European City Facility: 2nd Call for Applications

After a successful first call with more than 250 applications from municipalities, local authorities and their groupings across Europe at the end of last year, the European City Facility opens its second call for applications from 29 March to 31 May 2021 with increased resources.

The European City Facility (EUCF) supports European municipalities and local authorities, their groupings, and local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities in developing investment concepts to mobilise finance in the field of sustainable energy. Successful applicants receive financial support in the form of 60,000 euro grant to undertake activities necessary for the development of the investment concepts, such as feasibility studies, engineering analyses, financial analyses, and further supporting tasks. Moreover, technical support is provided through the EUCF team and the respective country experts, which are assigned for each eligible country, as well as through capacity building events, peer-to-peer learning opportunities and knowledge products. The ultimate objective of the EUCF is to build a substantial pipeline of sustainable energy investment projects across municipalities, local authorities and local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities in Europe.

Why are investment concepts needed?

Many municipalities and local authorities, groupings and local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities have developed ambitious climate and energy plans, but face difficulties to access appropriate funding. In turn, financial institutions are more and more interested in financing sustainable energy projects but have problems in finding investment projects that fulfil their requirements in terms of maturity. Investment concepts shall help in bridging this gap.

The purpose of an investment concept is to provide investors and financial institutions with the preliminary information necessary to assess an investment project in a simple and rapid manner. It converts climate and energy plans or part of its measures into sound investment packages and thus, facilitates the access to funding for municipalities/local authorities and local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities. The huge interest for the first call for applications demonstrates the need for the tailor-made, rapid and simplified technical and financial support provided by the EUCF. More information about investment concepts as well as the investment concept template for download in different languages can be found here.

Who is eligible to apply?

The EUCF is open to municipalities, local authorities, their groupings and from the second call onwards, also to local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities. In addition, to the EU-27 Member States and the UK, applicants from the EEA-EFTA States of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein are now also included in the geographical coverage of the EUCF. Applicants require a politically approved climate and energy plan, including a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP), a Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP), developed within the Covenant of Mayors Framework, or a plan of similar ambition with climate and energy targets at least for the year 2020. Moreover, applicants have to demonstrate political commitment to the development of the investment concept through a letter of support and need to commit to the EUCF monitoring period of two years. 

How can you apply to the EUCF?

The application process consists of two steps: 

1. Eligibility check 
2. Full application

The eligibility check is a simple, automated questionnaire, which can be answered by the applicant directly online. Eligible applicants can proceed with the registration to the EUCF website user zone, where they complete the application form and submit the supporting documents.

The online application for the second EUCF call for applications was accessible from 29 March 2021, 00:00 (Brussels time) until 31 May 2021, 17:00 (Brussels time).

After the closing of the call, the applications are evaluated by a dedicated team. The best scored applications are selected and will conclude the Grant Agreements to receive EUCF support. In the second call, increased resources are available to select a larger number of beneficiaries: 69 successful applicants will be funded.

A total number of four calls for applications take place within the scope of the EUCF. Potential applicants and interested parties can find all necessary information on the application process on the EUCF website. For specific queries, the EUCF Helpdesk or the respective country expert can be contacted.

As part of the EUCF team, adelphi research is responsible for the design of the Facility, including planning and setting up the application, evaluation and investment concept processes and workflow. This also encompasses the development of corresponding methodologies, materials and supporting tools. Moreover, adelphi research is in charge of validating the investment concepts and preparing a comprehensive framework to monitor and measure the impact of the Facility. Together with the partners, adelphi research provides technical and financial expertise to applicants and beneficiaries and ensures smooth day-to-day operation of the EUCF.

adelphi research is happy to see such great interest amongst European municipalities and is looking forward to receiving many applications in the upcoming months of the second EUCF call!

Further Information

EUCF website

Contact person: schneideradelphi [dot] de (Madeline Schneider)