European Strategy & Funding

Connect Europ is ideally placed to offer advice and help in the formation of European strategy and the writing of applications for European funding.   Twenty-six years ago, when Mike Stokes successfully obtained his first project grants from the European Union (EU) and European Youth Foundation, there were only a limited number of people working in this field. Nowadays this has completely changed and a large number of organisations are constantly trying to become involved in or to attract European funding. No one is really an 'expert', as the whole field of international links, strategy and EU funding are forever changing.

Connect Europ has a good track record for initiating new projects and developing strategies to 'internationalise' or 'Europeanise organisations'.  For example Mike was involved in the initiating of the Berlin based International Understandingbus project and the highly successful Eurodesk network.  In addition he was responsible for helping to develop the international strategies for both the City of Manchester and Strathclyde Regional Council and more recently the initial European strategy for St Martin’s College, now the University of Cumbria.

Intercultural awareness, an understanding of EU (as well as national and organisational) priorities and problem areas and innovation are all key considerations when developing strategy or making funding applications.  If we can understand, for example, what the EU is trying to achieve through a particular programme, which countries are already heavily involved and, more importantly which are not, then it is possible to start developing projects and applications that aim to address all these considerations.

Another general piece of advice is to utilise particular programmes and funding streams to address real issues e.g. an activity that attempts to work with one of the key EU priorities that run through all programmes such as equal rights or anti-racism.  Too many projects try to do this the other way around and try to invent projects just to attract funding.

Why not contact Mike to discuss this whole area a little further?  Connect Europ is a non-profit making organisation and Mike is happy to provide initial advice and help to anyone.