Directorate General Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid

Organizational profile: The Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) is responsible for designing European international cooperation and development policy and delivering aid throughout the world. DG DEVCO is responsible for formulating European Union development policy and thematic policies in order to reduce poverty in the world, to ensure sustainable economic, social and environmental development and to promote democracy, the rule of law, good governance and the respect of human rights, notably through external aid. 

The EU's objective for the forestry sector is to work towards improved forest governance and law enforcement and, ultimately, the sustainable management of the world's forests, as a means of realising their potential to support the eradication of poverty and contribute to sustainable, inclusive development.

Financing Instrument: The EU combines different types of support to countries in need. It provides funding in the form of grants to support projects and organisations furthering its development objectives. It also offers public contracts and provides budget and sector support.
Grants, being a Union contribution, may take any of the forms provided for in Article 125(1) FR, namely:
(a) financing not linked to costs of the relevant operations based on:
     (i) either the fulfilment of conditions set out in sector specific legislation or Commission Decisions; or
     (ii) the achievement of results measured by reference to the previously set milestones or through performance indicators;
(b) reimbursement of eligible costs actually incurred;
(c) unit costs, which cover all or certain specific categories of eligible costs that are clearly identified in advance by reference to an amount per unit;
(d) lump sums, which cover in global terms all or certain specific categories of eligible costs that are clearly identified in advance;
(e) flat-rate financing, which covers specific categories of eligible costs, which are clearly identified in advance, by applying a percentage;
(f) a combination of the forms referred to in points (a) to (e).

Project scale: The European Union, through the European Commission, provides nearly €80 million per year to support initiatives related to forests in developing countries. The total funding allocated to this sector amounted to approximately €1 billion between 2000 and 2012. Recent projects have ranged from around €1 million to over €20 million.

Recipient countries regions/country groups: Global

Recipient categories: NPOs/NGOs, Governments, Universities, Businesses

Eligibility Criteria: A grant is a financial donation/non-commercial payment by the contracting authority from the general budget of the European Union or the European Development Fund (EDF) given to a specific grant beneficiary to finance:
- either an action intended to help achieve a European Union policy objective (action grant);
- or the operation (i.e. the running costs) of an entity that pursues an aim of general European Union interest and supports a European Union policy (operating grant)
Grants are direct financial contributions provided to organisations, or to projects carried out by them. Most of the time, the Commission attributes them through calls for proposals. Contracts are awarded through tendering procedures to purchase services, supplies or works. Both contracts and grants are awarded for activities contributing to specific development goals.

Budget support is an important tool to finance partner countries’ development strategies. It consists of financial transfers to the national treasuries, and also involves policy dialogue and measures to assess the use made of these funds. To benefit from budget support, a beneficiary country must demonstrate commitment to the fundamental values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Application guidelines: 
The procedures for non-profit organisation and companies working in the development field is as follows:
1. Search for a call for proposals
2. Register your organisation in e-Calls PADOR
- The Potential Applicant Data On-Line Registration (PADOR) is the on-line system in which organisations, who are potential applicants to calls for proposals, register and update regularly information about their profile (legal, financial etc). The information registered in PADOR is used by the European Commission during the evaluation of applications as well as for checking the eligibility of the organisations that participate to calls for proposals.
- All organisations that apply for calls for proposals as applicants, co-applicants or affiliated entities have to be registered in e-Calls PADOR. This includes Civil Society Organisations, public administration bodies, and local authorities. Please note that registration in e-Calls PADOR is not open to private individuals (natural persons).
3. Submit your application
- To submit your application you would need to follow the instructions in Section 2.2 of the Guidelines for grant applicants and send your application within the deadline. The Guidelines will specify whether you need to submit your application by post or online (via e-Calls PROSPECT).

The procedures for partner countries are as follows:
When a partner country signs a financing agreement with the EU, this country agrees to take ownership of the development programmes funded through this agreement. A financing agreement allows a direct involvement of the partner country. In certain cases, the EU also signs financing agreements with regional organisations of partner countries. Based on the financing agreement, the partner country may also become a direct recipient of funds (budget support) or it (or the regional organisation) may be involved in the implementation of the funds (indirect management).