Support with National and EU Funding
EU and National funding make for a considerable source of financing for all legal entities. They aim at increasing the possibilities for different kinds of activities in and by such beneficiaries, while boosting their capacity and enabling them to play a greater and more significant role in furthering their interests in several diverse sectors of society and the economy.
Such funds aim at contributing towards improving the quality of life for our society and at ensuring smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe by 2020.
Each EU Member State has its own national funding mechanisms through which it implements its industrial, social and economic policies subject to EU De Minimis Aid Regulations and the General Block Exemption Regulation.
In Malta, there are various opportunities available for national funding. These include funds targeted for NGOs, SMEs, Start-ups as well as other Enterprises.
National funds include schemes for Start-ups, Business Development, SMEs and Enterprises, Schemes funding Research and Innovation Activities, Schemes for Voluntary Organisations and more.
The year 2014 marked the start of a new financial programming period for the EU. However, notwithstanding the European Commission’s commitment to simplify its funding mechanisms, finding your way through the EU funding jungle and tapping into the right EU funding programme(s) is definitely no simple task, as a quick glimpse at the available funding programmes, mapped out in the diagram below will amply show. Often, most entities and individuals needing funds find themselves lost in a labyrinth of rules, regulations, paperwork and bureaucracy, making it almost inconceivable to access the right funding call by the stipulated deadline and making it almost impossible for them to be able to focus on the core objective of the project, while also handling the administrative requirements of the project in the event of a successful project application outcome.
To be sure, some have tried going for it alone and some have even been successful. However, even those who have been successful have learned the lesson the hard way: the learning curve is steep and even in the unlikely event that going for it alone results in a successful outcome, the time spent on learning how to walk the tight ropes of EU funding applications might not be worth its while unless those concerned are planning to keep abreast of developments and to use the knowledge thus acquired to submit other proposals in the same programming period. This is also where we come in. We have a dedicated team of specialists focusing on different funding areas who can help you with your funding needs and who keep abreast of market, policy and regulatory developments as part of their job to be able to advise you on your EU Funding options as well as on your funding proposals.
Once you have secured funding, we can also help you manage your project so that you can focus where you should be focusing – on the core objectives of the project – while we take care of the administratively burdensome parts for you. If you expect that you will be applying for other EU Funding avenues in the future, we can also train your members of staff to manage such projects. Our advice is against practicing the false economy of employing someone new to EU Funding to manage such projects. Fund recoveries may in the end be much more costly than employing someone with experience in these matters or outsourcing your project management function or training thereon to someone with experience like us.
Equinox Advisory has recently expanded its Funding team to further support its clients with National and EU Funding consultations and hands-on support. The team has extensive experience in preparing successful grant applications and project proposals for national and EU funding programmes, as well as project management and project coordination.
The services we offer include:
- Developing an innovative project idea and adapting it to a suitable funding scheme;
- Bringing together the best consortium of partners and securing your interests through a solid contractual framework;
- Structuring the project in terms of objectives, work packages, tasks, deliverables and outcomes;
- Developing appropriate management and communication structures;
- Refining the scientific and technical content;
- Defining work and time plans for the project duration;
- Writing the non-technical parts of an application ensuring that the project addresses the call appropriately, as well as EU policies, priorities and targets;
- Describing the potential impact and exploitation of the results by striking the right balance between open source publications and ensuring that IP is protected at all times;
- Calculating the project budget;
- Ensuring that the call objectives are being met (e.g. increasing social welfare, maximising scientific impact, and ensuring commercialisation potential);
- Completing the administrative forms;
- Reviewing the final proposal to ensure coherence and impact;
- Advising on publicity requirements;
- Advising on procurement regulations for procurement activities that need to take place within the project ambit; and
- Submitting the application (e.g. via an electronic submission system).
At Equinox Advisory you will find the support, hand-holding and service you require to ensure that your idea is presented for funding with the right consortium and proposal.
Further to our proposal writing services, Equinox Advisory can support you with Project Management, thus facilitating all the paperwork, follow-up, communication, financial claims and project reporting in line with project timelines.
For a free, no obligation first consultation meeting, you can contact us on (+356) 2137-6242. This way we can assess the potential of your project idea and the opportunity to work together, subject to a contractually binding Non-Disclosure Agreement that we can provide you with on request.
Below is an interactive EU Funds Map. Click on the plus sign next to each funding programme to learn more. Click it again to dismiss.
National and EU Funding Studies & Applications drafted by Equinox
Nationally Funded Project Applications, Application Support Studies, Project Research and Project Management works carried out by Equinox Advisory


FUSION: Technology Development Programme
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients and Government Entities
Equinox Advisory supported a number of private sector clients in tapping into the Technology Development Programme, supporting with Project Management and is also the service provider for developing Business Plans, Initial Patent Applications and setting up Meetings with potential Investors thus supporting them to develop their prototype and bringing their solutions and products to market. Private entities were funded up to 75% and Public entities were funded up to 100%.

FUSION: The Commercialisation Voucher Programme
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients and Higher Education Institutions
Equinox Advisory supported a number of private sector clients in tapping into the Commercialisation Voucher Programme and is also the service provider for all the services within the scheme, having to date already carried out: IP Check, Market Research, Product Development Costing, Economic Impact and Risk Profile activities for a number of local entities aiming to bring their research to market. Private entities were funded up to 75% and Public entities were funded up to 100%.

Training Subsidy Scheme
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients
Equinox Advisory supported a number of private sector clients in tapping into the Training Subsidy Scheme, a grant to assist individuals with costs related to training to develop their skills by participating in further off-the-job vocational education funded by the European Social Fund 2007-2013. The grant covered 75% of the direct training cost.

Training Subsidy Scheme – Academic
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients
Equinox Advisory supported private sector clients in accessing the Training Subsidy Scheme – Academic (TSSA). The main objective of the scheme was to encourage and promote more participation in programmes on a Full-Time, Part-Time or Distance Learning basis. Funding up to €7,000 was available for courses at MQF 5, 6, 7 in areas related to Digital Media (Software development / Gaming) or Financial Services. The TSS (Academic) Scheme was co-funded by the European Social Fund 2007-2013.

Training Aid Framework
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients
Equinox Advisory supported clients from the private sector to tap into funds intended to promote access to the training of persons actively participating in the Maltese labour market, with a view to increasing productivity, knowledge, skills and enhancing adaptability in the private sector. This was made possible through a European Social Fund 2007-2013 allocation, on the rationale that it contributed to the EU’s economic and social policy by improving employability and job opportunities, as well as encouraging a higher level of employment and a transition to better jobs.

Employment Aid Programme
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients
A number of clients were supported by Equinox Advisory to tap into the Employment Aid Programme that aimed to support the employment of disadvantaged and disabled persons in the labour market by offering wage subsidies to employers when employing such individuals. The Aid Programme enhanced the employability and productivity of vulnerable groups with low employment rates, facilitated access to employment and upgraded the skills of those furthest away from the labour market, and contributed to increase the country’s labour supply and achieve greater social cohesion. This scheme was made available through the European Social Fund 2007-2013.

Employment in the Social Economy
Clients: Various NGOs
Equinox Advisory supported organisations with no economic activity operating in the social economy with tapping into the Employment in the Social Economy programme for the recruitment of disadvantaged and disabled persons. The aim was to upgrade the skills of those furthest away from the labour market through work experience. The financial assistance under this programme was of €4,500 per annum for full time employees and € 2,250 for persons working on a 20 hour per week part-time basis. This scheme was made available through the European Social Fund 2007-2013.

Micro Invest
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients
Equinox Advisory supported microenterprises and self-employed clients to tap into the Micro Invest scheme aiming to assist them in their endeavours to innovate, expand, implement compliance directives and/or to develop their operations in their business. Such clients benefitted from tax credits representing a percentage of the eligible expenditure and wages of newly recruited employees and/or apprentices.

ERDF International Competitiveness Grant Scheme
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients
Equinox Advisory supported private sector clients to tap into this funding programme in order to extend their activities to new markets or to introduce new services or products in an established market. This programme assisted enterprises in reducing their dependence on the local market and facilitate the exploration of inter-regional cooperation opportunities by reducing the risk involved in expanding into new markets. This was a scheme part-financed by the European Regional and Development Fund 2007-2013.

Grant Scheme for Sustainable Tourism Projects by Enterprises
Clients: Various NGOs and Private Sector Clients
Various entities were supported by Equinox to tap into this grant to implement sustainable tourism projects to strengthen their competitiveness. The scheme aimed at financing holistic projects for stronger impact on the tourism industry. Projects included the promotion of research and innovation through product upgrade and investment in equipment, the adoption of new technologies and undertaking environmental practices through the intervention relating to investment in Environmentally Friendly Measures. The financial aid aimed at the continuous economic and environmental growth of Sustainable Tourism. This programme was part financed by the European Regional and Development Fund 2007-2013.

MITA Student Placement Programme
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients and NGOs
Equinox Advisory also supported clients in the private and non-profit sector for the Student Placement Programme driven by the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA). The programme addressed employers seeking temporary additional human resources competent in ICT and ICT-related skills during students’ summer recess. This was a unique and cost-effective opportunity for employers to source the knowledge of new technologies, ideas and enthusiasm students bring with them. The Maltese Government covered 50% of the students’ salary for private sector organisations and 100% of their salary (both excluding National Insurance contributions) for NGOs for a period of 11 to 13 weeks in the following competency areas: Networks Practitioners; Software / Applications Development Practitioners; and Business Analysts.
EU Funded Project Applications, Application Support Studies, Project Research and Project Management works carried out by Equinox Advisory


Horizon 2020 Proposals
Clients: Various Private Sector Clients (2014 – 2020)
Equinox Advisory drafted a number of proposals for Horizon 2020, particularly for the SME Instrument, Research and Innovation Actions, Innovation Actions, and Coordination and Support Actions amongst others, in various Research and Innovation sectors such as Security, Energy, Health, Aviation and ICT, most of which were successful in obtaining funding.

Grundtvig and ERASMUS proposals (LLP 2007 – 2013)
Clients: Various NGOs and Private Sector Clients
Equinox Advisory drafted numerous applications for Erasmus mobility grants for training abroad, all of which were successful in obtaining funding, except one, which was placed on a reserve list as there wasn’t sufficient funding to cover the entire lot of applications received. Equinox has also drafted a number of successful Grundtvig applications for research in education and pedagogy.

BioDiValue (ERDF 2007 – 2013)
Client: the GAL XLOKK Foundation
Economic Impact Assessment of Maritime Traffic across the Maltese Islands – Equinox Advisory carried out a study that calculated the financial costs for regenerating areas that have been adversely affected by the Marine industry, in Maltese ports and harbours, as a result of different types of pollutants that this industry exerts on ecosystems.

Gender Balance in Decision-Making (ESF3.196)
Client: National Commission for the Promotion of Equality, Malta
Equinox Advisory provided Research and Policy recommendation Services for policy makers to tangibly support, empower and enable women to take up more decision-making positions.

Malta’s Connection to the European Gas Grid (CEF 2007-2013)
Client: Ministry for Energy and Health, Malta
Equinox Advisory carried out a Technical Feasibility Study, a Cost Benefit Analysis, a Regulatory Analysis and a Risk Assessment for the identification of the best option for connecting Malta to the European gas infrastructure from available alternatives (gas pipeline, FSRU, FSU) and to do so using the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding. The project investment is preliminarily estimated to be 292 million Euros for Phase 1.

Energy Saving, Water Saving and Waste Management and the EU (ESF 2007-2013)
Client: Malta Employers Association (MEA)
Equinox was chosen to design and deliver the ESF-Funded course on ‘Energy Saving, Water Saving and Waste Management and the EU’ by highlighting EU obligations, their implications on Maltese businesses and recommended technologies that reduce business costs of energy, water and waste.

Existing and Proposed Marine and Port Structures in Malta (Cohesion Fund 2007-2013)
Client: ERCS Ltd. on behalf of The Malta Maritime Authority (MMA), Malta
Equinox Advisory updated the Cost Benefit Analysis undertaken in consonance with the DG Regio’s “Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of investment projects Structural Funds, Cohesion Fund and Instrument for Pre-Accession” undertaken for an infrastructural project that aimed at refurbishing two strategic breakwaters in Malta with great historical importance, to take into account the changes in the CBA Guidelines that had taken effect in the 2007-2013 Programming Period.