New characteristics of the second competitive selection process for regional development projects
Specialists of the Project and Educational Center «Agents of Changes» of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University held an interesting information and advisory meeting in the framework of the regional development project, which is funded from the State budget due to the means received from the European Union and is implemented in cooperation with Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration and Ivano-Frankivsk City Council. The main purpose of the meeting is sharing information on the characteristics of the second competitive selection process for regional development projects within the new programming period of strategic planning running from 2021 to 2027 and under the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the EU on financing the Sector Policy Support Program «Ukraine’s Regional Policy Support». This question, as well as other problems of project activity, was discussed by Valentyna Yakubiv, Vice-Rector for Research of the Precarpathian National University, as well as by specialists of «AGENTS OF CHANGES», managers, project managers, chief and leading specialists of departments and divisions of economic development, investment policy, international cooperation, European integration, tourism, and other departments of the Regional State Administration, District State Administrations, United Territorial Communities, the Agency for Regional Development, the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Local Self-Governance Development Centre, utility companies, public organizations, and other interested persons involved in the project activity
The meeting was moderated by Svitlana Kropelnytska, Director of the «Agents of Changes» Center, Associate Professor of Finance of the Economic Faculty of the Precarpathian National University, who noted that the main objective of the event is to improve the quality and increase the number of successful project proposals which will be submitted to the above-mentioned second competition, as well as to multiply the effect of the activities undertaken during the implementation of the project that won the first competition and contributed to creating the Center, which will continue to provide professional consulting support for project management.
The participants of the meeting were addressed by Valentyna Yakubiv, Vice-Rector for Research and Professor, Vasyl Melnychuk, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Regional Policy, Decentralization and Local Self-Government Development of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Council, Ruslan Gaida, Ivano-Frankivsk Deputy Mayor.
«Today’s event devoted to the preparation of project applications for a new competition under EU budget sector support provides an opportunity to learn a lot of new things related to the submission of project applications. Here it is important that the principle of smart specialization recommended by the EU is taken into account. Experience shows that the approach of smart specialization applied in strategic and project planning, has a powerful influence. It lies in the fact that when preparing project applications, or carrying out strategic planning, it is necessary to take into account the interests of different groups of stakeholders and be based on the synergy of three main institutions – community, business and science,» said Vice Rector Valentyna Yakubiv in her opening statement.
She also emphasized that the university, through the «AGENTS OF CHANGES», was ready to provide support to the united territorial communities and all interested institutions and organizations with the preparation of projects aimed at developing our region.
Valentyna Moskalenko, Chief Expert of the meeting, Head of the Expert Group for Development of Mechanisms and Tools for Stimulating Regional Development of the Directorate for Regional Development of the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, described the characteristics of the application process and funding sources, told about changes in the competition process and gave advice on project development. She also mentioned common mistakes people make when writing project proposals. In the context of the latter, she emphasized, in particular, the importance of the link between the identified problems and the stated goals and results.
At present, there is a tendency for the state not to fund certain budget lines or specific measures. Therefore, if community members want to receive funding, they have to write a project, anyway. Every community must learn how to do it. We are glad that such center as «AGENTS OF CHANGES» has been created in Ivano-Frankivsk region. It will help the region to get to a new level in the development and submission of projects to various competitions, not only under sector budget support,» said Valentyna Moskalenko.
According to the expert, the project approach helps to look at the problems of the community in a different way. Valentyna Moskalenko also informed the participants of the meeting about the second competition of EU sector budget support projects, which will start soon.
Svitlana Kropelnytska, Director of «AGENTS OF CHANGES», told about the experience of the Center, noting successful projects which have already been funded.
Among the projects developed by our specialists or in collaboration with them or those which received counselling and mentoring support of «AGENTS OF CHANGES», there are two winning micro-projects under the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine Cross-Border Cooperation Program: the first one is entitled «Gate to Central Gorgany», it’s a project for project for Broshniv-Osada United Territorial Community, the author of the project idea is Olha Maksymovych; the other project is entitled “Invisible Heritage”, it is developed in collaboration with a University representative Khrystyna Kazymyriv. Also, the results of the 10th regional competition of projects and programs of local self-government development have been recently announced; the project of Vytvytsia United Territorial Community has become one of the winners – the project is entitled «Creation of the Tent City «Boyko’s Fairy Tales» in Bovkoty Tract belonging to Vytvytsia United Territorial Community (Dolyna District). Its authors are students of our Finance Department who worked under the mentorship of Tetyana Myhovych, Specialist of «AGENTS OF CHANGES», Associate Professor of Finance», – said Svitlana Kropelnytska.
In the second part of the information and advisory meeting, its participants had an opportunity to visit the office of «AGENTS OF CHANGES» and to learn more about its activities and the team of the project for which it was created.