Small-scale partnerhips in the field of sport

Small scale partnerships in the field of sport are cooperation projects aimed at achieving the priorities of the Erasmus+ programme in the field of sport as well as implementing key EU sport policy documents, such as the EU Work Plan for Sport (2021-2024) and the EU Council Recommendation on promoting Health enhancing physical activity across sectors. In these international projects, different types of organizations active in the field of sports, as well as organizations in the field of education, training, youth, and other sectors can cooperate on a certain common topic.

Through Small scale partnership projects, Erasmus+ aims to:

  • Attract and widen access for newcomers, less experienced organisations and small-scale actors to the programme; this is to be achieved through simpler administrative procedures, shorter project duration, more flexible formats (a mixture of international and national activities, but with a European dimension), and lower amounts of grants awarded, compared to Partnerships for Cooperation; these partnerships should act as a first step for organisations into cooperation at European level.
  • Support the inclusion of target groups with fewer opportunities and individuals who are more difficult to reach.
  • Support active European citizenship and bring the European dimension closer to the local level.

In addition, the main objectives of Cooperation Partnerships also apply to Small scale partnerships, proportionally to the scope and volume of each project:

  • Increasing quality in the work and practices of the organisations and institutions involved, opening up to new actors not naturally included within one sector;
  • Building capacity of organisations to work transnationally and across sectors;
  • Addressing common needs and priorities in the fields of education, training, youth and sport;
  • Enabling transformation and change (at individual, organisational or sectoral level), leading to improvements, in proportion to the context of each organisation;
Who can participate and apply?

Public and private organizations active in the field of sport, as well as organizations in the field of education, training, youth, and other sectors, from Erasmus+ programme countries (for more information on participating countries, consult pages 32-35 of the Erasmus+ Programme Guide). The minimum of the project consortium (partnership) consists of 2 organizations from 2 different programme countries, one of which has the role of project applicant and project coordinator, if the project is selected for funding. Other organizations have the role of partners. It is recommended that at least one of the participating organizations be a local/regional sports club.

If the organization has no previous experience and/or capacity to participate in international cooperation projects, it is recommended to participate in projects of Small Partnerships in the field of sport first, and to participate in Cooperation partnerships projects first as a partner and then as an applicant (coordinator).

Horizontal and sport specific priorities

These projects also aim to contribute to achieving one or more of the priorities of the Erasmus+ programme. Priorities for different areas are set by the European Commission, each year for a General call for Erasmus+ project proposals. The priorities of Cooperation partnerships in the field of sport can be horizontal (general, common to all sectors of the programme) and / or specific for the field of sports, and each project must be subsumed under one or more of priorities in the application phase.

When formulating project proposals, it is recommended to consult the results of previously funded projects that had the same or similar priorities, to ensure consistency, avoid duplication, build on existing results and contribute to joint development in different areas.

Fort the Call 2021. the following priorities apply:

  • inclusion and diversity in all areas of education, training, youth and sports;
  • environment and fight against climate change;
  • addressing digital transformation through the development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity;
  • common values, civic engagement and participation.
  • Encouraging the participation in sport and physical activity: projects under this priority will focus mainly on a) the implementation of the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity, the EU Physical Activity Guidelines and the Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle b) the support to the implementation of the European Weeks of Sport c) the promotion of sport and physical activity as a tool for health c) the promotion of all activities encouraging the practice of sport and physical activity including traditional sport and games and intergenerational sport.
  • Promoting integrity and values in sport: projects under this priority will focus mainly on a) combating the usage of doping b) combating match fixing and corruption in sport c) improving good governance in sport and d) promoting the positive values of sport.
  • Promoting education in and through sport: projects under this priority will focus mainly on a) supporting skills development in sport, b) encouraging Dual Careers of Athletes c) promoting the quality of coaching and staff d) using mobility as a tool for improving qualifications e) promoting employability through sport.
  • Combating violence and tackling racism, discrimination and intolerance in sport and tackling violent radicalisation: projects under this priority will focus mainly on combating those behaviours that may have a negative influence over the practice of sport and society more in general. Projects will contribute to the fight of any form of discrimination and promote equality in sport, including gender equality.

More detailed information on priorities is available on pages 167-174 of the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

Whom and how to apply?

Project proposals can be submitted electronically to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). The call for proposals, with project documentation and instructions, is published on the Funding & tender opportunities portal  of the European Commission.

The same consortium (the partnership composed of the same organizations) can submit only one proposal of the Cooperation partnership project in the same deadline.

To generate an electronic project application form, it is necessary to have a registered EU Login account, while to fill in the form, it is necessary that the applicant organization, as well as project partners, have a registered PIC number.

When to apply?

Project proposals can be submitted once a year. The 2021 submission deadline has been extended to 17 June 2021 at 5 pm Brussels time.

Duration of the project

These projects can last from 6 to 24 months. The duration of the project is defined in the application stage. The expected start of the implementation of the projects that will be selected for financing is the beginning of 2022.

Who selects the projects and on which criteria?

The EACEA Executive Agency is responsible for the selection, contracting, financing and monitoring of these projects.

The selection includes an assessment of the fulfilment of formal requirements, and then a qualitative assessment that is performed on the basis of 4 groups of criteria defined on pages 196-197. of Erasmus+ Programme Guide:

  • Relevance
  • Quality of the project design and implementation
  • Quality of the partnership and the cooperation arrangements
  • Impact
Which activities are typically carried out by Cooperation partnership?

Over the lifetime of a project, organisations may typically carry out a broad range of activities. From traditional activities to more creative and innovative ones, organisations have the flexibility to choose the best combination that contributes to reaching the project’s objectives in relation to its scope and in proportion to the capacities of the partnership. For example:

  • Project management: activities that are necessary to ensure the adequate planning, implementation and follow-up of the projects, including smooth and efficient collaboration between project partners. In this phase, activities typically include organisational and administrative tasks, virtual meetings among partners, preparation of communication materials, preparation and follow-up of participants taking part in activities, etc.
  • Implementation activities: can include networking events, meetings, working sessions to exchange practices and to develop results. These activities may also involve the participation of staff and learners (provided that their participation contributes to the achievement of project objectives).
  • Sharing and promotion activities: organisation of conferences, sessions, events aimed at sharing, explaining and promoting the results of the project, whether they are in the form of tangible results, conclusions, good practices or any other form.
What is the budget of the project?

The proposed funding model consists of a menu of two possible lump sums (30,000 EUR or 60,000 EUR), corresponding to the total grant amount for the project. Applicants will choose between the two pre-defined amounts according to the activities they want to undertake and the results they want to achieve:

The total budget refers to all organizations participating in the project and is divided to individual organizations in accordance with the project activities expected to be implemented by each of them.

Additional information and contact

More detailed information on this type of Erasmus + project is available in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

For all further inquiries regarding project proposals, you can contact colleagues in the Executive Agency by e-mail EACEA-SPORT@ec.europa.eu or Foundation Tempus Info centre  (on the spot, by phone or e-mail).

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