The Business Sector and Cofinancing Solutions through Corporate Social Responsibility

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The Business Sector and Co-financing Solutions
through Corporate Social Responsibility
Philippa SaidExecutiveImpetus Europe Consulting
Group Ltd

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Issues at hand

• Civil Society organisations are eligible for many
  funding opportunities offered by the EU
• HOWEVER, Maltese NGOs and civil society
  organisations many-a-time do not have the
  financial capacity to match co-financing
  requirements for EU projects
• This is especially the case for projects
  part-financed by the EUs direct-access funding
  programmes (eg. Culture 2007, EU Citizenship,
  Decentralised Cooperation, Daphne, Youth, Life ,
  Progress, FP7)

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Who can assist NGOs?

• Is government the only potential source for
  assisting NGOs and civil organisations with
  participating in EU co-financed projects?
• Can the private sector be involved in any way?
• Can there be an initiative to such extent?

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Corporate Social Responsibility What Why?

• CSR is characterised by a Win-Win nature
• This is because investing in improvements in
  social performance yields competitive advantage
  and economic benefits for companies
• Why?
• Because, nowadays, consumers and customers expect
  organisations to behave in a responsible fashion
• Therefore, CSR is an important marketing and
  branding tool
• It is important to link CSR with reputation and
  corporate identity issues

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Benedict Co-Financing Fund

• Objective to assist NGOs in meeting their
  co-financing commitments in projects
  part-financed through direct access funding
  programmes offered by the European Union.
• Supported by the Community of Corporates
• Target date by when the Fund is to be set up -
  November 2006

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The Benedict Fund shall have a base of Lm
100,000 per annum.

• Sponsorships provided annually by the Maltese
  Community of Corporates
• Gold Sponsors - A sponsorship of Lm 10,000 per
  annum
• Silver Sponsors - A sponsorship of Lm 5000 per
  annum
• These sponsorships will form part of the
  Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of
  these companies.

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Why become a sponsor of the Benedict Foundation?

• 1) contribute to bettering society at grass-root
  level ( be it vis-à-vis the environment,
  development, social inclusion, health, culture,
  sports education etc)
• 2) have added value at a national and European
  level (an essential requirement in EU funded
  projects)
• 3) enhance networking and cooperation between
  civil society organisations in different Member
  States (particularly given that EU funded
  projects generally require the representation of
  at least three Member States)
• 4) be matched with a significant amount of
  funding by the Maltese Government or the European
  Union meaning that as projects, they will be
  more effective, accountable, and in line with
  national and EU priorities.

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What will the Benedict Fund will fund?

• a maximum of 75 of the co-financing element
  assigned to the NGO. (In other words, if the
  European Commission finances 50 of the project
  budget, the Benedict Fund will finance a maximum
  of 75 of half (50) the project budget)
• a minimum of three projects per semester are
  guaranteed co-financing by the Benedict fund, if
  and when approved by the authorities in question.

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The Benedict Fund will not finance

• Grants or loans to individuals.
• Grants for capital development, project
  replication or endowment unless these activities
  grow out of work already being funded by the
  Benedict Fund.
• Grants for religious or political activities or
  programs serving specific religious or political
  groups or denominations. However, faith-based and
  politically-based organizations may submit
  inquiries if the project falls within the
  priorities and objectives of the Maltese
  Government or those of the EU.

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• CONTACT DETAILS
• Impetus Europe Consulting Group Ltd
• 85, St. John Street
• Valletta VLT 09
• Malta
• Avenue de lArmee 10
• 1040 Brussels
• Belgium
• Tel. [phone] Fax. [phone]
• E-mail info_at_impetuseurope.com
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