Assessing innovative project proposals is in full swing

The Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027 is actively assessing 53 project proposals submitted for the second call. Following the admissibility check, the Joint Secretariat is now actively assessing each application using strategic assessment criteria, which includes several blocks.

A closer look at the strategic assessment criteria

The first criterion involves evaluating how each project fits into the scope and approach of the chosen programme objective and its contribution to programme results. The assessment also considers the demand and need for the project from stakeholders and final beneficiaries and its contribution to the programme objective’s results.

Other important criteria include coherence of result and output indicators, strategic relevance based on sectoral, local, regional, national, or macro-regional strategies, and whether the project has a neutral or positive impact on horizontal principles. Additionally, the sustainability of results and cross-border elements of the project are also evaluated.

Partnership relevance and capacity is also a crucial factor in the assessment process. The experience and capacity of project partners to implement the project and achieve results in the thematic field of the programme objective are evaluated. The partners’ statutory authority or mandate to act in the field of intervention and their capacity to reach target groups are also considered.

Lastly, the project approach is evaluated, which includes its intervention logic and complementarity with other ongoing or implemented projects and activities. The budget’s proportionality to the expected results and the innovativeness of the project approach is also assessed.

What happens after the assessments?

After the assessment process is complete, the Programme Monitoring Committee will decide which small projects are approved and which regular projects can proceed to the second step. The Monitoring Committee is composed of national, regional, local, and social representatives of the participating countries/Åland. The Monitoring Committee meeting will be held on 7-8 June 2023.

The list of approved small project acronyms and regular projects selected to continue to the second step will be published on the programme website on the 8th of June, based on the Monitoring Committee’s decisions. The successful projects will receive funding from the Central Baltic Programme to implement innovative and sustainable solutions to face the challenges in our region.