Q: How will I know that my project got selected for funding?
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.
Q: What are the Fund’s selection criteria?
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.
Q: What are the outputs?
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
Q: What are the grant objectives?
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.
Q: What should I keep in mind when preparing the application?
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.
Q: Can the Fund cover the total costs of the project?
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.
Q: Should I or my partners send letters of intent?
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.
Q: Do I have to send my application by post? Can I attach documents to my application?
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.
Q: How should I name my project?
A: The project title should be attractive and capture the project’s content while (preferably) referring to Visegrad cooperation / Central Europe (max. 5 words). Do not use acronyms as they are hard to understand, do not be vague and too abstract.