FAQ

A: If you are an organization from the EaP or WB6 countries applying as a lead applicant, you have two options:

Option 1: Your project must involve at least three organizations from three different V4 countries (“1xEaP/WB6 + 3xV4” rule).

Option 2: Your project must involve at least two organizations from two different V4 countries AND one additional partner from an EaP or WB6 country different than that of the applicant (“2xEaP/WB6 + 2xV4” rule).

Examples of possible combinations: 

• Czechia & Slovakia + Armenia & Moldova
• Slovakia & Poland + Serbia & North Macedonia
• Poland & Hungary + Albania & Georgia
• Hungary & Czechia + Azerbaijan & Bosnia and Herzegovina

A: Yes. To create a new application with an already existing account:

• Go to the homepage (http://my.visegradfund.org) without logging in.
• Under registration, select the program that you want to apply for and register again using the e-mail address and password belonging to your existing account.
• Fill out the data of your organization and click on the Register button.

A: You can submit one project application for each deadline. Please note that if you submit more than one applications, we will only consider the first submitted one. Any further applications will automatically be disregarded.

Should your application be approved in a grant scheme (e.g. Visegrad Grants), you will not be able to submit another project until the previous one is fully concluded. It is, however, possible to apply for another project in a different grant scheme (e.g. Visegrad+ Grant) for another deadline.

A: Although Visegrad, Visegrad+ and Strategic Grants have no strict limitation for the size of the financial support you can apply for, our average project budget does not exceed €30.000. Each submitted proposal is evaluated on its merit, taking into account the potential outreach and impact of the project, the elaboration of the grant budget in the "Outputs" section and adherence to the "value-for-money" principle.

In order to get an estimate of the average size of our grants, check out our previously approved projects here.

A: Consulting your project proposal is possible via e-mail, phone, or online and in-person meetings based on appointments. A maximum of two consultations can be provided per project idea. The consultations will be based on draft project proposals that must be sent to the Fund's employee providing the consultation ahead of time. We recommend that the project idea is already in a more developed stage when requesting a consultation. The draft proposal should include the following: the main goal of the project with a proposed solution, the planned activities, the list of project partners, target groups, and the estimated budget.

Any consultation can take place no later than 14 days before the given application deadline. Please do not wait to book your consultation until the last moment and request a consultation in advance.

If your questions are directed at the basic conditions of our grant programs, please check our Grant Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions section or join one of our online webinars/info sessions. If you can't find answers to your questions, please contact us by email or phone.

A: Project proposals are only accepted electronically through the Fund’s online application system (http://my.visegradfund.org), which opens 30 days before each deadline. Registering your application is possible only with a valid e-mail address. Each application is password-protected, and can be accessed and edited later.

Our application system is fully electronic and therefore we require no printouts or hard copies of the application form. Please note that the Fund will not accept nor evaluate any external documents, attachments, official letters sent to us via e-mail or regular post.

A: Proposals for Visegrad Grants, Visegrad+ Grants or Visegrad Strategic Grants are accepted regularly three times per year, always by February 1, June 1 and October 1. Applications must be submitted 12:00 p.m. (noon) CET on the given deadline date.

A: A grantee can have a maximum of two running projects at the same time, in different grant schemes (e.g. applicants having a running Visegrad Grant may apply for Visegrad+ Grants or Strategic Grants.)

A: Organizations with running projects cannot reapply in the same grant program with another project until the previous one is concluded (officially closed by your assigned project manager). It is, however, possible to be a partner in any number of projects.

Faculties of universities, institutes, or organizational units of academical, artistic, social, educational, cultural, research and/or science organizations can be exempt from this rule if a different organizational unit applies (e.g. the university has a running project managed by the Faculty of Arts and the new application is submitted by the Faculty of Economics). Please note that this exemption is valid only if the applicant can, according to their own internal rules, apply for funding independently.

The new application will be accepted only if the organizational unit is correctly entered when filling out the application form (section “Organizational unit”).

A: No preference is given based on the project content as long as the project is in line with the Fund’s main mission, objectives and the Grant rules (see also the Fund's official website).

A: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

A: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia

A: Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia

A: Visegrad+ Grants support projects which contribute to the democratization and transformation processes in non-EU member states of the Western Balkans (WB6) and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. Projects can address one of our regular objectives. Visegrad+ Grants should be implemented in the Eastern Partnership or Western Balkans region, or have a strong impact on local communities in at least one of those countries.

Please note that simply having a project partner/applicant from the EaP or WB6 region does not automatically make an application qualify for a Visegrad+ Grant! However, applications submitted by entities from one of the WB6 or EaP countries will automatically be considered as Visegrad+ Grant applications.

 Conditions for applying:

Projects must develop meaningful cooperation and ensure the active involvement of at least 3 V4 partners and 1 entity from the Eastern Partnershio region or the Western Balkan countries OR, if the applicant’s country of origin is one of the EaP or WB6 countries, at least 2 V4 partners and 2 entities from different EaP or WB6 countries.

 The maximum duration of project implementation is 18 months.

A: Strategic Grants support projects addressing the annual strategic priorities of the Visegrad Group. These priorities are announced on a yearly basis by the V4 country holding the rotating presidency over the group.

Please note that Strategic Grants have a different set of conditions than our other grant programs:

A strong partnership involving at least 1 organization from each V4 country (full V4 participation).

An implementation period of min. 12, max. 36 months.

Projects must clearly address one of the annual strategic priorities of the Visegrad Group, available on our website.

Please keep in mind that projects applying with objectives marked as “(Strategic)” in our application system will be evaluated based on the rules applying for Strategic Grants. Should your application not comply with these criteria, the application will be automatically considered non-eligible.

A: Bilateral cross-border cooperation is a sub-type of the Visegrad Grants, involving at least 2 organizations from two neighboring V4 countries. Here the “3xV4” rule does not apply; you can implement your project with another partner from the other side of the border if your proposal addresses a specific geographical area and a local issue/problem. If the project addresses a general issue, this problem should be tackled and addressed while taking the local context into consideration and from a local perspective. Consequently, all project activities within cross-border projects should take place within approximately 40 km from the state border, preferably on both sides (the grantee’s and project partner’s official seats do not necessarily have to be located within the 40 km limit).

Keep in mind that projects applying as cross-border cooperation (by ticking the field in our application system) will be evaluated based on the rules applying for this project type. Should your application not comply with these criteria, the application will be automatically considered non-eligible.

Please note that only the following partner combinations are possible:

Polish and Czech partnership

Czech and Slovak partnership

Hungarian and Slovak partnership

Slovak and Polish partnership.

A: Visegrad grants support regional partnerships among civil society organizations, public institutions and municipalities, private companies and non-profit organizations as well as education and research centers that contribute to cooperation in the Visegrad region.

Conditions for applying:

Projects must develop meaningful cooperation and active participation of organizations from at least three V4 countries.

Projects must address at least one of the objectives of the grant program´s seven focus areas.

Maximum duration of project implementation is 18 months.

A: Any non-governmental legal entity from any country can be an official partner. As a general rule, however, all projects supported by the Fund must have at least three organizations from three different V4 countries in the consortium. You are, however, encouraged to seek full V4 participation or give reasons if not including all four countries. Logically, if the applicant has its seat in the V4, only two more partners are required (e.g. the applicant is a Polish organization, the partners are from Czechia and Hungary). If applying from outside the V4, however, make sure that you fulfil the condition of having three V4 partners. We recommend having the whole Visegrad region covered in the partnership and, therefore, proposals with a full V4 consortium will have preference.

From 2024, applicants whose country of origin is one of the EaP or WB6 countries enjoy an exception from the rule stated above. For such projects, the applicant has the option to either follow the “3xV4” rule as described above or create a consortium including at least two partner organizations from two different V4 countries and one additional partner from an EaP or WB6 country different than that of the applicant (“2xV4 + 2x EaP/WB6” rule).

The selection of relevant partners is fundamental for a successful project bid. In principle, all partners within the consortium should have experience in the area your project is dealing with and show commitment to joint action. To show the benefits of working as a consortium, you need to describe the role of each partner in the application and the specific tasks that they will carry out.

Please note that the role of the partners cannot be limited to simple logistical help or participation in project events. We expect our applicants and their partners to actively work together throughout the project’s implementation and share their skills and know-how for the benefit of the whole region.

Bilateral cross-border projects are an exception from the “3xV4” rule but only in proposals that directly benefit a specific border area between two neighbouring V4 countries (see section 1.10). Exceptions may also apply in cases when projects respond to concrete calls for proposals published by the Fund.

A: Natural persons (individual citizens) or institutions of state administration (ministries, government agencies, regulatory agencies, embassies, state-funded cultural institutes, etc.) can neither apply nor be valid project partners.

Private entrepreneurs are not eligible to apply or be partners.

A: The results of each call are published on the Fund’s website. All applicants—whether your project is approved or rejected—are also informed by e-mail.

A: We evaluate each proposal individually based on the following guidelines:

Project relevance/context clarity

Visegrad substance

Quality and Impact

Transparency and Accuracy

Experience and Mission

Detailed explanations of the selection criteria can be found in Grant Guidelines section 3. Project Selection, subsection 3.2 Selection criteria.

A: These are all the events, products or activities that you will carry out during your project. The outputs are the main means by which your consortium reaches the specific goals you set in your application form. They bring you closer to the desired “outcome” and, ultimately, to the bigger solution to the problem/issue chosen.

Please note that the maximum number of outputs that can be created within a project is 10.

When completing the IV. OUTPUTS section in your online application, keep in mind that for each output (publication, events, data collection) of the project you have to give an estimated cost. This shall be realistic and respect the “value-for-money” principle. All cost estimates shall be in EUR (€) based on average prices at the site of delivery. Always indicate the unit cost of respective expenditures (hotel price per night, transport per person per specific distance, expert fee per hour, page, etc.).

The Fund can cover the total costs of the project according to your estimates but may also choose only some specific outputs to be supported. Therefore it is important to adhere to the list of eligible cost categories, i.e., costs that can be covered by the grant

A: To apply for Visegrad and Visegrad+ Grants, your project must fit into one of the seven focus areas eligible for funding. Specific thematic priorities may apply to Visegrad+ projects that target the countries of the Eastern Partnership or the Western Balkan countries (see section 1.7.). For Visegrad Strategic Grants, distinct strategic priorities are defined on an annual basis (see section 1.6.). Each project proposal should be identified with one focus area and one concrete objective which best corresponds with the project’s aims. The focus areas and objectives to each grant program can be found on the Fund’s website.

A: When planning your project, make sure that you properly identify and describe the problem or issue that you wish to address and name the most relevant target groups that this project will affect (both direct and indirect targets). It is crucial to see the logical connection between the proposed outputs (the events or products of your project) and their short-, medium- and long-term impacts.

In assessing the application, the Fund also considers these balancing criteria:

Relative strength of the application compared to other applications received for the same program area.

Geographical balance of the projects seeking support.

A: The Fund can cover the total project costs estimated in each proposal but may also choose concrete outputs to be supported by the grant. Additional support from actors other than the Fund is highly encouraged – be that support financial (contributions by the applicant, partners and/or other donors or sponsors) or non-financial in nature (in-kind contributions of the applicant or partners such as volunteer work or use of own premises, etc.). Project budgets shall be realistic and respect the “value for money” principle. All cost estimates shall be based on the project’s expected expenditures in EUR (€) based on average prices at the site of delivery. It must be clear from the budget what the unit cost of each expenditure is.

A: No, the partners confirm their participation in the project directly in our online system, through an online link sent to their e-mail address once your project is approved.

A: No application form printouts or accompanying documents in hard copies or electronic version are required when submitting the proposal. Any such attachments (e-mails, letters, promotional materials) will be disregarded by the Fund during evaluation.

A: You don’t need to open a new account in EUR, but it is vital that the chosen account will be owned and managed by your organization. In order to avoid the fluctuations of exchange rates and extra transaction costs, it is advised to have the preferred account in EUR (€). 

A: If the project website is part of your planned outputs, you still need to create a temporary site which meets the criteria mentioned above. Once the new website is ready, we can change the link in our system.

A: The project website can be a webpage within an existing website or can be set up on social media/networking sites or blogs. Each project web page must have a unique address (URL) and contain:

• the description of the project in English
• the details of the project partners and direct links to their websites
• the Fund’s logo with a direct link to the Fund’s website

When publicly communicating through social media, grantees and partners are obliged to make references/link to the Fund’s active accounts on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

A: Changing or removing one of your project partners is considered a serious change compared to your submitted application and as such, it requires prior approval of the Fund.

In both cases we need a written request by the statutory representative of the applicant in which he/she states the reasons for removing/changing the project partner. The request must be prepared in English, on a letterhead paper, and must be sent to your assigned project manager via e-mail.

If a new partner organization is to enter the consortium, we will also need a letter of intent by their statutory representative (for the format, see 2.9.)

A: Your assigned project manager will change the e-mail address once you provide the new/correct email address to them.

A: Firstly, make sure the email you provided in the application is correct. Secondly, please check with the partner whether the email is in their spam folder. If, for technical reasons the partner is not able to confirm their participation via email, they can provide a letter of intent (see 2.9.). Provide the scan of the letter of intent to your project manager and she/he will confirm the partner’s participation in the system.

A: The following information should be provided:

• Project name and event title
• Whether the event is public or private
• Event type (you can mark more than one option)
• Event Web Page or a separate Facebook event – at the stage of pre-contractual steps you can insert the general project website
• Short description of the event, exact dates, city and country

A: If justified, some events can be indicated in this section for a longer period of time (e.g. a month-long training, an exhibition, etc.).

A: The first installment of the grant will be sent to your bank account within 15 working days after receiving the signed copy of the contract to the Fund's secretariat. In order to avoid delays, always make sure that you enter the correct mailing address to our system.

Contracts without the signatures (on multiple pages) of the statutory representative of the grantee will be returned to the sender.

A: All costs connected to your project have to be paid within the implementation period, which cannot start sooner than the date of the contract’s electronic confirmation. If the implementation period of your project starts later, you must wait for the given start date to start utilizing the grant.

A: No, the contract will be sent to you by post.

A: The budget change request within the online system has 4 columns. The first two columns are filled out automatically; this is the original budget divided into cost categories, as displayed in the Grant Contract. In the Requested change columns, fill out only those lines (cost categories) where you need to request a change; unchanged lines can be left blank or you can write the contracted sum there. In the Requested column, enter the final amount you wish to get approved in the respective budget categories. In the Reasoning column, provide a brief but thorough justification for the requested change. Example: If the original budget allocated to the Accommodation and Board category was €2,000, and you wish to increase this amount to €3,500, please write 3,500 in the Requested column.  Once you complete filling out the sums, please double-check if the total amount is equal to the contracted grant amount.

Please note that budget changes not exceeding the limits specified in the Grant Guidelines do not require the Fund’s prior approval and should not be requested through the online system. See the Grant Guidelines for more information.

A: No. The Fund will only reimburse expenses carried out within the contracted implementation period. Should you have any issues with payments, contact your assigned project manager in advance. Retrospective or unannounced payments will not be considered.

A: No. The Fund will only reimburse expenses carried out by bank transfer or card payment, initiated by the grantee. If one of the partners needed to pay some bills in cash, the same rule applies as in case of every other spending on the side of the partners: the amount needs to be reimbursed by the grantee via bank transfer.

A: No. The Fund signs the contract only with the main applicant (grantee), who bears all responsibility for the received grant. If your partners must pay certain costs related to project outputs or events, two options are possible:

• The grantee can settle the invoice directly. (Example: The partner made a hotel reservation, but the invoice will be issued by the hotel directly to the grantee. The grantee then pays the bill to the hotel via bank transfer.) or
• The partner settles the bill and later issues an invoice to the grantee/signs a contract with the grantee, covering the real costs of the partner. (Example: The partner has paid a restaurant bill for project participants. The partner will issue an invoice to the grantee with the exact sum they paid in the restaurant, providing the original bill to the grantee. The grantee then pays the amount to the partner via bank transfer).

If the partner’s legal status does not allow them to issue invoices, a contract must be signed with the grantee in which the parties specify those costs that the grantee is willing to reimburse.

A: Yes, the experts can be changed during the implementation period. You can also involve more experts than stated in the application.

A: Adding or cancelling an output is considered a substantial change to the project which has to be consulted with your assigned project manager and requires the prior approval of the Fund. You have to submit an official written request (a scan of an original letter signed by the statutory representative of the grantee) with a thorough justification of the requested change. The letter should be sent by email to the Fund’s project manager assigned to your project. It will be evaluated by the Fund’s representatives within 7 working days, after which you will be informed about the decision by email.

Please note that cancelling outputs or significantly modifying the project’s structure without the Fund’s prior knowledge might result in a contractual penalty.

A: Overheads cover administrative costs connected with the project implementation. They cannot exceed 15% of the grant. You can transfer up to 1000 EUR to overheads from other budget categories, but the final amount of the overheads cannot exceed 15%.

A: A new budget category can be created only upon agreement with your project manager. Such changes can be requested under the "Change requests > Budget change" tab in our online system by clicking on "+ADD NEW CHANGE REQUEST". You should justify why the new budget category is essential for a smooth project implementation. Once the request has been submitted, you will receive an automated e-mail on the decision within 7 working days.

A: The Fund will only agree with the extension of the implementation if the successful financial and administrative conclusion of the project is seriously endangered by unexpected and unforeseeable events. Such an extension must be consulted with the Fund beforehand and requested in our online system, under the tab "Change requests > Implementation period change" by clicking on the button "+ ADD NEW CHANGE REQUEST". The request must include a detailed reasoning and the specific date by which the implementation period should be prolonged. Once the request has been submitted, your assigned project manager will forward it to our Deputy Executive Director for approval. You will be informed about the decision via e-mail.

Due to our new procedure, we do not require official letters any longer.

A: Adding a new event is considered a substantial change to the project which requires the prior approval of the Fund. You have to submit an official written request (a scan of an original letter signed by the statutory representative of the grantee) with a thorough justification of the requested change. The letter should be sent by email to the Fund’s project manager assigned to your project. It will be evaluated by the Fund’s representatives within 7 working days, after which you will be informed about the decision by email.

A: Outsourcing project management and overall administration to external organizations, companies, or individuals is allowed only exceptionally, with the Fund’s PRIOR approval. This means that the preparatory and administrative duties connected to the contracted outputs like event organization, logistics or general project management should be performed by the contracted entity itself or by the contracted partner(s).

A: Legal obligations applicable to the organization under national legislation are to be complied with. The Fund does not have any specific rules regarding procurement and does not require any additional measures beyond what the grantee is legally bound to by legislation.

A: The Fund does not regulate this. To calculate the exact amount to transfer in the currency of your bank account, follow the standard accounting rules and procedures applicable to your organization, or make a foreign transfer.

A: Accommodation and any other services can be booked in advance BUT be aware of payment dates. All payments, including reservation fees and advance payments for services, MUST be made within the project’s implementation period specified in the contract. Payments made before the start and after the end of the implementation period will not be accepted. The only exception is the cost of the audit, which can be paid after the project’s implementation period has ended.

A: Yes, they can. This is the only cost that can be paid after the implementation period.

A: If your organization is a registered VAT payer, you are obliged to request the VAT reimbursement from your local tax authorities. The
Fund only reimburses VAT amounts to those grantees that are not registered as VAT payers. Exceptions can only be made upon the approval of the Fund.

When filling out the Interim Financial Settlement or (Final) Financial Settlement, you are also asked to indicate whether your organization is a registered VAT payer on the top of the main sheet.

A: The Fund allows the purchase of office equipment needed for web-based communication and overall digitalization in the category of “Office supplies and consumption materials”, in limited numbers, up to 1000 €. Such purchases, however, must be well justified and consulted with the assigned project manager in advance.

A: No, you cannot. Such fees can only be reimbursed in the Overheads category, even if they are based on a service contract.

A: The easiest way is for the expert to issue an invoice for the services (as a private entrepreneur, legal entity or company). Alternatively, the grantee can sign a service contract with the expert, specifying the tasks to be carried out and the offered remuneration. Please note that contracts based on the labor code of the respective country (e.g. employment contracts) cannot be used to pay out expert fees. Salaries and wages originating from a work contract can only be reimbursed in the Overheads category.

EXCEPTION applicable to state-funded academic and research institutions: Financial remuneration under the category of expert fees of employees of state-funded research and higher education institutions (or any expenses related to employment based on the labor code, including daily allowances, part-time work, etc.) can be compensated if the Grantee is obliged under the national legislation to pay their own employees only under the labor code.  

A: Company cars and their related costs cannot be reimbursed in the category “Transportation and delivery”, only in Overheads.

A: Fuel bills cannot be reimbursed in the category “Transportation and delivery”, only in Overheads. For more information about travel cost reimbursements, see above.

A: No, you are not. Lump sums, pocket money, daily allowances or per diems can only be reimbursed in the Overheads (up to the given limit set in your contract). Accommodation and catering costs will be reimbursed based on real invoices only if the payment was made by the grantee via bank card or transfer. Travel costs can be reimbursed to individuals if they provide the original documents to the grantee (see above).

A: If the grantee purchases transportation tickets with the organization’s bank card (or through bank transfer from the grantee’s account), these costs must be put directly into the Financial Settlement with proper description.

If tickets are purchased by individuals (experts, project participants), they must submit the original documents (invoices, bills, e-tickets, etc.) to the grantee, who then reimburses the travelers via bank transfer after issuing a confirmation to them. Grantees with a project cost of over 10.000 EUR can use their internal document for this purpose, in compliance with their bookkeeping rules.

Grantees with a project cost of under 10.000 EUR are obliged to present the filled-out Transportation Costs Reimbursement Sheets together with copies of the original tickets/invoices attached to the Financial Settlement.

If participants have travelled by private car, reimbursement can only be provided according to the official rates of the respective country based on the vehicle’s consumption and official reimbursement per 1 km (this information can be usually found on the website of the national taxation offices.) Grantees with a project cost of over 10.000 EUR can use their internal procedures for such reimbursements, in compliance with their bookkeeping rules.

Grantees with a project cost of under 10.000 EUR are obliged to present the filled-out Transportation Costs Reimbursement Sheets together with copies of the car registration document.

Fuel bills cannot be reimbursed in the category of “Transportation and delivery”.

For more information on travel cost reimbursement, please read Annex 2 of the Grant Guidelines. For the list of eligible costs in the category “Transportation and delivery” check Annex 1 of the Grant Guidelines.

A: There are following changes:

• The threshold for the mandatory external audit of projects is changed from the current EUR 10 000 to EUR 15 000 and will apply from the October 2024 call (for projects starting with 2243xxxx).
• The grantees should request the licensed auditor to prepare a Certificate on financial statements.
• Methodology shall be in line with the International Standard on Related Services 4400 (“ISRS4400 (Revised)”). This methodology prescribes specific procedures for the auditor to be applied (“Agreed-upon procedures”). These procedures are defined specifically for each type of cost declared in accordance with the grant contract. The auditor will report a confirmation or an exception for each specific procedure.
• According to the new rules, the Terms of Reference (‘the ToR’) are to be signed by the Grantee and the Auditor. Auditors will produce an independent report of factual findings concerning the Financial Statement(s) and issue a Certificate of Financial statements (‘CFS’) based on the compulsory reporting template (available on our website).
• The Grantee must submit the CFS to the Fund for approval within 30 working days after the Contract Implementation Period End.

A: The CFS is composed of two separate documents:

• The Terms of Reference (‘the ToR’) to be signed by the Grantee and the Auditor;
• The Auditor’s Independent Report of Factual Findings (‘the Report’) to be issued on the Auditor’s letterhead, dated, stamped and signed by the Auditor which includes:
• the Agreed-upon procedures (‘the Procedures’) with factual findings to be confirmed by the Auditor;
• Financial Statements (Summary table, Financial settlement)

The CFS must be included in the final report according to Article 4.1 of the Contract.

A: The auditor must be a holder of a license to provide audit services in accordance with the local legislation applicable in the country where the Grantee’s seat is located and must provide evidence of the license to the Grantee and the Fund upon request. An internal auditor will not be accepted. In case Grantees located in EU member states, the Auditor must be qualified to carry out statutory audits of accounting documents in accordance with Directive 2006/43/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 on statutory audits of annual accounts and consolidated accounts, amending Council Directives 78/660/EEC and 83/349/EEC and repealing Council Directive 84/253/EEC or similar national regulations.

The following are links to national chambers of auditors in the V4 countries as well as to the IFAC:

• http://www.kacr.cz/vyber-auditora
• https://pana.gov.pl/ or http://kibr.org.pl/pl
• http://www.mkvk.hu/
• http://www.skau.sk/
• https://www.ifac.org/who-we-are/membership

A: You should use an exchange rate published by the national bank of your (the grantee’s) country. You can choose one of two options:

• the exchange rate applicable on the date of receiving the grant tranches to the grantee’s bank account stated in the grant contract (If the grant is paid to an EUR account and is not converted to the local currency, the grantee can still use the exchange rate from the date of receiving the grant tranches).
• the monthly average exchange rate of the respective national bank in the last full month of the project implementation period.

If the grant is divided into three tranches, different exchange rates can be used for the Interim Financial Settlement (reporting costs incurred in the first phase of the project) and the (Final) Financial Settlement (reporting costs incurred in the second phase of the project).

A: No. The financial settlement should always be filled out in the currency of your organization's (the grantee’s) bank account(s). If you use several accounts for payments (e.g., one in EUR, one in your local currency), fill out one Financial Settlement sheet in each bank account currency, corresponding to the costs paid from the account in question. These should be created as separate sheets in one Excel file.

If you paid any foreign invoices, you should fill in the Financial Settlement with the amount deducted from your bank account in your own bank account currency. The exact amount can be found in your bank statement or bank transfer confirmation.

A: The Financial Settlement (FS) shall only list bank transfers made from your (the grantee’s) account. If your partners paid certain costs during the project implementation, you should fill out the FS with information about the reimbursement you made to your partners for these costs. Payments made to partners should be divided according to cost categories, even if you reimbursed all costs to them in one payment.

A: Yes, but you will have to consult it with the Fund's project manager in advance. If the delivery is delayed with more than a few working days, an official request letter must be submitted to the Fund for approval. The letter must be written on a letterhead paper, contain a detailed reasoning and specific date for the new delivery of the Interim Report. The request must be signed by the statutory representative and sent to your project manager in scanned form.

A: The Fund has 10 working days to review the Interim Report counting from the date of their postal delivery. If the report is incomplete or if further documents are needed, the deadline applies from the day of delivery of these additional documents. Once the Interim Report is approved the Fund has 15 working days to transfer the 2nd tranche of the grant. Therefore, the sooner you provide us with the Interim Report and Interim Financial Statement, the sooner you will know whether the Fund approves the continuation of your project and receive the next tranche from our side.

Please keep in mind that you are only eligible for the second tranche if you have already spent approximately 50% of the first installment by the given deadline. Otherwise the Interim Financial Statement cannot be approved and you will need to prepare another report complying with this criterion.

A: The Interim report is a textual summary of the preliminary progress and results of the project implemented within the marked period. When filling out the Interim Report, try to be as specific as possible. The Interim Report is not only a checklist of events and output that were implemented, but also serves as a means to evaluate your own work, different aspects of the implementation and the role of the partners in the cooperation. Describe whether the implementation is on track as you planned, highlight any changes that were made compared to the original plan and any obstacles that hindered your work.

A: No, we do not require additional documents by default, however, the assigned project manager may ask for them on an individual basis if some cost items or descriptions are unclear.

A: Instructions can be found on a separate sheet in the Interim Financial Statement XLS file. When describing the individual costs in Column 5 “Cost description”, be as specific as possible. The Fund cannot accept insufficient descriptions such as “expert fee”, “hotel” or “bus ticket” without the proper indication as to whom the cost was paid, for what reason, and for what output/activity.

A: If your expenses have been incurred in more than one currency, you must create a separate Financial Settlement sheet for each currency. Please do not forget, however, that the total sum should always be indicated in EUR (€) in each sheet.

A: When choosing the proper rate, you have two options. You may either use the exchange rate of the national bank (where the grantee resides) on the date of  converting the first installment into the local currency or the monthly average exchange rate of the respective national bank in the last full month in which the first (interim) period of the project ends.

A: Templates are found at https://www.visegradfund.org/archive/documents/visegrad-visegrad-strategic-grants/

A: The Interim Report and the Interim Financial Statement need to be uploaded to the online system, under the tab “Interim Report”, and sent to the Fund via post as well by the given deadline.

A: You should use an exchange rate published by the national bank of your (the grantee’s) country. You can choose one of two options:

• the exchange rate applicable on the date of receiving the grant tranches to the grantee’s bank account stated in the grant contract (If the grant is paid to an EUR account and is not converted to the local currency, the grantee can still use the exchange rate from the date of receiving the grant tranches).
• the monthly average exchange rate of the respective national bank in the last full month of the project implementation period.

If the grant is divided into three tranches, different exchange rates can be used for the Interim Financial Settlement (reporting costs incurred in the first phase of the project) and the (Final) Financial Settlement (reporting costs incurred in the second phase of the project).

A: No. The financial settlement should always be filled out in the currency of your organization's (the grantee’s) bank account(s). If you use several accounts for payments (e.g., one in EUR, one in your local currency), fill out one Financial Settlement sheet in each bank account currency, corresponding to the costs paid from the account in question. These should be created as separate sheets in one Excel file.

If you paid any foreign invoices, you should fill in the Financial Settlement with the amount deducted from your bank account in your own bank account currency. The exact amount can be found in your bank statement or bank transfer confirmation.

A: The Financial Settlement (FS) shall only list bank transfers made from your (the grantee’s) account. If your partners paid certain costs during the project implementation, you should fill out the FS with information about the reimbursement you made to your partners for these costs. Payments made to partners should be divided according to cost categories, even if you reimbursed all costs to them in one payment.

A: The following documents must be delivered to the Fund’s address 20 working days after the end of the implementation period.

FOR PROJECTS UNDER €10,000:

• Final Report – printed out from our online system, last page signed and stamped by the statutory representative of the grantee.
• Financial Statement – all pages and additional sheets filled out, signed and stamped by the statutory representative of the grantee.
• Copies or samples of promotional materials that cannot be uploaded to our system.
• Signed Transportation Costs Reimbursement Sheets (if applicable) – see instructions in Annex 2 of this document.
• Copies of all invoices connected to the costs described in the Financial Statement and their corresponding bank transcripts.

FOR PROJECTS OVER €10,000:

• Final Report – printed out from our online system, last page signed and stamped by the statutory representative of the grantee.
• Financial Statement – all pages and additional sheets filled out, signed and stamped by the statutory representative of the grantee and by the auditor.
• Copies or samples of promotional materials that cannot be uploaded to our system.
• Audit Report with all necessary annexes – signed and stamped by the certified auditor, indicating his/her credentials as member of the relevant national chamber of auditors.

A: If your expenses have been paid for in more than one currency, you must create a separate Financial Settlement sheet for each currency. Please do not forget, however, that the total sum should always be indicated in EUR (€) in each sheet.

A: When choosing the proper rate, you have two options. You may either use the exchange rate of the national bank (where the grantee resides) on the date of conversion of the previous installment into the local currency or the monthly average exchange rate of the national bank in the last full month of the project implementation period.

A: Instructions can be found on a separate sheet in the Financial Statement XLS file. When describing the individual costs in Column 5 “Cost description”, be as specific as possible. The Fund cannot accept insufficient descriptions such as “expert fee”, “hotel” or “bus ticket” without the proper indication as to whom the cost was paid, for what reason, and for what output/activity.

A: In 2020 the Fund introduced a web-based final reporting interface, which can be accessed in our online system (my.visegradfund.org). Grantees need to fill out all sections under the tab “Final Report” and click on SUBMIT on the last page. Once the electronic report has been submitted, you must print out the Final Report by clicking on the PRINT button. This printout shall be signed and stamped by your statutory representative and sent to the Fund via post.

After online submission, the report cannot be modified any longer. Should any problems arise, please contact your assigned project manager.

A: Yes, they can. This is the only cost that can be paid after the implementation period.

A: Any higher-education institution (accredited in the respective country) is eligible as the potential host and so are institutes of science academies in the respective countries.

A: No, the scholarship is meant for supporting scholars already accepted (at least preliminarily) at host institutions. The admission process at the host institution is the responsibility of the applicant.

A: No. You can also study in the native language of the university. We don’t need any language certificates from you either. Please note, however, that the application form must be filled out in English.

A: The scholarship is an attendance scholarship. The scholar is expected to work on his/her study/research project at the host institution for the entire scholarship period.

A: You are obliged to inform the Fund of any other scholarship you will receive from any Member State or the European Union simultaneously with the scholarship of the International Visegrad Fund. The Fund may, based on each individual case, determine whether to uphold or withdraw its offer to the scholar.

A: No, each scholar can submit only one application to one host institution and for one study program/research project at a time (within a single deadline).

A: Yes. If your program requires admission tests or a personal interview (results of which will be known only after the deadline), you can submit proof of your application (a scan or print screen of the submitted application form) or a preliminary acceptance letter. The final acceptance letter is to be submitted before signing the contract with the Fund.

A: Yes, you can, if your previous degree (MA or equivalent) was finished in a different country.

A: Yes, you can, if your previous degree (BA or equivalent) was finished in a different country.

A: No. If you completed your previous studies in one of the V4 countries (e.g. you hold a Czech BA degree), you cannot apply for further studies in the same country (e.g. MA in Czechia) but can decide to apply in a different V4 country.

A: In the application form you will be able to choose from 25 different disciplines that cover the large majority of study fields.

A: No, we do not take into account the applicant’s age.

A: To apply for a master’s or post-master’s scholarship you don’t need an active student status, but you must have completed at least 6 semesters of higher education or hold the equivalent of a bachelor’s (BA/BSc) degree at the time of starting the scholarship. If you apply for bachelor-level scholarship to another V4 country, you must be enrolled as an active student.

A: A bachelor’s degree level is only available for the Intra-V4 scheme, i.e., citizens of one of the V4 countries studying in another V4 country. Citizens of the Eastern Partnership or Western Balkans countries can only cover studies at master’s (MA or equivalent) or post-master’s level (doctoral studies programs or independent research).

A: All applicants (approved, rejected or those on the reserve list) are notified in writing via e-mail and the results are also published on the Fund’s website 45 working days after the submission deadline at the latest.

A: You do not need to send us any documents or hard copies by post. All documents must be uploaded to our online system by the deadline.

All applicants must upload a scan of their valid national ID card or international passport. In addition to that, the following documents are required.

If applying for a bachelor’s scholarship (for V4 citizens only), you need to upload:

• A scan of your transcript of records for the last two duly terminated semesters (if applying in your first year of studies, one closed semester is enough).
• A scanned letter of acceptance from the host university/institute.

If applying for a master’s scholarship:

• A scan of your transcript of records for the last two duly terminated semesters.
• A scanned letter of acceptance from the host university/institute.

If applying for a post-master scholarship:

• A scanned letter of acceptance and approved working plan from the host university/institute.

A: There is no possibility to submit the application past the deadline. The deadline is strict and the Fund will accept no application past it.

A: You must submit the following documents no later than 30 days after the end of the scholarship period:

Bachelor’s or master’s studies:

• Transcript of records with at least 30 credits (ECTS) obtained for the last semester covered by the scholarship.
• Copy of master’s diploma in case of full master studies.

Post-master studies:

• Summary of the final results and contributions during the research stay (max. 2-3 pages), list of articles written by the scholar during the scholarship period.

A: Yes, you should promote your accomplishment in becoming a Visegrad scholar. Please remember to acknowledge our support in any documentation related to your scholarly activities and at any public events where you present the results and outcomes of your study/research acquired during the scholarship period. You should also use our logo to visually acknowledge the Visegrad Scholarship Program’s contribution to your study/research.

A: The second (and any further) instalments of your scholarship are transferred once the Fund receives the following via e-mail, in scanned format:

Bachelor’s / master’s scholars:

• Transcript of records with at least 30 ECTS credits obtained for the previous semester
• Confirmation of continuation/enrollment issued by the host institute for the new semester (signed by the international office/head of department)

Post-master’s scholars:

• Progress report written by the scholar and confirmed (signed) by the supervisor, detailing the interim results, conference attendances, published articles
• Confirmation of continuation of studies/research indicating the planned completion dates issued by the host.

A: No, but the Fund issues a scholarship confirmation which can be used as an enclosure to the visa application. You will receive this confirmation together with your contract copy.

A: The scholarship amounts to €2,500 per semester and is paid to each scholar’s bank account. This money is at the scholar’s full disposal and the Fund cannot cover any additional costs (visa fees, health insurance, accommodation, etc.).

A: The scholarship does not directly cover the tuition fees, but the host university/institute receives €1,500/semester for every scholar (this is separate from your scholarship payment). For bachelor’s or master’s studies, the host university/institute must use the lump sum to cover your tuition fees or any other administrative costs. However, if the tuition fees exceed the lump sum per semester, you are responsible for covering the remaining sum yourself. We recommend finding out about the tuition fees at the host university/institute in advance. For post-master’s scholars, the lump sum is to cover all possible costs of the host university connected with hosting a foreign scholar, e.g. publishing the scholar’s monograph, related office supplies, short-term conference costs, access to databases for research purposes, the scholar’s supervisor fee, etc..

A: The scholarship is paid in advance for each semester (5-month period) only after the host university sends to the Fund a written (scan) confirmation of your arrival. The confirmation must be issued:

• in English
• on letterhead paper of the host institution
• stating the exact date of your arrival there
• stating your status as an active, full-time student/researcher
• stating the planned month of (final) completion of your project/your placement at the host institution
• stating your application/contract number
• with the signature and stamp of the host university representative (your supervisor, the international office, or dean).

You will also need to provide us with a bank account where we can send you the scholarship funds. The bank account must belong to you personally, but can be opened in any country.

A: The scholarship contract will be mailed to your permanent (or correspondence) address after you submit the final acceptance letter (if not submitted at the time of applying) and confirming your details in our system. You will receive two copies, of which one copy should be sent back to us via post, with your signature.

A: As the results of the scholarships are usually published at the end of May, the scholarship can only start afterwards, from September/October (the fall semester of the upcoming academic year) at the earliest.

A: The acceptance letter issued by the host organizations is a compulsory attachment to applications for the Performing Arts residency program and the Visual and Sound Arts residency program. Without an acceptance letter, the submitted application will not be considered eligible.

For the other residency programs (Literary Residency, Visual Artists Residencies in New York, Fashion Residency Program in Milan), an acceptance letter is not required.

A: Applications are submitted in our online system (http://my.visegradfund.org) by the given deadline (The deadline usually falls to the 15^th of October of each year. Please visit the relevant sections of our website for more information). The system opens 30 days prior to the deadline. Once you register, you have to remember your assigned ID (application number), since it will be used in all future communication with you, and a password which will enable you to access your application form in the future.

You must fill out all the required fields and upload all requested documents. PDF is the recommended file format for uploaded attachments. If a document has more than a single page, please convert it into a multi-page PDF file or a compressed zip folder.

A: No, each applicant can submit one application only, to one host institution at a time (within a single deadline). Parallel application for the Visual and Sound Arts and either the Visual Arts in New York residency or the Fashion Residency in Milano programs (one of the two) is.

A: Yes, you can, if your previous residency was completed in a different country than where you are currently applying.

A: There is no possibility of submitting the application past the deadline. The deadline is strict, and the Fund will accept no application past it.

A: The artistic discipline that you are working in determines which residency program you can apply for. The following disciplines are eligible within each program:

• Performing Arts: new drama, contemporary dance, new circus, physical theatre, visual theatre, alternative theatre, performance art;
• Visual and Sound Arts: visual arts (including performance art, textile art and architecture), design (fashion, costume, jewellery, ceramics and furniture design, visual communication), music/sound (interpretation, sound installation, sound performance, composition) and video/film/new media/mixed media (including video installation);
• Visual Arts in New York: visual arts and interdisciplinary practices;
• Fashion Residency in Milan: fashion, costume design, digital art;
• Literary Residency: available for writers of fiction and non-fiction, poets, essayists, critics as well as literary translators, publicists, and journalists.

A:

• The applicant must be a citizen of a V4 country (Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) over the age of 18.
• The destination country of the residency must be different from the applicant’s citizenship and country of permanent residence.
• Applicants for group residencies (only applicable for the Performing Arts Residency Program; a group consists of 3 artists or more) may come from different V4 countries. Group members, however, must come from V4 countries other than the destination country.

A: Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of applying.

A: The primary responsibility of the host organization is to create adequate conditions for the implementation of the approved residency project in terms of space and technical requirements. We advise applicants to consult the host organization regarding the space and technical support that they can provide in advance. The host organization is also responsible for providing the artist with the necessary support in terms of contacts with the local art scene, presentation and networking opportunities, etc. In some cases, the host organization is also responsible for arranging and covering the accommodation of the artist in residence (this is applicable to each residency program except for the Visual Arts Residency in New York and the Fashion Residency in Milan).

A: For Performing Arts and Visual and Sound Arts residencies, any cultural institution registered in the respective country is eligible as the potential host.

The other residency programs work with permanent partners as host organizations receiving residents:

• Literary Residency Program: Institut umění (Arts Institute) in Prague, Czechia, Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum (Petőfi Literary Museum) in Budapest, Hungary, Stowarzyszenie Willa Decjusza (Villa Decius Association) in Krakow, Poland, and Slovenské literárne centrum (Slovak Literary Centre) in Bratislava, Slovakia.
• Visual Artists Residencies in New York: International Studio & Curatorial Program, New York, NY, USA.
• Fashion Residency Program in Milan: Accademia Costume & Moda, Milan, Italy.

A: Applicants can use the Visegrad Fund's Mobility Finder to look for potential host organizations. The Fund does not provide further help; it is the applicant’s responsibility to find and reach out to the potential host organization and secure an acceptance letter if applicable.

A: You should take the following steps:

• Inform your host organization about the Fund’s decision to support your residency and set the possible date of your arrival.
• Check your email inbox for the instructions sent by our project managers.
• Confirm your personal data and provide your bank account information, following the instructions detailed in the e-mail you received from us.

A: The length of a residency varies according to the type of residency:

• Visual and Sound Arts: 2 months;
• Performing Arts: 1 month;
• Visual Arts in New York: 2 months;
• Fashion Residency in Milan: 2 months;
• Literary Residency: 6 weeks (Compact Spring Edition) or 3 months (Regular Autumn Edition).

A: The Visegrad Artists Residency covers on-site residencies. Artists are expected to be present in person in the location of the host organization during the residency. Taking days of absence is permitted, but they cannot exceed approximately 15 % of the residency period.

A: For Performing Arts and Visual and Sound Arts residencies, the residency period can be split into maximum two parts upon an agreement between the artist and the host organization. Such division must be communicated towards the Fund’s representatives in advance and requires the Fund’s approval. The whole residency period must be implemented within the same calendar year.

For other residency programs, the residency period is set by the host organization, and it cannot be split.

A: The primary responsibility of the host organization is to create adequate conditions for the implementation of the approved residency project in terms of space and technical requirements. We advise applicants to consult the host organization regarding the space and technical support that they can provide in advance. The host organization is also responsible for providing the artist with the necessary support in terms of contacts with the local art scene, presentation and networking opportunities, etc. In some cases, the host organization is also responsible for arranging and covering the accommodation of the artist in residence (this is applicable to each residency program except for the Visual Arts Residency in New York and the Fashion Residency in Milan).

A: Residencies within the Visegrad Fund’s programs are not conceived as production residencies. It is not a requirement of the programs to hold premieres or exhibitions within the residency period. Work-in-progress presentations, whether open to the public or just to a professional audience, are encouraged. Please note that host organizations might have their own conditions related to public presentations. It is advisable to discuss these in advance.

A: Please remember to acknowledge the Fund’s support in any documentation related to your residency and at any public event where you present the results and outcomes of your residency. You should also use our logo to visually acknowledge the Visegrad Artists Residency Program’s contribution to your work.

A: We recommend that the host organization contacts the relevant cultural institute or embassy at their general institutional email address to inform them about the hosted artist(s)-in-residence and the public presentations that they will have. The institutes should be informed as early as possible when the dates of the residency are set.

A: Scholarships are often exempt from taxation, but different rules apply in each country. You should check your home country’s tax legislation for the specific conditions applicable to you or consult a tax advisor.

A:

• Visual and Sound Arts & Performing Arts: 90% of the support is paid at the beginning of the residency period, after the Fund has received the contract signed by the artist and the host organization. The remaining 10% of the support is paid after the residency period has finished, after the Fund has received and approved the final report written by the artist and the host organization. By default, the whole amount (lump-sum + scholarship) is transferred to the bank account of the host organization, who is obliged to transfer the scholarship to the artist without delay. If the host organization is not entitled to disburse scholarships, the Fund can pay the lump-sum and the scholarship separately. This should be requested in advance by email and requires the Fund’s approval.
• Visual Arts in New York: The scholarship is transferred to the bank account of the artist after the signed contract is delivered to the Fund.
• Fashion Residency in Milan: The scholarship is transferred to the bank account of the artist after the signed contract is delivered to the Fund.
• Literary Residency: The scholarship is transferred to the bank account of the resident stated in the contract. In the case of the 6-week residency (Compact Spring Edition), the scholarship is paid in one instalment, after the Fund receives the contract signed by the resident. In the case of the 3-month residency (Regular Autumn Edition), the scholarship is paid in two equal instalments. The first instalment is transferred when the Fund receives the contract signed by the resident. The second instalment is transferred after the first month of the residency is completed.

A: If the scholarship is paid in one tranche, the artist receives it at the beginning of the residency period, after signing the contract. If the scholarship is paid in two tranches, the first tranche will be paid once the Fund receives the signed contract. The second tranche is paid after the final report is received and approved by the Fund.

For standard literary residencies (3 months), the second tranche is paid after the completion of the first month of the residency.

A: The contract will be sent to your host organization before the start of your residency. You should sign it upon your arrival and send one copy back to the Visegrad Fund’s address. For the Visual Arts Residency in New York and the Fashion Residency in Milan, the contract will be sent directly to your (the resident’s) correspondence address before you leave for the residency.

A: Both the artist and the host institution are obliged to submit a narrative final report summarizing the results of the residency. The final report is only submitted electronically, by email to the Fund’s assigned project manager. You will receive the final report questionnaire from the Fund’s project manager before the beginning of the residency. A financial report does not have to be submitted.