The Erasmus+ project CASCADE pursues offering an innovative VET approach for companies in the digital economy to develop projects for digitally supporting circular economy (CE), along with the green transition of future generations.
Achieved by a 10-week Digital circular project incubator and training program for digital service companies (SMEs) that will instruct SMEs to develop and shape their innovative ideas into potential successful project proposals ready to submit for funding and further implementation.
The training program will consist of six modules or project results:
R1. Inspiration and breaking barriers for circular economy: The module aims at creating curiosity and awareness on the potential and benefits of circular economy in the target group, show exemplary best practices to break down barriers for circular economy adoption by SMEs. After completing this module, SMEs will have at least one idea for an innovative circular project.
R2. System Innovation methods: How can ideas for circular economy projects be developed into a concrete project outline, based on the project ideas? Here, a vision or gap is developed into a concrete, realizable project idea.
R3. Funding and financing options: This module gathers relevant national and international funding opportunities for SMEs for innovative digital circular economy projects based on the developed project outline. The user gets here an overview of possible funding opportunities and can get an overview of its options as well as get more detailed information.
R4. Project management basics: In case a circular project application is successful, SMEs also need a solid foundation in project management skills. The focus will be on the distinct project management requirements in an externally funded/financed project. An overview of successful and effective project management will be conveyed in a short, clear and easy way to understand.
R5. Application and proposal management: What are key success factors for “putting the pieces together” for a successful project funding/financing application? This last module is designed to enable users to write a proposal that is eligible for funding. The module teaches them everything they need to know for the application process as well as helpful tips that can be considered.
R6. In addition to the training program, a digital environment will be developed, where digital training materials will be offered for free. The digital environment will focus on maximum compatibility with existing platforms and systems (e.g., online-usage, integration into learning management systems, download). Also, it will encourage and enable interregional and intersectoral cooperation.
LOMARTOV is the lead partner of the Proposal management module (R5). Once the idea is established (R1), the project outline is defined (R2), having identified a suitable funding scheme (R3) and the appropriate project management planning completed (R4), it is time to innovate, by developing a proposal/application for an innovative circular project (R5).
The training materials will offer tutorials for structuring and arguing different sections of typical project applications (scope of the proposal, project aim, objectives and outputs, description of work packages and partners (if applicable), impact/dissemination/sustainability, quality and risk management – for commercial projects e.g., market analysis and analysis of competition…).
For this R5 purpose, a 30-minutes of content will be developed, along with a do-it-yourself and a dive-deeper section that offers at least 10 learning hours. After completing this training module, the participants will have developed a concrete project application ready to be submitted for funding.
This project has been funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme under Grant Agreement No. 2021-2-AT-01-KA-220-VET-000048800.
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which solely reflect the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained herein.