Online Event: ‘Integrated Approaches to Funding’
The online event ‘Integrated Approaches to Funding‘ will focus on how combining different funding sources can strengthen social inclusion outcomes. As complex social challenges increasingly require coordinated responses, the event will explore how the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) can be effectively aligned with other EU funding instruments, national, and regional resources to deliver more sustainable and impactful interventions.
Responding to the needs of Managing Authorities and ESF+ stakeholders, the session will support the preparation and implementation of National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) under the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework. Participants will gain insights from concrete examples of projects that successfully integrate “soft” measures, such as capacity building and community services, with “hard” investments like infrastructure, housing, and accessible environments.
By showcasing practical cases and methodologies, the event aims to highlight key success factors for integrating different funding sources, promote exchange of experience, and provide actionable guidance for designing integrated approaches. Special attention will be given to areas such as community living, deinstitutionalisation, child poverty, and affordable housing, demonstrating how cross-fund synergies can enhance both effectiveness and long-term sustainable impact.
| Time (CEST) | Topic and speaker |
|---|---|
| 08:50 - 09:00 |
Technical Set-up
Participants log-in through the link 10 minutes before the beginning of the event to test the tools and have the informal chat with other participants.
|
| 09:00 - 09:15 |
Opening and Welcome
Erikas Juchnevičius, Coordinator of the Community of Practice on Social Inclusion
Luk Zelderloo, Lead Expert, Community of Practice on Social Inclusion |
| 09:15 - 09:30 |
Integrated Approaches in the Use of Funds in 2021-2027
Miguel Littlewood, DG REGIO, the European Commission
|
| 09:30 - 09:45 |
Presentation of the Commission’s Proposal for the Future NRPPs.
Richard Broos, EMPL G1, the European Commission
|
| 09:45 - 10:00 |
Perspectives from Managing Authorities on Implementation Challenges and Opportunities
TBC
|
| 10:00 - 10:15 |
Perspectives from Project Developers and Beneficiaries (TBD)
Ivana Davidovska, Head of Projects, European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities
|
| 10:15 - 10:30 |
Comfort break
|
| 10:30 - 11:15 |
Presentations of Promising Practices: Multi-fund Approaches
Presentation of promising practices in social inclusion areas: community living, deinstitutionalisation, child poverty, and affordable housing.
|
| 11:15 - 12:00 |
Discussion "Bottlenecks, Barriers and Opportunities of Integrated Approaches to Funding"
This part will gather representatives from Managing Authorities, project promoter and beneficiaries to discuss about coherent and workable solutions for beneficiaries when combining funds with different cost structures, what support to participants and beneficiaries is needed, challenges related to divergent timelines, how it can hinder coherent planning and implementation cycles, how the complex administrative system of such integrated approach may be coordinated. Participants of the discussion will also share opportunities that the integrated approach to funding brings so the results of interventions reach necessary outcomes.
|
| 12:00 - 12:15 |
Conclusions and Key Takeaways
Luk Zelderloo, Lead Expert, Community of Practice on Social Inclusion
|