Advancing on the funding objectives EAPN Funding Seminar Advancing on the funding objectives Input Tanya Basarab EAPN Development Officer 19-20 March, 2010, Brussels

SUSTAINABLE FINANCING GROUP EAPN FUNDING OBJECTIVES ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVED PROGRESS FUND CAMPAIGNING FOR NATIONAL FUNDING

Context

Sustainable Finances for NNs Group 6 representatives of NNs responsible for fundraising or financial management Identify challenges and obstacles Help map the funding reality of NNs Support organization of yearly funding seminars Identify key objectives and areas to improve the funding conditions for NNs Developed a new policy area

4 objectives to improve funding of NNs Advocating for better EU PROGRESS Fund Campaigning for public funding of NN core costs Building capacity of NNs and opening up new funding possibilities EAPN funding to NNs

Results so far 5 Challenges and 5 Demands for funding National anti poverty networks in the EU A tool to monitor finances of NNs (updated yearly) An EU Funding Guide for National Networks Arguments for changing PROGRESS Developing national lobby campaign messages Responding to the EC consultation on the financial regulation Planning the funding seminar See document NDev 061-09

EU Funding (Objective from 2009) Improved EU Funding (draft paper ready, based on an EU We Can Trust) Main arguments: - PROGRESS has been good for policy-making Need to increase funds and access to NNs Need to allow more flexibility and access to NGOs for innovation and demonstration projects Need to engage NGOs in managing the Programme Similar work on Structural Funds

National funding: Report Conclusion NNs and anti poverty NGOs are struggling to get core costs covered lack of funding for developing participation of people experiencing poverty Lack of funding for advocacy with few exceptions Lack of funding to link national with European work The economic crisis puts more pressure on anti poverty NGOs

Messages of the lobby campaign Set up funding programmes to cover core costs of National Anti Poverty Networks Build on the good practices in some EU member states Apply practice of supporting platforms for youth, women, disabilities etc. to anti poverty networks. Should EAPN be more ambitious and ask for national Poverty programmes based on the practices in some member states?

Questions for work in groups Are the messages right? What is missing? How did funded networks get their funding? Discussion in Groups: What actions should we take? Who do we target (Social Ministers? Finance Ministers? Prime ministers? Society at large?) What solidarity actions we can carry in countries where NNs have a good funding base? How do we carry the campaign in the framework of 2010? What would members need to do?