CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - ORGANIC INNOVATIVE PROJECT

The project “Boosting cross border Organic Ecosystem through enhancing agro-food alliances” funded by the EU has an objective of improving Organic sector competitiveness through the creation of a cross-border Organic Ecosystem supporting the development of business and SMEs in cooperation with public institutions; and more specifically, strengthening innovative organic VC through establishment of Mediterranean business alliances by using participatory approach focused on needs collection and innovative solutions aimed at improving market access.

Objective of the call

For each country, the call aims to encourage strengthening up to 10 EOI in innovative organic projects.

Eligibility criteria

The organic ecosystem project partners will select up to 10 innovative EOIs in each country, preferably with experience in products development and/or innovative services in response to the needs of local communities.

In particular, the following conditions are mandatory:

1. participants must be resident in the territories eligible under the program

2. the project should be implemented before November 2022

3. the project should include innovative ideas in organic agriculture

4. all needed documents should be delivered before 30 of  June 2021

The program offers to the winners

The selected EOI will benefit from an intensive 5 days training course, animated by national and/or international experts, for up to 20 participants representing the selected EOIs.

Training will be held online or onsite in Local language;

A certificate will be issued to all participants, upon successful accomplishment of the training (at least 80% of attendance hours).

The course is designed to improve the skills of the Team on different issues relevant in the development of innovative project, such as organization and management, technological and social innovation, strengthening of the business mode, marketing strategy, traceability, certification ….

Based on the attendance and interaction during the 5 days training, and the first selection grid, 5 EOIs will be selected to participate in another 5 days business plan development for their EOI.

They will present accordingly their projects in front of a jury and will be ranked from 1 to 5 based on pre-defined criteria. The selected 5 projects will be linked to different entities in order facilitate their access to finance.

Selection criteria:
Selection criteria for 10 EOI who will attend 5 days training course

Criteria                          Maximum sub score/100

Budget / co-funding                                           12

Implementation schedule                                   10

Innovation level                                                 15

Number of jobs created                                      10

Feasible within the proposed schedule               10

Managing staff expertise                                     10

Number of direct and indirect beneficiaries        10

Availability of needed equipment                         8

Number of women engaged in the project            5

Number of youth and relative ages                       5

Applying MSME size and turn over                     5

Selection criteria for 5 EOI to develop business plan

Criteria                          Maximum sub score/120

The previous mentioned criteria score                100                             

Attendance during the 5 days training                10

Interaction during 5 days training course            10

Selection criteria to rank the 5 developed business plans

Criteria                                              Maximum sub score/100

Budget / co-funding                                                                  10

Feasible within the proposed schedule                                       5

Innovation level                                                                        15

Number of direct and indirect beneficiaries                                10

Attendance during 5 days training to develop business plan         5

Return on investment                                                                10

Managing staff expertise                                                           8

Turn over vs. new created turn over                                           10

Availability of needed equipment                                              5

Project sustainability                                                                 8

Environmental impact                                                               5

Marketing strategy                                                                    9