NPP Project Development Support Activities Kirsti Mijnhijmer 27 th August 2009 – Inverness, Scotland European Union European Regional Development Fund

Structure Programme Status Funding Allocations Upcoming events Project idea development Products and services Profile of an appropriate partnership Project development tools Programme Manual, Part 1: How to Apply Project idea clinics Main project development workshop Partenariats How to Apply seminars Preparatory Projects

Programme Status Commitment levels Upcoming events Annual Conferenc 2009, LAVA09

Commitment levels To date: 27 main projects and 21 preparatory project approved In total 62% of programme budget committed Member State funding allocated: 64% Priority 1: 51% Priority 2: 78% Remaining to be allocated: approx. €12 million

Upcoming events Small scale Partenariat on theme: Urban-rural partnership for new service solutions, dates to be confirmed Programme evaluation exercise, autumn 2009, first main report in November 2009 NPP Annual Conference 2009 LAVA 09, November, Reykjavik, Iceland Main project development workshop to be held on 23 November 2009, for 1-year preparatory projects, to be thematically focused on PMC identified project gaps Fifth call for application - Pre- announcement December 2009

NPP annual conference LAVA 09 This year’s annual conference will be on November in Reykjavik, Iceland. The theme is “Creative Industries” and how they can add value to traditional industries, industry development version 2.0. Why: The Northern Periphery Programme has a tradition of recognising the importance of cultural heritage and the business potential that cultural heritage can bring to the programme area, The importance of the industry for young people and the potential for them to stay and act as a young cultural entrepreneur in the programme area. A collaboration between traditional and creative sectors can offer a more sustainable development for the programme area. The mid-term aim is to include culture actors and cultural entrepreneurs in the next programming process and to ensure that creative industries will have a central position in the implementation of the NPP Long-term aim: the Northern Periphery Programme area should by 2021 be a leading area for cultural entrepreneurship and the use of cultural entrepreneurs as an integrated part of the area’s innovation process and lifelong learning process. More details will be made available on the NPP website

Project Idea Development Products and services Profile of an appropriate partnership

Products and Services All projects should develop a tangible product or service, which is what the concept of added value refers to. Each project must make a distinctive contribution and add value by developing concrete, tangible and innovative new products or services. Methods of added value: Innovation Knowledge transfer Organisational learning Requirements: Innovativeness Relevance to the characteristics of the programme area; rurality, insularity, sparse population Transnational relevance to the programme area: the product/service can be used widely within the programme area and if possible beyond.

Products and Services A Business Perspective: Demonstrate the demand for the products and services that the project aims to develop Describe the intended end users of the products/services. How will the products/services be provided to them? Clearly describe the attributes of products and services: marketing arguments Demonstrate the Return on Investment (ROI) of the project (e.g. expected savings) Is there an exit strategy? Describe how the products/services can survive after the NPP funding ends.

Products and Services Useful questions: What key issues will the product and service help to address? What will be the overall benefit of the product and service? Is there a certain demand for special products and services Is a development of these products and service realistic/ manageable? Can products and services demonstrate beneficial impacts on the programme area? Are the products and services of relevance to the whole programme area? Do the products and services have a focus on peripheral regions? What specific actions are necessary to develop the products and services? Will the development of the products and services need to be facilitated by policy change?

Example of Products/Services Cooperation for Safety in Sparsely Populated Areas, Co-safe Product/Service: Movable mattresses with integrated patient covering Tents for patients temporary shelters GPS based satellite location and communication and alarm systems and GPS tagged rescue equipment Training packages for rescue personnel and tourism industry/ patients protection Transport and logistics Common working methods nationally and internationally Innovation: New enhanced safety products and services covering different perspectives and the full spectrum from scene of the accident via- pre-hospital care to full hospital care, suitable for the special conditions in NPP area (harsh climate, sparsely populated)

Example of Products/Services Cooperation for Safety in Sparsely Populated Areas, Co-safe Knowledge transfer: Based on knowledge from project in INTERREG IIIB NPP and Barents Rescue Interactive VR-based training simulators for collaborative international accidents and disaster management and steering Organisational learning and partnership constellation: Hospitals, Universities, Rescue Services, Research Institutes, Municipalities Transnational impact: Joint NPP strategy for increased safety in sparsely populated areas Risk analysis for international purposes International preparedness service solution for major traffic and aircraft accidents in sparsely populated areas

Profile of an Appropriate Partnership Ensuring the correct mix of transnational partners in a project is crucial to achieving genuine transnational cooperation and successful results. In general, all partners should have the capacity and knowledge in the subject area to participate fully and to deliver the products and/or services. Where suitable, partnerships should try to involve a cross-sector of partners from the national, regional and local level. Your application will be judged on the partnership constellation and this can be a deciding factor in project approval.

Profile of an Appropriate Partnership Who can become partners? Organisations from the public, public-like and voluntary (third) sectors are able to participate in Northern Periphery Programme projects and receive direct financial support, including: National, regional and local authorities Regional and local development agencies, chambers of commerce Universities, higher education institutions, research centres, colleges Non-governmental organisations/public-like organisations Voluntary sector organisations Other relevant public-like organisations contributing to the development of the programme area (EC definition) Private sector (only with public match funding)

Profile of an Appropriate Partnership To keep in mind when forming a partnership: Apply a demand driven approach The core partnership should consist of partners that have a need for the specific product or service and that will implement the solutions in their daily work. This implies that the core partnership should include implementing partners in all countries where the project aims to implement its solutions. Invite partners whose main interest is close to the project aim and field of intervention Organisational learning Involve expert organisations (universities, authorities) and private sector partners However, these expert organisations should not form the core partnership, unless a top-down approach is favoured

Profile of an Appropriate Partnership Select a Lead Partner with the administrative capacity and experience to implement and coordinate a transnational project The LP does not always have to be part of the implementing core partnership If appropriate Form a triple helix partnership A triple helix partnership constellation is normally essential if there is a need of high end competence from the academia in the development of new products and services and where public bodies and companies are essential as producers/providers alternatively beneficiaries of the solutions. Work in a triple helix context The NPP recognises the difficulty for private partners to commit themselves for the entire project lifetime. With this in mind, an appropriate solution could be to include private partners as associated partners or only in the parts where they are necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

Profile of an Appropriate Partnership Useful questions: What are the potential project partner(s) in your region suitable to participate in a potential future MAIN project? Who can be an appropriate Lead partner in a potential main project? What would be a recommendation for two initial partners in a preparatory project application?

Project Development Tools Programme Manual, Part 1: How to Apply Project idea clinics Main project development workshop Partenariats How to Apply seminars Preparatory Projects

Partenariats Purpose: targeted project development on a specific theme By invitation: selected key actors in field Intensive project idea development sessions What issues need to be addressed, what solutions are needed Products and services Appropriate partnership profile Outcome: preparatory project applications

How to Apply Seminars Purpose: to help applicants submit a good quality application, to highlight pitfalls and best practices Focus on technical side of submitting an application, not project idea development; explanation of NPP concepts and the different sections of the application form Format: small group, timing at the start of a call for proposals

Preparatory Projects General Purpose: Producing a well-balanced, high quality main project application with an appropriate partnership constellation Facilitate the development of joint project plans on themes that correspond to the objectives of the programme Committing partners to specific contributions Reducing risks connected to main projects In general, it is to ensure that a project is meeting all the NPP core concepts of transnationality and added value.

Preparatory Projects Background information: Continuous call: application can be submitted at any time Expenditure will become eligible from the date of submission Characteristics: Duration: 6 months Maximum total budget € at 60% grant rate (max. NPP funding €18 000) Minimum requirements: An eligible project idea (fitting with the themes) Partners from 2 countries Eligible match funding in place, confirmed through match funding commitments The NPP Programme Monitoring Committee delegated authority to the Programme secretariat to approve preparatory projects and make funding decisions.

Focused Call for preparatory projects Themes to be addressed: In Priority 1, in the Objective ”To promote competitiveness by increasing and developing the capacity for innovation and networking in rural and peripheral areas” the two themes: i) exchange of best practice and establishment of cooperation networks between R&D institution and SMEs to increase the capacity for innovation, facilitate the design of innovation systems and strengthen competitiveness ii) cooperation and exchange of best practice between SMEs on how to address and reach markets with existing and new products

Focused Call for preparatory projects In Priority 1, in the Objective ” To facilitate development through the use of advanced information and communication technologies and transportation in the programme area” the four themes: i) increased use of ICT to overcome distance iii) developing innovative product and service solutions for developing and maintaining transport infrastructure with regard to roads, railways, airports and ports under harsh climatic conditions iv) development of transport schemes that benefit rural communities, such as new maritime routes v) maritime safety in relation to remote areas with arctic, harsh conditions.

Focused Call for preparatory projects In Priority 2, in the Objective ” To improve sustainable development in peripheral regions by strengthening urban-rural relations and enhancing regional heritage” the three theme: i) urban-rural partnerships for new service solutions iii) private, public and voluntary sectors cooperation and networks to develop new and innovative service solutions for remote and peripheral regions iv) promotion of natural and cultural heritage that supports the development of sustainable industries

Preparatory Projects Application Form See separate presentation

Contact Details – Programme Secretariat Northern Periphery Programme Secretariat Strandgade 91, 4 th floor DK-1401 Copenhagen K, DENMARK Niclas Forsling – Head of Secretariat Tel , Christopher Parker – Programme Manger for Project Development Support Tel , Kirsti Mijnhijmer – Programme Manager for Information & Communication Tel , Maxi Nachtigall – Project Officer Tel ,

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