10.7. Administrative forenklinger
Summary of best practices
Centralised Project Management Systems
Consider developing or adopting centralised project management tools. These should track milestones, deliverables, and budgets and be tailored to fit the requirements of the specific EU fund, ensuring organised and efficient management.
Regular Internal Reviews
Proactively conduct internal audits and reviews. This diligence helps you to spot and rectify administrative inefficiencies at an early stage.
Standardised Templates and Forms
Customise your internal templates and forms to match the requirements of the funding program. This adaptation accelerates data collection and reporting processes while minimising errors.
Digitising Data Collection
Embrace digital tools for data collection, particularly in areas like monitoring and evaluation. This approach can streamline your data gathering, storage, and analysis processes.
Dedicated Project Teams
Designate specific individuals or teams to handle EU-funded projects. Having specialised and knowledgeable oversight fosters expertise and simplifies internal processes over time.
Internal Knowledge Sharing
Host regular workshops and training sessions for your staff. Share experiences from past projects to reduce the learning curve for new ventures and offer insights into simplification strategies.
Feedback Mechanisms
Implement feedback loops within your organisation. Encourage team members to suggest administrative improvements, fostering an environment of continuous enhancement.
Time-tracking Software
If staff costs form a significant component of your projects, invest in time-tracking software. Ensure it is tailored to the categories of the EU project, simplifying the calculation and reporting of personnel costs.
Pre-validated Supplier Lists
Maintain lists of pre-validated suppliers that comply with EU funding criteria. This practice will streamline your procurement processes and ensure consistent compliance.
Automated Financial Tracking
Implement financial software aligned with EU’s financial reporting requirements. This aids in streamlining your budgeting and financial reporting, providing real-time tracking and adherence to set budgets.
Practical project applications
LEAP Project, The Foundation for Social Welfare Services, Malta: The LEAP Project introduced the Family Profiling Systems, streamlining the process of interviewing clients, filing information, and formulating care plans. Further advancements were made with the development of a Case Management System, now a standard across all their social services.
Creation of a social and health border system in the Vysočina Region, Kraj Vysočina, Czech Republic: The Vysočina Region simplified their project budgeting process. They now allow the entry of the total unit price for the entire project period upfront in the budget application, with a more detailed budget kept as an annex. This change makes ongoing project administration notably smoother.
NICE – New Ways to Inclusion through Circular Economy, Fondazi-one Caritas Ambrosiana, diocesan Caritas of Milano, Italy: For effective reporting, the NICE project emphasises the importance of maintaining a straightforward list of activities and related dates, providing a clear snapshot of project proceedings at any given time.
Live2Work, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Portugal: The Live2Work project showcases the benefits of detailed planning, offering all partners a clear vision regarding reporting and output development statuses. They have also introduced simple report templates and ensure regular discussions to clarify any uncertainties about these templates.