What we do?
ESFVON (EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL FUNDS VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS NORTHERN)
Over the last eighteen years ESFVON has been contributing to the development of the voluntary and community sector in the North East by
providing support and advice to hundreds of organisations on European Funding. Specialist services ESFVON provides to organisations
appear to be a unique example of capacity building activities and co-operation between regional and local authorities and the sector.
ESFVON (European Structural Funds Voluntary Organisations Northern) is the North East of England specialist regional development
agency for voluntary and community organisations accessing, or seeking to access, the European Structural Funds. It also seeks to
represent the sector's interests, regionally, nationally and in Europe. Established in 1991, ESFVON is a registered charity and
company limited by guarantee (without a share capital) supporting a network of nearly 700 organisations throughout the North East.
ESFVON initially provided advice and support to existing and potential applicants wishing to access the European Social Fund under
Objective 3 for pre-vocational and vocational training. Following discussions with the European Commission and a pilot project in
1994, these services were developed to also include the utilisation of both the European Social Fund and the European Regional
Development Fund in support of community economic development under the North East of England Objective 2 Programmes. Further
support was also introduced in support of the former Objective 4 and Objective 5b Programmes, and Community Initiatives.
ESFVON's experienced team has advised and supported hundreds of voluntary and community organisations in accessing over £250 million
of European Structural Funds towards the costs of projects totaling over £500 millions. The size and contribution of the sector often
goes unrecognised despite it being a major contributor to addressing employability and community regeneration, and being a significant
employer in the region.
ESFVON has developed strong transnational links and is a principal provider of the brokerage of partnerships and consortia, both in
respect of regional initiatives and in the development of exchange of good practices with non-governmental organisations in other Member
States of Europe.
ESFVON provides a comprehensive range of specialist free of charge services to enable voluntary and community organisations to contribute
to the economic and social regeneration of the North East of England by accessing European funding. These range from project development
through to project management, monitoring and evaluation, and compliance with European Structural Funds Regulations.
ESFVON services have been designed in the way that suits the needs of the sector and are available for all voluntary organisations. Support
is provided through the Telephone Helpline, Project Development Visits, Support Visits, Seminars, Publications and Brokerage Services.
Representation of the interests of voluntary and community organisations is also a central activity of ESFVON, having incorporaed
representation on the Programme Monitoring Committee for the Objective 2 Programmes and the Regional Committee for the Objective 3 Programmes.
Representation is maintained on the new 2007 - 2013 Programmes by virtue of membership of the Programme Executive Group for the European
Regional Development Fund Programme, and the Regional Committee for the European Social Fund Programme.
ESFVON is also a member of the Third Sector European Network.
To contribute to effective representation, research and consultation is also undertaken on key issues to seek to ensure the views of the
sector are taken into account in the planning and management of processes for the administration of the European Structural Funds.
