NGOs urged to join forces in bid for EU funding

Non-government organisations were yesterday advised to organise themselves into a national platform and coordinate their efforts with established NGOs in Europe in order to have a better chance to obtain funds from the EU.

The advice was given by Lidia Barreiros, director of the European Commission's Directorate General for Development, during a public dialogue held at the Old University, in Valletta. Ms Barreiros is head of a delegation from Brussels currently visiting Malta.

The theme of the dialogue, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Malta-EU Information Centre, was The EU's Development and Humanitarian Aid Policy.

Reporting on what she had discussed with Foreign Minister Joe Borg, whose portfolio as EU commissioner would cover this theme, Ms Barreiros noted that the great ability of the Maltese to raise funds for those in need was an opportunity rather than a threat when local NGOs came to apply for EU co-funding of projects.

The EU will provide 75 per cent of the funding of projects but the more funds NGOs raise, the greater the final amount.

When Ms Barreiros noted that NGOs had to work in a legal framework, a member of the public pointed out that there was no such legal structure in Malta. Tackling this issue, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied that a law to recognise NGOs as legal entities is expected to be approved by parliament before May 1.

Ms Barreiros highlighted the fact that NGOs had to have their own agenda, their own priorities and projects. NGOs had to bear in mind also that when they applied for funding they would have to face tough competition from multi-national NGOs such as Oxfam.

"Only 20 per cent of the proposals succeed. Newcomers do not know the procedures, so therefore, they should search for alliances. Don't come alone but team up with those who have been in the business. Only in that way would you have a chance of succeeding," she said.