, which would not comply with the essential elements and the aim of the Call.

6. The Call mentions that employment providers are expected to offer job opportunities to long-term unemployed persons during the project. However, the Call also states that only voluntary participation by long-term unemployed persons is encouraged. Could you please clarify what is meant by voluntary participation if participants are to receive remuneration?

For a more detailed explanation, please refer to the Call Conditions, Section 2.5 ‘Essential Elements of the Application: User-Centred Approach’. To clarify, under no circumstances should the long-term unemployed be forced out of any existing arrangements to include them in new ones. The participation/inclusion of the target group must be entirely voluntary. The remuneration process applies as set out in the Call Conditions.

7. Does the Call require the project to cover an individual's full wage (up to the minimum wage) for a specified period of time, or does it suggest that employers will be supported/incentivised to do so?

The involvement of employment providers as beneficiaries of the projects allows them to utilise the grant for remuneration costs associated with long-term unemployment. Any additional costs incurred by the project partner must be clearly outlined in the Detailed Budget Table in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Call Conditions.

Remuneration costs must be planned in accordance with the requirements of national minimum wage legislation or, in countries where there is no national minimum wage, collective agreements for specific sectors. It should be noted, however, that long-term unemployed persons may be employed on a part-time basis, tailored to their capabilities, with flexible working options available to accommodate their diverse needs and circumstances. There is no requirement to employ target group members on a full-time basis.

The Call does not support regranting, which means that the Consortium may not distribute the Grant of the project to other entities.

8. Is it possible to include employment providers as Associate partners to testify their involvement and commitment to the project at application stage, and then transform all or some of them into full partners (beneficiaries) at the implementation stage?

In principle, yes, employment providers can be included on the application stage as associate partners. Section 2.4 explains that new employment providers who have not been included in the project at the application stage, but who will offer job places and would like to recruit long-term unemployed persons using the grant, may be included in a project as beneficiaries through an amendment to the Grant Agreement.

9. Can the long-term unemployed be placed for 6 months in one company and then 6 months in another? In that case, they would have two employment contracts that are not necessarily linked to each other.

This model of employing members of the target group in different companies is eligible. There is no requirement in the Call Conditions for the duration of employment in one workplace or any restriction as to the number of workplaces, except that the total duration of employment cannot exceed 24 months.

10. What are the employment duration conditions for the long-term unemployed?

For the duration of employment under this Call, there is no minimum duration, but a maximum of 24 months. Please refer to the Call Condition Section 2.4: “Each job is eligible for remuneration for a maximum of 24 months within the duration of the project.”

11. Can a co-applicant be responsible for all the subsidised jobs and then make secondments to each individual's employer? Each of them would be working in a different company. These different companies are not willing to participate in the Application, but they are willing to take part in the LTU Call.

Unfortunately, this is not possible. All entities that will employ the unemployed must participate in the project as Beneficiaries. Please refer to Section 2.4 of the Call Conditions that states: “Secondment typically refers to the temporary transfer of an employee from their current original employer to work in another department, company, or location. (...) This is different to temporary work, where an employee is temporarily leased to another company, which is not eligible under this Call.”

12. Is it possible not to use the subsidy for salaries if they are entirely financed by the employer?

It is possible if it corresponds to the other requirements of the Call. The wage subsidy for the long-term unemployed can only be used for their remuneration.

13. We plan to set up a legal entity as a job provider. Are the entity's operational costs (accounting, insurance, rent, etc.) considered eligible expenditure?

The eligible costs of a project are only eligible for its direct activities. The costs to which you refer may be covered by indirect costs.

OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL CAPACITY OF THE COORDINATOR *toggle_category*

1. What is operational capacity? Do all partners have to provide documents proving operational capacity, or only the main applicant?

For information on the assessment of operational capacity, please refer to Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions. Under this Call, only the operational capacity of the applicant acting as the coordinator will be assessed. In order to check if you meet the operational and financial capacity requirements, we recommend that you use the self-assessment checklist, which can be found here: Resources - SI+ (socialinnovationplus.eu).

2. How many previous projects do consortium partners have to include in the List of Previous Projects?

The minimum requirement for the coordinator to be eligible is experience in the management of at least one consortium project (funded by EU or national funds). The list of previous projects must contain implemented and finished projects undertaken by the Coordinator or the lead project manager within the last 5 years (2020-2024). It is not required to submit the list of projects implemented by partners. The Coordinator must have sufficient experience in project management/coordination. The operational capacity requirements are described in detail in Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions.

A template for the list of previous projects to be submitted by the project Coordinator or the lead project manager is provided in Annex 5 of the Call Conditions. A Word document can be downloaded from LTU_Annex-5.-v2.docx. Once filled in, the list must be uploaded as an individual Annex to the Application Form in eSInnis.

3. Where in Annex 5 should I indicate that the operational capacity experience is based on the lead manager and not the organisation?

You can indicate the operational capability experience of the lead manager in the text part of the document where you add the necessary information by clearly indicating this information in column (4) of the table ‘Other parties of the project’.

4. To prove the management experience of the coordinator, a list of projects managed by the coordinator and/or the lead project manager within the past five years must be submitted. With regard to the time criteria, should we consider the start date or the end date of the past project to calculate the five-year timeline?

Projects that are implemented and finished within the past five years (2020-2024) are eligible for operational capacity under this Call. Please note that only projects implemented within the past five years and completed in period of 2020-2024 are eligible to prove the operational capacity, as indicated in Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions.

5. Do monobeneficiary projects implemented in cooperation with transnational partners count as operational capacity?

Only consortium projects (multi-beneficiary projects) that meet the requirements listed in Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions may be considered eligible to prove the management experience of the coordinator for operational capacity. Even though the project has transnational partners, it is ineligible for operational capacity if it is not a multi-beneficiary project.

6. Will the operational capacity of partner organisations concerning implemented projects be considered if the project coordinator does not have the necessary experience in implementing projects with a total budget of at least EUR 200 000?

Under this Call, only the operational capacity of the coordinator will be assessed. The experience of partners in implementing projects with a total budget of at least EUR 200 000 will not be assessed.

7. Can experience in consortium projects funded by non-EU sources (but still public at the national level) be considered eligible to prove operational capacity?

Yes, the coordinator (as a legal entity) must have managed at least one consortium project (funded by EU or national funds) as a consortium coordinator. Please note that a project must have a value of at least EUR 200 000, must have involved at least two partners (a coordinator and two project partners) and must be implemented and finished within the past five years (2020-2024).

8. In order to prove the operational capacity, the project coordinator must provide a declaration. Could you please clarify whether this declaration implies a requirement for a certified level of English within the project team? Should the document take the form of a self-declaration, or is a CV of the project team more appropriate?

The content of the Declaration of the Professional Competencies is specified in the Call Conditions (see Section 7.2). The coordinator’s declaration template is provided as Annex 8 to the Call Conditions and must certify:

A very good command of English (C1 level) of the lead project manager,

The professional competence and appropriate qualifications of the project team to carry out the required tasks, and

That the coordinator (or co-applicant or experts) has engaged in the project and has proven expertise in working in the field of long-term unemployment initiatives for at least 1 year.

In the Declaration, the applicant confirms that he/she will ensure that his/her staff have the necessary qualifications. It is not necessary to attach a curriculum vitae. However, a description of the experience and expertise of the staff must be provided in Section 2.3 of Part B of the Application Form.

9. Are exclusively transnational projects assessed during the operational capacity evaluation or do domestic projects also count towards this minimum requirement?

Requirements set out in Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions: The coordinator (as a legal entity) has managed at least one consortium project (funded by EU or national funds) that was implemented and finished within the last five years (2020 – 2024), with a value of at least EUR 200 000 and with at least two partners (coordinator and 2 beneficiaries).

10. Concerning double funding from the EU budget: if we have already received European funding in a previous call and we are now submitting the same project but for new beneficiaries, is it ok?

If the new project meets the aim of the Call and the other requirements set out in the Call Conditions, the transfer or scale-up of the social innovation is foreseen, there will probably be no double funding.

11. What kind of proof should be provided to demonstrate at least one year of experience in working with long-term unemployment initiatives as stated in the Call?

As it is stated in Section 7.2 of the Call Condition, you should provide a Declaration by the coordinator certifying professional competences, appropriate qualifications, proven experience in working with a long-term unemployment initiative for at least one year, and a very good command of English (C1 level or higher) (please see Annex 8 of the Call Conditions for a template).

12. Is there a specific EU programme(s) to be considered valid, or is the experience in any type of consortium project sufficient as a requirement? Specifically, is experience as a coordinator of an Erasmus + project valid?

There is no requirement set for the funding programme to be included in the Operational Capacity assessment. However, the operational capacity must meet the minimum criteria envisaged in Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions.

13. Would a previously implemented Erasmus+ KA2 project of more than 200K financed by a National Agency (Agreement between a Beneficiary and the National Agency) be considered eligible for the assessment of operational capacity? The project was carried out with a partnership made up of transnational partners to whom the Beneficiary transferred funds received by the National Agency.

Erasmus+ KA2 projects vary according to the Call. If the grant was mono-beneficiary, then it does not comply with requirements of operational capacity. For example, if you were the only Beneficiary of the Grant when the Grant Agreement was signed, the necessary operational capacity is not assessed, even if you found/selected partners after the grant agreement was signed. Even if you found/chose partners after the signing of the Grant Agreement.

A possible option with KA2 projects which counts positively with the requirement of operational capacity is when you have received the Grant as the Consortium leader. Meaning / This means that you applied for the Grant as coordinator together with other partners. Of course, such project(s) should comply with other requirements stated in Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions.

14. Regarding operational capacities, is the consortium considered exclusively as a group of Beneficiaries made up of at least two countries?

If you ask about the assessment of operational capacity, we would like to refer you to Section 7.2 of the Call Conditions. It states that the Coordinator (as a legal entity) has managed (as a Coordinator) at least one consortium project (funded by EU or national funds):

with a value of at least EUR 200 000;
with at least 2 other beneficiaries (coordinator and 2 beneficiaries);
which was implemented and finished within the last 5 years (2020-2024).

If your question relates to the definition of a consortium in the LTU Call, to be considered eligible, a consortium must include an Applicant (Coordinator) and at least one co-applicant from another EU Member State or an eligible non-EU country other than the Coordinator, as stated in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Call Conditions. Furthermore, among these entities, at least one legal entity must demonstrate a proven track record of at least one year’s experience in the field of long-term unemployment.

TARGET GROUP, ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS *toggle_category*

1. Can projects aim to newly develop or scale up innovative methods/practices, which have not yet been proven successful?

Only projects that aim to transfer or scale up proven and promising social innovations aimed at facilitating the integration or reintegration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market and/or fostering their social inclusion are eligible for funding.

Social innovations have to be already created and proven successful in other contexts. For further details please refer to Section 2 of the Call Conditions.

2. How exactly should we understand the terms ‘transfer’ and ‘scale up’ in the context of the initiative approach?

As defined in ‘Social experimentation – A practical guide for project promoters’ (2022), ‘transfer’ refers to the implementation of social experimentation in other contexts (either territorial or to a different sector); ‘upscaling’ refers to the implementation on a larger scale, i.e., expanding the scope of small-scale new solutions to an upper level (from local to regional, national, and/or European levels) to reach a higher number of beneficiaries.

3. Who is the target group of the current call?

The target group must include long-term unemployed persons who are defined as individuals of working age who have been without employment for at least 12 months, irrespective of whether he/she is officially registered with the national public employment services.

4. Can we include other target groups in our projects, e.g., people who have been unemployed for up to 12 months?

The target group of the project should be solely composed of long-term unemployed persons.

5. How can we prove that these people are long-term unemployed? What documents do we need to provide? Some long-term unemployed are not on any register.

A beneficiary is responsible for the eligibility of the target group. The information on the participant should be checked in reliable national registers or other reliable sources of information. Please note that the beneficiary has no obligation to provide the Granting Authority with documents proving the status of a participant; however, they must keep such documents and make them available upon request from the competent authority.

6. We have developed a prototype app and we would like to further develop it. Is it possible to get funding for further stages of app development and distribution?

We would like to highlight that the aim of this Call is to transfer or scale up proven and promising social innovations aimed at facilitating the integration or reintegration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market and/or fostering their social inclusion. App development is not an exclusion, but it should be clearly expressed how such activity is in line with the aim of the Call.

7. What kind of activities can be financed by this Call?

Applicants must propose projects that include at least the following six predefined mandatory categories of activities:

Strengthening of collaboration and capacity building,
Fostering partnerships with local communities and local employers,
Mapping and reaching out to the target group,
Empowering the long-term unemployed and enhancing employability and social inclusion through tailored support and guidance,
Offering various working options and opportunities for long-term unemployed persons,
Participating in mutual learning events.

Applicants can also propose new activities or additional categories of activities that complement these examples, provided that they are in line with the aim of the Call.

For more details, please see Section 2.2. ‘Activities’ in the Call Conditions. Please note that the applicant must justify how the proposed activities will contribute to the objectives and outcomes of the project.

8. We would like to know whether a transnational project that includes internship opportunities would be eligible. In brief, what we have in mind is identifying partners who have access to the long-term unemployed, and we are planning to place these candidates in our country’s companies, where they will learn a wide spectrum of skills to help them find permanent employment.

All projects must include at least six predefined categories of activities, which are outlined in Section 2.2 of the Call Conditions. Projects must transfer or scale up proven and promising social innovations aimed at facilitating the integration or reintegration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market and/or fostering their social inclusion.

Also, as stated in Section 2.5 (Essential elements of application) of the Call Conditions, any opportunities created for long-term unemployed persons must supplement existing offers and services rather than simply redistribute them. In other words, you have to consider if there is social innovation in such job placements or if it merely replicate existing offers on the labour market, which would not comply with the essential elements of application.

9. Are there any specific requirements for the length of employment of the project’s target group?

Each employment position is eligible for remuneration for a maximum of 24 months within the timeframe of the project. Long-term unemployed persons may be employed on a part-time basis, with their capabilities taken into account and flexible working options available to accommodate their diverse needs and circumstances. For more details, please refer to Section 2.4 of the Call Conditions.

10. Do all partners have to implement the same activities in their countries?

No, there is no requirement to implement the same activities in all countries involved or to develop or scale up the innovative approach in more than one country.

11. Is it possible to begin an activity before signing the Grant Agreement? Can we claim the costs of this activity once the funding begins?

In order to be eligible for funding, project costs must be related to the duration of the project implementation period. Thus, costs incurred before the start of the project are not eligible.

12. What types of outputs are expected in project applications?

Project outputs are the results of the activities carried out and, therefore, the progress of the project. Project outputs are highly variable, depending on the project objectives, the planned activities and their structuring into work packages, the specific results, and the impact that a beneficiary is planning to achieve. When planning your project outputs, please consider the specificities of projects that aim at developing or scaling up of social innovation.

13. Are there any required outcomes for the project?

Applicants should demonstrate in their projects a focus on achieving the recommended outcomes, specifically by targeting the following areas (the list is not exhaustive):

The capacities of participating entities built to provide sustainable solutions to reducing long-term unemployment,
Enhanced stakeholder diversity and collaboration in addressing long-term unemployment,
Reduced long-term unemployment in the area targeted by the project,
Strengthened forms of personalised coaching service provision for long-term unemployed persons.

For a detailed description of the recommended outcomes, please refer to Section 2.3 of the Call Conditions.

14. In the final report ‘Lessons learned and future plans’ (Annex 7 to the Call Conditions), you mention providing a ‘Structured Feedback from the Institutions Involved and Relevant Stakeholders’. Could you please clarify this part?

The aim of this Call is to encourage applicants to transfer or scale up proven and promising social innovations aimed at facilitating the integration or reintegration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market and/or fostering their social inclusion. Innovative approaches will be implemented by different institutions involved in the projects. Feedback from these institutions and relevant stakeholders is essential to understanding the successes and failures of the innovative approach and to providing insights and recommendations for further development of the approach.

15. Could you please be a bit more specific about the term ‘social innovation’? How do you see it, and how broadly can we apply it?

An activity that is social in both its ends and its means, and in particular an activity that relates to the development and implementation of new ideas for products, services, practices, and models that simultaneously meets social needs and creates new social relationships or collaborations between public, civil society, or private organisations, thereby benefiting society and boosting its capacity to act.

Moreover, social innovation:

- is a collective social process involving distinctive participation of civil society actors and building new relationships between public, private, and third sector entities; and

- generates social outputs and impacts in the form of improved services, products, models, social relationships, standards, or policies that create a greater social impact than current practice and are therefore more effective in achieving the objectives of ESF+ and the European Pillar of Social Rights.

16. Is there a minimum number of long-term unemployed people involved in each proposal?

There is no minimum or maximum number of long-term unemployed participants involved. It all depends on the social innovation chosen and the activities envisaged.

17. Can a consortium propose a project intervention to be scaled up in more than two different countries?

Projects must involve entities from at least two eligible countries. The Call does not set a maximum number of partners and projects may involve more than two eligible countries (see Section 6.1 of the Call Conditions).

18. Must each country involved in the project hire people, or can one country focus on training while another one handles hiring?

There is no requirement for partners to carry out similar activities.

19. To what extent does the project/experience to be transferred need to be preceded by robust evidence?

Your application must describe in detail the successful social innovation you are planning to transfer or scale up, providing links and demonstrating its advantages over conventional activities with the long-term unemployed.

20. Is it possible to finance research through an external organisation that contributes to the project’s goals?

As already presented in previous reports, the aim of the Call is not to carry out research, but to transfer or scale up proven and promising social innovations aimed at facilitating the integration or reintegration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market and/or promoting their social inclusion. Research activities may be one of the foreseen activities of the project, but not the main activity. The project must comply with the essential elements.

21. Should only the coordinator or the whole partnership take part in mutual learning events?

Participating in the Mutual learning events is mandatory and for each face-to-face event we expect to receive up to 2 participants per project. Meaning, anyone from the consortium may take part in such events which will take place once per year (3 face-to-face events in total: Vilnius, Paris and Brussels). Planning those events is related to project management, but you may include them in other work packages as well, depending on the logic of your application. Also, there are no set dates for these events yet.

22. Does the project have to cover all 6 Categories of Activity?

The application must cover all 6 Categories of Activity. You may choose to include additional activities if necessary and provide supporting evidence of how the additional activities contribute to the project’s outcomes.

23. Are there any specific requirements to prove that participants are long-term unemployed?

The Beneficiary is responsible for the eligibility of the target group. The information on the participant should be verified in reliable national registers or other reliable sources of information. Please note that the beneficiary has no obligation to provide the Granting Authority with documents proving the status of a participant; however, they must keep such documents and make them available upon request from the Granting Authority.

24. Can the hired participants have previous work experience in the same company?

There are no restrictions on previous workplaces if the person is considered long-term unemployed, which means they have not worked for at least the last 12 months.

25. Should the consortium focus on a single successful social innovation to be transferred or extended, or could there be several (2 or 3)? For example, one innovation from X country, another from Y country to be explored as part of a cooperation project.

The project can use several proven social innovations.

PROJECT FINANCIAL PLANNING AND WORKPACKAGE MANAGEMENT *toggle_category*

1. Is there a minimum project grant?

Projects' budgets expect to range from a minimum of EUR 1 000 000 to a maximum EUR 3 000 000, but this does not preclude the submission/selection of applications requesting other amounts.

2. Can consortiums submit multiple projects with smaller budgets to reach the minimum amount of EUR 1 000 000 budget?

A consortium may submit only such projects with a budget range of between 1 and 3 million euros. Other amounts may be considered as well, but they must be clearly justified.

Under this Call, an entity may only participate as the coordinator in one consortium.

3. What is the co-funding rate?

The eligible costs of the Call will be reimbursed up to the maximum funding rate fixed in the Grant Agreement, i.e., 80%. A co-financing of at least 20% must thus come from other resources than the EU budget.

4. Could you please clarify if we are required to provide budget notes/comments for any costs we include in the budget category ‘B2. Other goods, works and services’ or only for costs included on the budget line ‘Others’ in the B2 budget category?

According to the instructions provided in the sheet ‘Instructions’ of the Detailed Budget Table, the breakdown of the costs must be specified in the sheet ’Comments’ if any costs are included under the category ‘B.2 Other goods, works and services’. More detailed information on the services procured (type, scope, and price of services) is necessary for experts to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of the costs planned. Please note that the information indicated in the application and in the Detailed Budget Table must be consistent. Adding notes in the comment section on how costs are indicated would facilitate the determination of the necessity of the costs.

5. In which category of expenses the costs of remuneration for the long-term unemployed must be planned?

Remuneration costs for the long-term unemployed persons of these new employment providers should be planned in a separate Work Package ‘Employment of long-term unemployed persons (other employment providers)’ and indicated under subcategory ‘Subsidised employment’ of the category C ‘Other cost categories’ in the Detailed Budget Table.

If the employment providers are not included in the consortium during the application stage, then the related remuneration costs of the long-term unemployed persons must be attributed to the coordinator. These costs will be transferred from the coordinator to the new employment providers through an amendment to the Grant Agreement at the project implementation stage. The new employment provider(s) will thus become additional beneficiaries of the project. These costs cannot be used by the coordinator for any purpose other than those indicated above.

6. How can we calculate the remuneration costs for a long-term unemployed person?

Remuneration costs must be calculated in line with the minimum wage laws of the specific country or the collective bargaining minimum wage of the specific employment provider where the long-term unemployed persons are to be employed. Only the minimum wage (including any applicable wage taxes under national law) is eligible and must be included in the project budget.

This does not exclude employment providers from offering a higher remuneration for long-term unemployed persons from their own funds.

Each employment position is eligible for remuneration for a maximum of 24 months within the timeframe of the project. Long-term unemployed persons may be employed on a part-time basis, tailored to their capabilities, with flexible working options available to accommodate their diverse needs and circumstances. Applicants should plan the employment positions in terms of monthly units.

7. When calculating staff costs, should data be taken for the last calendar year (2023) or for the 12 most recent months?

In the Detailed Budget Table, personnel costs must be coded in person-months. The cost per unit (person-month cost unit) is the average monthly personnel cost of all employees (or employees in the same or similar positions) concerned. The average monthly personnel cost is calculated on the basis of the actual costs incurred for one person during the last 12 months of full-time work.

Personnel costs are eligible if they:

Comply with the general eligibility conditions (Section 2).
Relate to staff working for the applicant(s) under an employment contract (or an equivalent appointing act); salary costs should not exceed the average rates corresponding to the applicant’s usual remuneration policy and should not differ significantly from the costs of staff performing similar tasks under an employment contract with the applicant.
Are paid in accordance with national law, the collective labour agreement, and the employment contract or equivalent appointing act.

8. Call Conditions state that at least 20% of the contribution to the total project budget must come from the beneficiary’s resources. What kind of proof will be requested from the beneficiary of this contribution?

The Grant under this Call takes the form of a lump sum. The maximum grant rate is 80%. Therefore, the total project budget should include the calculated contribution of the beneficiary. By signing the beneficiary’s declaration accompanying the Application Form, the applicant certifies that the beneficiary’s contribution will be financed from their own resources and will not be financed by other funds supported by the European Commission.

9. Are infrastructure and equipment costs eligible?

Costs of infrastructure and durable equipment are not eligible under the Call. If the equipment or other assets planned to be purchased in the project are classified as fixed assets according to the applicant’s accounting procedures, their expenditure is ineligible.

Please note that expenditure on consumables and supplies (e.g., raw materials, office supplies) is eligible if it is necessary for the implementation of the project. These costs must be included in cost category ‘B2. Other goods, works and services’.

10. What prepayment can we expect for the project, and when can we expect it?

In line with the maximum possible duration of the project (36 months), two prefinancing payments (plus an additional prefinancing, if applicable) and the final payment are foreseen:

- The first prefinancing payment of 60 % of the grant after the signature of the Grant Agreement;

- The second prefinancing payment of 25 % of the grant after approval of the first periodic report.

Where the expenditure of the previous prefinancing is less than 70%, the amount of the next prefinancing payment will be reduced by the difference between the 70% ceiling and the amount used.

The final payment (payment of the balance).

There will be no interim payments. The specific frequency, amount, and requirements of prefinancing will be defined in the Grant Agreement. For more details, refer to Point 4 of the Data Sheet and Articles 21 and 22 of the Grant Agreement.

The first prefinancing payment will be made within 30 days from the date of accession of all beneficiaries to the Grant Agreement or from the date of submission of a financial guarantee, whichever is the latest.

11. Can we use more than one work package for management purposes?

A lump sum will be paid when the results of this work package have been fully achieved (all planned deliverables have been achieved). Therefore, we recommend that beneficiaries break down the work package for management activities by year. This will allow you to declare the first management work package completed in the first periodic report.

12. To what extent should work packages be split (e.g., by year or by partner activity) to ensure proper cash flow management?

At the beginning of your project, you will receive a prefinancing payment to ensure that you have the necessary cash flow to carry out your project activities. The first reporting period is up to the 18th month of the project (the periodic report must be submitted by the 19th month). In the periodic report, you must declare fully completed work packages by the 19th month of the project. If a work package is not fully completed (not all deliverables have been achieved and submitted, even if one deliverable has not been achieved), you will not be able to declare the work package as complete. The importance of the completeness of work packages was presented in the info session for applicants on 28 May:

If a work package has a duration, e.g., 20 months, you will not be able to declare the completed work package in the first periodic report. If all work packages have a duration of e.g., 20 months, no completed work packages will be declared in the periodic report (unless all deliverables are achieved by the end of the reporting period). Moreover, you will be able to declare 0 % of the first prefinancing payment used if no work packages are completed. Finally, the second prefinancing payment will be reduced by the difference between the 70 % ceiling and the amount used.

When planning your work packages, please bear in mind that a certain number of work packages must be completed by the 18th month of the project in order to be able to declare their completeness and the percentage (not less than 70 %) of the first prefinancing used. However, do not split the work packages into very small ones, but group them according to reporting periods.

13. Is it possible to cover increased costs by moving expenses from one work package to another?

The Grant under this Call takes the form of a lump sum. The payment of a lump sum is linked to the completion of the corresponding work package. This means that any redistribution of expenses between the work packages is not possible.

14. How can we demonstrate that a work package is complete?

In order to declare a work package completed, the beneficiary will need to upload supporting documents to the Portal proving that all deliverables of a specific work package agreed in the Grant Agreement have been achieved.

15. What happens if the deliverables are not considered to be of sufficient quality?

The quality of the deliverables will be assessed on the basis of the information provided in the Grant Agreement. Should the quality be deemed insufficient, all costs associated with the work package will not be eligible. Therefore, we recommend that the activities to be carried out and the results to be achieved are planned very carefully, designed to be achievable, and described very clearly in the application.

16. Do we need to provide timesheets to the Granting Authority to support project staff costs?

There is no requirement to provide timesheets to the Granting Authority. Beneficiaries will need to provide supporting documents that prove the achievement of the deliverables specified in the Grant Agreement. Please note that the beneficiary is responsible for keeping financial records in line with national and EU legislation.

17. How will the lump sum be defined? Will it be established during the assessment?

A lump sum will be determined during the assessment of the application on the basis of the submitted Detailed Budget Table linked to the work packages.

18. How does the project owner account for the 20% co-financing?

The applicant foresees the total amount of funding needed for the project when preparing the application. The Agency checks the eligibility of the costs during the assessment process and the maximum 80% of the requested funding is calculated at the time of signing the agreement. The applicant has to ensure that the implementation of the project activities will ensure the use of the necessary expenditure.

19. Does the lump sum system only function on a WP basis? In other words, the lump sum is paid only after the completion of the WP (end of the project)?

The lump sum will be paid once the WP has been completed and the deliverables have been achieved. Therefore, when planning of the flow of funds, we urge you to plan the WP and deliverables in accordance with the planned payments (with the periodic reports).

20. How long does it take to receive the payment after the report?

The payment will be due within 90 days of receipt of the periodic report.

The lump sum will be paid once the WP has been completed and the deliverables have been achieved. Therefore, when planning the flow of funds, we urge you to plan the WP and deliverables in accordance with the planned payments (with the periodic reports).

21. Is it possible to receive prefinancing to finance job position costs (salaries)? Otherwise, the payment of salaries will be paid at the end of the two-year period (duration of the beneficiary’s job).

In line with the maximum possible duration of the project (36 months), two prefinancing payments (plus an additional prefinancing, if applicable) and the final payment are foreseen:

- The first prefinancing payment of 60% of the grant after the signature of the Grant Agreement.

- The second prefinancing payment of 25% of the grant after approval of the first periodic report.

Where the expenditure of the previous prefinancing is less than 70%, the amount of the next prefinancing payment will be reduced by the difference between the 70% ceiling and the amount used.

The final payment (payment of the balance).

There will be no interim payments. The specific frequency, amount, and requirements of prefinancing will be defined in the Grant Agreement. For more details, please refer to Point 4 of the Data Sheet and Articles 21 and 22 of the Grant Agreement.

22. When you submit the Periodic Report but the WP is still in progress (e.g., employment costs as beneficiaries remain in employment for two years), can you receive payment for what has been accomplished up to that point?

No, the payment will only be paid for the completion of the WP and the deliverables achieved. We advise you to plan your WPs according to Reporting Periods to ensure the necessary cash flow. Major WPs lasting for longer periods can be split into smaller ones.

23. How is the subsidised employment financed? At the end of the corresponding WP?

The lump sum will be paid once the WP has been completed and the deliverables have been achieved. Therefore, when the planning of the flow of funds, we urge you to plan the WP and the deliverables in accordance with the planned payments (with the periodic reports).

24. Does the EU grant cover the management and coordination costs of the companies involved in the project in relation to the recruitment of the long-term unemployed and the monitoring of the project activities?

Any costs during the project implementation should be covered by the Consortium. Only the management costs of project coordinator may be planned as direct project costs . The management costs of other partners, if any, can only be covered as indirect costs. Employment providers may be project partners and their expenses may be covered by the Grant. Such partnerships may be established as presented in Section 2.4 of the Call Conditions.

25. Is it necessary to include all 6 categories of activity envisaged in the Call into 6 different Work Packages, each corresponding to a category of activity?

You can plan project activities, including mandatory ones, in your own logic that best fits your project.

26. Does the minimum wage refer to total gross salary?

Yes, the Application must include the full gross salary.

27. As regards the definition of the minimum wage, should we refer to a specific official website that is used as a reference at European level?

You must comply with national minimum wage rules, or a collective agreement established in the country. You can also refer to the minimum wage data provided by Eurostat: Template_SE_Minimum_wage_statistics_2024S02.xlsx (live.com) or use any other legal reference justifying cost calculations.

28. The Hungarian government has already announced that the minimum wage will be increased by 15% next year. Can this 15% increase be calculated for the wages of the unemployed in 2025?

You should base your calculations on the current national minimum wage rules, or a collective agreement established in the country.

29. Employment length calculation questions. a.Is it possible to move from part-time to full-time employment once the project has started? For example, if the project involves hiring 10 full-time staff, can they later be replaced by 20 part-time staff or the equivalent in terms of budget? b.Can we indicate in the Application the average length of employment without assigning a specific number of people to specific periods of employment? c.In the description of the Application, should we indicate the number of people we plan to employ and whether it will be part-time or full-time?

To answer questions 4 a), b), c), the applicants should plan the employment positions in terms of monthly units. That means that all calculations should be made for one person in full-time employment. This provides flexibility to make changes as indicated in question a).

30. What to calculate: the wages actually paid by employers or only the wage subsidy granted to the employer? E. g. the salary is €1,000 per month and the wage subsidy is €800 per month. Should costs of €1,000 or €800 be calculated, and can the €200 be treated as co-financing?

The LTU Call only subsidises salaries equivalent to the country's minimum wage. If the minimum monthly wage in your country is €800, you cannot calculate more in the budget table. The co-financing will be calculated on the basis of the minimum wage.

As stated in Section 2.4 of the Call Conditions: “Remuneration costs must be calculated in line with the minimum wage laws of the specific country or the collective bargaining minimum wage of the specific employment provider where the long-term unemployed persons are to be employed. Only the minimum wage (including any applicable wage taxes under national law) is eligible and must be included in the project budget. This does not exclude employment providers from offering a higher remuneration for long-term unemployed persons from their own funds.”

31. During project management, is it possible to move economic resources from one Work Package (WP) to another?

The payment of a lump sum is linked to the completion of the corresponding WP. This means that any redistribution of expenses between the Work Packages is not possible.

32. In the WP devoted to the reimbursement of employment costs, is it possible to include, in addition to the costs of compensating long-term unemployed workers (salary, social security, tax), the administrative costs associated with the preparation, execution and closure of 100 one-year contracts, under the ‘Staff costs’ budget item?

Under this Call only the project coordinator's costs related to project management are eligible to be funded from the direct costs. Project co-applicants cannot cover their project management costs from direct costs.

33. To calculate travel and accommodation expenditures, we need to know how many people are expected to participate in the Mutual learning events? Only local partner representatives or will all partner leaders be expected to attend?

Participating in the Mutual learning events is mandatory. For each face-to-face event, we expect to receive up to 2 participants per project; any member of the Consortium can participate in these events which will take place once per year (3 face-to-face events in total: Vilnius, Paris and Brussels). Planning for these events is linked to project management, but you can also include them in other work modules, depending on the logic of your Application.

34. When and where will the Mutual learning events be organised?

This information has not yet been confirmed, we will keep you informed.

35. If Mutual learning events are included in the Management Work Package, then partners cannot claim participation fees, is this correct?

Partners can cover any costs related to travel to the location where Mutual events will take place. Accommodation and subsistence costs can be included as well.

36. In the two WPs dedicated to project management, we have also included costs for quality assurance, evaluation and impact measurement. Can we allocate staff efforts to all co-applicants for these tasks, given that these tasks go beyond ordinary management?

Only the project Coordinator’s management costs may be planned as direct costs of the project. The management costs of any co-applicants, if any, must be covered only by indirect costs.

37. Management costs cannot be calculated as direct costs for partners: does this only apply to WP1 or the other WPs?

This rule only applies to Management WP.

38. If the subsidy is transferred on completion of the Work Package, does this mean that the first pre-financing will be transferred after the Grant Agreement has been signed?

Correctly. Once you have signed the Grant Agreement, you will receive the first pre-financing payment to start your project.

39. Is it possible to have two Work Packages on the employment of the long-term unemployed: one for each Beneficiary in the consortium who plans to hire?

This is possible, but you must follow the logic of the project and the list of WPs to carry out the project activities successfully.

40. In the budget, are the expenses related to the basic skills provisions parallel to the job time, such as rent of a room, costs related to subcontracting of trainers, eligible?

Only costs related to proper implementation of the activities are eligible. The Call does not exclude skills development, but reskilling and upskilling in general are not the aim of the Call.

The Call aims to integrate the long-term unemployed persons into the labour market and communities, and to provide them with individual support (on-job training, counselling, coaching and other similar activities). Only expenses covering remuneration of the long-term unemployed persons are eligible. When planning your activities, be sure to follow the description of the mandatory categories of activities, outcomes and essential elements of the Application set in Sections 2.2, 2.3, 2.5 of the Call Conditions.

41. If the job provider arrives after the Application has been submitted, where should its staff costs be included?

Only the management costs of the project Coordinator may be planned as direct project costs. The management costs of any other co-applicants can be covered by indirect costs.

42. Is it possible to involve a partner at the time of the project’s proposal writing, which will transfer the allocated budget to the employer(s)?

No, these costs must be transferred from the Coordinator to the new employment provider through an amendment to the Grant Agreement at the project implementation stage. For more details, please refer to the Call Conditions, Section 2.4.

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