Town Twinning
Strand: Democratic engagement and civic participation
What do you think when you think about Town Twinning? You probably picture signs on the outskirts of towns and formal agreements between municipalities all over Europe. But, did you know, that community and cultural organisations in Ireland can also engage in short-term town twinning projects?
Under Europe for Citizens Town Twinning funding, a community or cultural group can apply for a small grant to help fund 25+ European visitors to take part in a series of events in their locality, celebrating European culture, citizenship, solidarity and debate. This is a unique and accessible opportunity to forge connections at a European level and increase the profile of the important work around culture and engaged citizenship that is enriching communities all over Ireland. This measure seeks to promote civic participation in the Union policy making process and develop opportunities for societal engagement and volunteering at EU level.
Who is it for?
Local groups that carry out events fostering appreciation of culture and history, active citizenship, debate, volunteering, and inclusion, including town twinning committees, local festivals, historical and cultural groups, volunteering initiatives, etc.
What are the priorities/themes?
- Debating the future of Europe and challenging Euroscepticism
- Promoting solidarity in times of crisis
- Fostering intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding and combating stigmatisation of migrants and minority groups
- European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018
Types of organisations/applicants:
- Local Authorities/municipalities
- Town Twinning committees
- Non-profit organisations representing local authorities (you need to have a letter of support from your local authority)
What will it fund?
It will contribute towards the travel costs of 25+ people to participate in a series of events over at least 3 days. Events can include workshops, debates, public meetings, and cultural festivals, celebrations and exchanges, etc.
The minimum grant you can apply for is €5000. The maximum is €25,000. The grant is based on how many European visitors travel to the host country. You can chose to spend the money in any way you want, as long as it contributes towards your activities, but usually it ends up going towards the travel and/or accommodation costs of your visitors.
Europe for Citizens uses a lump sum funding approach, meaning that your budget will automatically calculate itself when you fill in the number of international participants you will host and the only reporting you need to do is proving that the event happened. This means that, unlike many EU funding programmes, it is very easy to apply for in terms of budget calculation and financial reporting.
Pre-financing is not available for Town Twinning projects. If successful, you will get the grant after you have completed the project and your report has been accepted.
How do I find partners?
- Check out our partner finding page to look at profiles of other organisations looking for partners. You can also get in touch with us if you would like us to circulate your own profile.
- Use your own community! Are there people from elsewhere in Europe in your town? Talk to them and see if they can help you build a relationship with an organisation in their home town that complements your own work and would be open to exchange.
- Research online and find organisations that line-up with your own work. Reach out to them and start building a relationship. Online tools like Skype and social media can be great tools in developing lasting partnerships!
Important notes:
- If you apply for this grant, you are agreeing to be the host country. If your group wants to travel to another European country, you should ask your partner to be the applicant.
- You must be a legal entity and have a bank account to apply.
- Read more about the programme in the Europe for Citizens Programme Guide 2018
Deadline:
The next deadlines for this Strand are 1 February 2019 and 1 September 2019.
How do I apply?
Visit our How to Apply page for a step-by-step guide.
How can I find out more?
Contact the Europe for Citizens National Contact Point, Emma Murtagh, at emma@wheel.ie.