A1. No exact percentage or amount is mentioned in regard to the funding amount that the applicant should engage during the project implementation. Nevertheless, any project implementation entails administrative costs that can be estimated and put as in-kind contribution.

Applicants should consider the various way of contribution to the co-funding. The part 5. Budgetary requirements of the chapter IV. (page 5) specifies that “The grantee must contribute to the financing by means of other resources, whether its own or deriving from third parties. The contribution by the grantee may take the form of human resources, contributions in-kind or income generated by the action or project (Article 2.3.2). Contributions in-kind may take the form of moveable or immoveable, tangible or intangible assets.”

(Answered on 10 July 2019)

A2. As set in each call for proposal, projects that do not focus exclusively on one specific macro-region of the call and it specific objectives will not be considered (VI. Evaluation and election procedure, 2. Eligibility criteria, page 4). In addition, the project proposals should target key stakeholders exclusively in the area of the macro-regional strategy to which each single call for proposals refers (IV. Requirements, 4. Target stakeholders, page 5).

The project proposal must be tailor-made on the selected specific macro-regional strategy, not only in terms of geography, but also in terms of identity and relevance for the objectives and actors of the strategy. So it is of utmost importance to prepare a proposal that contributes to the objectives of the specific macro-regional strategy.

I.e. Even if a Cultural Route stretches across different macro-regions, the project proposal must be specific and focus about one area of macro-regional strategy exclusively. Projects proposals which do refer and are planned to be implemented outside the geographical scope of the macro-regional strategies will be excluded, as would not comply with the objectives and requirements of the present calls for proposals.

E.g. the Via Francigena stretches throughout the Alpine Region, as well as the Adriatic and Ionian Region. The project proposal, depending on the very type of project/activity itself and of its meaning and value needs to be specific and focused on one Region, hence to focus on the part of the Cultural Route winding through that chosen Region, either the Alpine Region or the Adriatic and Ionian Region, not both regions at the same time. It is vital that that part of the Cultural Route would gain visibility as an outcome of the macro regional strategy and is not interchangeable with any other macro-region. A multi macro-regional project proposal is not eligible.

(Answered on 10 July 2019)

A3. The applicant can apply to several grants as long as each project proposal for each macro-region is complying with the geographic requirements but also is in accordance with the identity and the objectives and actors of the strategy.

Therefore, as set in each call for proposals, project proposal has to focus exclusively on the macro-region to which that given call for proposals refers to (VI. Evaluation and election procedure, 2. Eligibility criteria, page 4). In addition, the project proposal should target key stakeholders exclusively in the area of the macro-regional strategy to which each single call for proposals refers (IV. Requirements, 4. Target stakeholders, page 5). It should also comply with the selected specific macro-regional strategy as written in the chapter I. Introduction (page 3) and the chapter IV. Requirements part 1. General objective (page 4).

(Answered on 10 July 2019)

A4. The calls for proposals do not exclude applicants that have already received a grant in the past.

Therefore, it is possible for a Cultural Route to apply to a grant even if it was already awarded a grant during the last call for proposals.

(Answered on 10 July 2019)

A5. There is no need to include all the countries of the macro-region grant, as it needs to be linked to the Cultural Route (project) members. However a minimum number of 3 countries of the macro-region must be included in the project proposal in order to be eligible (IV. Requirements 1. General objective, page 4; 2. Means of Action, page 4).

(Answered on 10 July 2019)

A6. Please note that project proposal have to be tailor-made to the objectives set out in the respective call for proposal. “Project proposals shall aim to produce an added value to the programme of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and to the macro-regional strategies” (I. Introduction, page 3). An existing project cannot per logic be tailor-made for this new call.

(Answered on 10 July 2019)

A7. As indicated in the attachment “Estimated budget”, the applicant is requested to “Indicate whether the grantee commits to contribute by means of an in-kind contribution, or by means of a financial contribution. In the first case, the in-kind contribution shall be described, while in the second case, the amount and the currency of the financial contribution shall be indicated in the box.” Furthermore as set in the calls for proposals, the applicant is requested to “Indicate how the grantee commits to contribute by means of an in-kind contribution (in this case please indicate the description in the application form)” (IV. Requirements 5. Budgetary requirements, page 5).

Therefore:

• The description of the Cultural Route’s contribution in terms of human resources must be entered in the “Estimated budget” in the heading under “Contribution by the grantee”. Therefore, the Cultural Route has to make an estimation of the amount in kind. Please note that in the “The lines 12- 56 of the budget table have to refer exclusively to the expenditures foreseen to be covered by the grant.” (calls for proposals, IV. Requirements 5. Budgetary requirements, page 5).
• The description of the Cultural Route’s contribution in terms of administrative costs must be entered also in the application form (section 11. Co-funding).

(Answered on 10 July 2019)

A8. Grants shall involve co-financing: grants may not finance the entire cost of the project to be subsidise, on the contrary, grants cover only a percentage of the eligible costs. The percentage of co-financing is not defined in the calls for proposals, but should be reasonable.

(Answered on 17 July 2019)

A9. Each grant awarded exclusively finances activities in line with the objectives of the specific call for proposal. Activities have to be targeted to one respective macro-region. Activities that address the geographical scope outside the macro-region cannot be funded. This does not pose prejudice to the possibility that the project will be later replicated in other macro-regions/outside that macro-region.

(Answered on 17 July 2019)

A10. The Appendix II “template Estimated Budget” and its budget lines provide with the different categories of expenses which can be financed through a grant:

• human resources (as set in the calls for proposals 5. Budgetary requirements, “Staff costs have to be reasonable and should not exceed 30% of the overall budget”);
• travel (the rate of travel costs should be reasonable compared to the overall project cost; travel costs should be justified with regard to the planned project; travel costs should not constitute a major percentage of the overall budget);
• equipment and supplies (e.g. technical equipment) (the rate of equipment and supplies costs should be reasonable compared to the overall project cost; equipment and supplies costs should be justified with regard to the planned project; equipment and supplies should not constitute a major percentage of the overall budget; office items represent a usual form of co-funding);
• other expenditure and services (including publications, studies, research, translation, visibility actions) (these type of expenditures should amount to the larger rate of the overall project budget; visibility actions as for instance creation of apps, websites, videos are relevant actions in the framework of the present calls for proposals) (as set in the calls for proposals "The following types of action will not be considered […] events/conferences/meetings")

A11. There is no obligation: a Cultural Route which has already been awarded a grant, can apply to the call for proposal which concerns the same macro-region or apply to a call for proposals which concerns a different macro-region.

A12. A difference should be made between the country where a Cultural Route headquarter/management board is located (i.e. registered office) and the countries which are crossed by the Cultural Route/where the Cultural Route has members/where activities related to it are implemented.

As set in each call “In order to be eligible for a grant, an applicant must: be the legally constituted body in charge of the certified “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe””. Therefore, a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe crossing other countries than those belonging to one/more EU macro-regions can apply to the call for proposal. The project submitted by the Cultural Route must however be implemented in and focus exclusively on the countries of the EU macro-region (only the chosen one), to which the specific call for proposal refers, even if the Cultural Route extends beyond that macro-region geographical scope (Call for proposals, VI. Evaluation and selection procedure, 2. Eligibility criteria).

Moreover, every macro-regions include both country inside and outside of the European Union, therefore EU membership is not a criteria of eligibility.

Therefore:

•  the Cultural Route might be located outside or extend beyond the EU macro-regional strategy (the one chosen) geographical scope;
•  the Cultural Route headquarter/management board might be located in a country outside the chosen macro-region.

But:

• the activities that the Cultural Route aims at implementing through the mini-grant must take place in the chosen macro-region, with due regard being paid to the relevance of the Cultural Route’s heritage for that macro-region (the criteria defined under the call for proposal section VI. Evaluation and selection procedure, 2. Eligibility criteria list these requirements in detail).

(Answered on 2 September 2019)

A13. Each call for proposal stands that “In order to be eligible for a grant, an applicant must: be the legally constituted body in charge of a certified “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe”, crossing at least three countries of the macro regional strategy concerned by the award; or be the legally constituted body in charge of a priority cultural route project identified within the framework of Routes4U, crossing at least three countries of the macro regional strategy concerned by the award.” (VI. Evaluation and selection procedure 2. Eligibility criteria, page 9).

Therefore, applicants which are not legal entity will not be eligible.

(Answered on 2 September 2019)

In all their communication tools, Cultural Route (projects) should communicate on the different activities they developed in line with the certification criteria (see the list below). In other words, future panel of evaluation should be able to be inform thanks to communication tools, among others, that the Cultural Route (project) is implementing activities on the scientific level, regarding the protection and promotion of tangible and intangible heritage, involving young people in activities, implementing of cultural activities and contributing to sustainable cultural tourism.

1. Co-operation in research and development: projects must play a unifying role around major European themes and show how these themes are representative of European shared values.

2. Enhancement of memory, history and European heritage: projects must enhance tangible and intangible heritage, especially in lesser known areas, and explain their historical significance through Europe.

3. Cultural and educational exchanges for young Europeans: projects must organize activities with young people in order to promote the concept of European citizenship.

4. Contemporary cultural and artistic practice: projects must encourage activities and artistic practice which explore the links between their European theme and contemporary culture.

5. Cultural tourism and sustainable cultural development: project must promote dialogue between urban and rural cultures, developed and disadvantaged regions, and between majority and minority. They must actively involve media and seek partnerships with tourism organizations to draw attention on their European heritage and be part of the sustainable territorial development.

(Answered on 2 September 2019)