Budget allocated for Small Grants in the year 2008 is EUR 512,000. Deadlines for applications are March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1. The maximum amount of funding allocated to a single project is EUR 4,000.

All applications should be sent to the Fund both electronically and by post in 2 hard copy versions. All attachments to the Application form shall be sent in a single copy only. No applications will be accepted after the deadlines mentioned above. In case of postal delivery, date on the postal stamp will be considered as decisive.

I. General Information

Under the approved budget and available resources, the Fund's financial resources are used to support the activities in the fields of:

   1. Cultural Cooperation (e.g. festivals, publications)
   2. Scientific Exchanges and Research (e.g. conferences, publications, research)
   3. Education (e.g. seminars, summer schools)
   4. Youth Exchanges (e.g. sport, educational and cultural events for youth and children)
   5. Cross-border Cooperation (cross-border 2-country projects within 50km from the border)
   6. Promotion of Tourism (e.g. guides, presentations, fairs)

The financial contribution of the Fund can not exceed 50% of the total project costs including the in-kind contribution of applicant (a non-cash input which can be given a cash value, e.g. own car for transport, own accommodation, own premises), or in-kind contributions of other co-financing subjects. The maximum time frame of the proposed budget is 6 months, even if the project is envisaged to last longer.

When considering funding, the Fund will prefer those projects that will involve partners (co-organizers) from all V4 countries (with the exception of the Cross-border projects). The Fund will not support projects in which less than three of the V4 countries are involved, except projects in the field of cross-border cooperation. In cross-border projects partners from 2 countries are enough. The Fund may also fund projects proposed by (or implemented in cooperation with) an entity outside of V4 countries, provided that such projects are in compliance with the objectives of the Fund. Applicants from non-Visegrad countries can apply for Small Grants under the same conditions, but the project must be thematically related to Visegrad cooperation.

The Fund may grant financial resources only to cover the following costs:

   1. Printing and publishing costs, delivery
   2. Rent of premises and related technical services
   3. Fees for artists
   4. Accommodation and boarding
   5. Transportation costs
   6. Fees for experts
   7. Translating, interpreting costs
   8. Awards and prizes
   9. Office supplies and promotional material
  10. Public relations costs (advertising, promotion)
  11. Web page design and update

The funding granted by the Fund is supposed to be used primarily in favor of project participants from V4 countries and within V4 territory.

The funding granted by the Fund cannot be used for:

   1. capital investments
   2. the grantee's own indirect costs (electricity bill, gas bill, water bill, telephone bills, etc.)
   3. rent of the grantee’s own premises
   4. salaries, financial remuneration of employees etc.
(and any expenses related to employment based on labor code, including daily allowances, part time work, etc).

The Fund will grant the funding only based upon a written contract (its draft is on the website), which clearly sets rules for the project funding.

Projects which fall under public budgets and are directly financed from public budgets cannot be financed by the Fund.

When financing projects, the Fund will respect the principle of proportionate allocation of funds among the entities from the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic.

The Fund primarily supports activities aimed at the development of civil society.

II. Project Preparation

The Applicant must prepare the project using the respective application form (available on-line). If necessary, the applicant can provide additional information on the project in a form of an attachment to the application form (uploadable on-line).

The application must be filled in English and delivered to the Fund both electronically and in two hard copies by post. Both copies of the application must contain original signatures of the applicants. In case the applicant is not a natural person, the application form must be signed by the statutory representative of the organization.

Eligible applications must contain the following compulsory attachments apart from the application form as such:

   • copy of identification document for natural persons

   • copies of any founding documents, registration documents or statutes of legal entities;
     such documents must, however, contain the following:
       - the name of the statutory representative
       - the registered seat of the organization
       - identification number of the organization (e.g. tax ID)

   • original confirmation letters from the project partners which must:
       - be printed on official letterhead paper
       - be signed by the partner's statutory representative
       - indicate the project's name and the partner's role

   • copies of letters from co-financing entities

   • special permissions for project implementation (where applicable)

The Fund's contact details are:

     International Visegrad Fund
     Kralovske udolie 8
     811 02 Bratislava
     Slovak Republic

     E-mail: smallgrants@visegradfund.org

The Secretariat of the Fund will record the applications in the order they were received. The applicants will be notified by e-mail about the receipt of their applications and each will be given its own serial number. Please make sure to use this number during any future correspondence with the Fund.

III. Project Approval

The Secretariat of the Fund reviews all delivered applications in terms of their compliance with formal requirements. The Executive Director reviews each application in terms of its content with special emphasis on its compliance with the aims of the Fund. The Executive Director then recommends or does not recommend an approval of the projects.

At its session, the Council of Ambassadors either a) accepts or b) rejects the projects. Decisions made by the Council of Ambassadors are final. They shall present no grounds for legal proceedings and they require no detailed reasoning.

In case of Small Grants, the screening process may last up to 6 weeks. When preparing calendar of activities, the applicants should take this fact into account as the Fund cannot consider and support projects that are to be implemented before the screening process is over.

The Fund shall inform the applicant about the results in writing (by post and/or by e-mail). The Fund has no obligation to give reasons for the decision, nor is it obliged to return the application to the applicant. The Applicant, whose project was rejected, can apply with the same project again in the future rounds, provided that the time plan is changed for later period and a new application is submitted.

IV.Project Implementation

The applicant has the obligation to implement the approved project in compliance with the time frame and financial conditions agreed upon in the contract. The Fund shall make the resources available for the grantee as specified in the contract. In principle, the applicant is reimbursed upon receipts submitted to the Fund (invoices, cash receipts, travel expense statements or transportation tickets, contracts, copies of bank statements, etc.).

The grantee shall be reimbursed by the Fund in one installment after successful implementation of the project and submission of the final report and relevant accounting documents.

In exceptional cases, the applicant can request changes in the already approved project. Requests for changes in the time frame and financial framework of the project will be considered by the Fund. All requests shall be addressed to the Secretariat of the Fund in written form.

The grantees have an obligation to provide the Fund with media monitoring related to the supported project, the project's promotion materials and regularly inform the Fund about the progress of the project.

The grantee also has the obligation to:

A.
Inform the Fund about the planned events that take place during the implementation of the project and send invitations or announcements to the Fund at least 14 days in advance.

B.
Spread and support the idea of Visegrad cooperation and the good reputation of the International Visegrad Fund during the implementation process and present the Fund's logo and the website address (www.visegradfund.org) in all information and promotional materials, including invitations connected with the project implementation. Format and size of the Fund's logo has to be proportional to the Fund's contribution to the project.

C.
Submit to the Fund the Final Report on the results and achievements of the project including:

   • the final financial settlement
   • project documentation proving acknowledgment of the Fund's support to the project.

The Final Report must be delivered to the Fund not later than 30 days after the end of the contractual period.

V. Project Evaluation

All projects of the Fund are subject to continuous supervision and final evaluation by the Fund.

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