Guidelines for Management of ESF Research Networking Programmes - Financial Management, Reporting, Duration and Extensions

Financial Management

All costs for the Programme must be included and justified in the proposal; they will be revised and approved by the relevant Standing Committee(s) during the assessment and selection procedure.

ESF issues an annual call for contributions to those agencies participating in ESF Programmes. Funds are received and managed by ESF on a Programme-by-Programme basis. ESF Programme accounts are audited annually and the auditors’ report is presented to the ESF General Assembly. The fiscal year of ESF is the calendar year.

Reporting

Halfway through the Programme, a Mid-term Report will normally be requested to form the basis for evaluation by the ESF Standing Committee(s), whose evaluation report will be sent to organisations contributing to the Programme with a recommendation to continue or terminate funding.

At the end of the Programme, a Final Report will be requested so that the Standing Committee(s) can evaluate the results. Failure to submit a report will proscribe the applicant(s) from submitting further proposals for ESF activities, and may result in the retention of funds.

Final Reports will be sent to the contributing organisations and published on the ESF website.

In the case of Programmes of shorter duration than five years, the mid-term report requirement may be waived.

Reporting guidelines ar

• Mid-term Reports (see Appendix 5) and

• Final Reports (see Appendix 6).

Travel costs related to the evaluation have to be covered by the Programme and included under the budget line for Steering Committee meetings.

All documents relating to Steering Committee meetings, selection and decisions on funding for travel grants and scientific meetings, other financial commitments, etc., must be provided to the ESF Office. The ESF Office will retain these and financial documents relating to the programme in accordance with its audit requirements

Duration and Extensions

The month of the first meeting of the Steering Committee marks the launch of the Programme. A Programme ends on the last day of the final month of the funding period stated in the Letter of Approval for Launching sent by ESF to the proponent.

Some editorial or publishing activities may take place after the official completion date provided funds have been committed prior to this date.

Limited extensions, up to six months, may be granted in exceptional circumstances, and with no additional funding. Extensions should be considered only in order not to miss a major scientific opportunity, and must not be considered if the principal objective of the extension is “to use unspent funds”. Decisions on extension are the responsibility of the ESF Heads of Units.

Programmes requiring extra funds or longer extensions (e.g. a “new Programme”) may, according to Standing Committee policy, be allowed to submit a follow-up Programme proposal for consideration in the normal, competitive, peer-reviewed manner.