What unites the pilot RDAs of the UCORD project? The desire to develop according to the best European practices. Representatives of RDAs from six pilot regions of the UCORD project underwent three days of training on EU contracting procedures (PRAG), which helped them better understand EU grant instruments.
The PRAG training aimed to:
- familiarize RDAs’ employees with EU standards for grant evaluation and award procedures;
- deepen understanding of different grant management models and types of competitions;
- increase participants’ knowledge of the conditions for participation in the grant award process;
- reveal the specifics of the project application evaluation process.
Dmytro Gavka, Senior Grant Manager of the UCORD project, emphasized in his welcoming speech: “The PRAG training organized by the UCORD project is designed to help RDAs become real drivers of change by strengthening partnerships between government, business, and civil society. Participants will gain practical knowledge and skills that will enable them to effectively implement grant initiatives and promote the sustainable development of their regions.”
The training was conducted by Gabriela Macovei, an international expert from UCORD Romania, a regional development manager with over 20 years of experience in engineering, business, and EU program management. With extensive experience in implementing strategic projects, she coordinates interdisciplinary teams, consults, and conducts training for European institutions and agencies.
Olena Nyzhnyk, head of the Regional Development component of the UCORD project, emphasized the trainer’s high level of expertise: “We have an extremely professional trainer-expert who is a mentor for pilot RDAs in the Sumy, Vinnytsia, and Volyn regions. Her many years of experience and in-depth knowledge in the field of regional development and grant management are invaluable for training our participants and help to increase the level of expertise and capacity of RDAs.”
At the beginning of the training, Ms. Gabriela emphasized the social mission of the RDA:
“The main mission of the RDA is to provide services that are aimed at regional development and meet public needs. This work is in the interests of communities and regions, not exclusively in the interests of the client or a particular organization. It is this social dimension—serving communities—that fundamentally distinguishes the ARR’s activities from those of other consultants.”
Over three days, participants completed four modules covering the entire grant process cycle, from the announcement of the competition to the signing of the contract:
During the first day, participants learned the basics of PRAG: the legal framework, objectives, principles, and grant management models. They also familiarized themselves with the grant award procedure, the nationality rule, and EU restrictive measures. Practical exercises helped to consolidate knowledge and practice identifying participants in the grant process.
The second day was devoted to practical training. Participants learned how to organize grant competitions—from types of announcements and publicity requirements to instructions for applicants. IT tools (PADOR, PROSPECT, the financing and tenders portal) that facilitate grant work were discussed separately. The evaluation process was also reviewed: the composition of the committee, principles of operation, and prevention of conflicts of interest.
On the third day, the focus was on evaluating applications and concluding grant contracts. Participants learned how to apply evaluation criteria and matrices, prepare final evaluation reports, and set conditions for appeals. The day ended with a review of the structure of a standard contract to better understand how to work with real documents.
Following three days of work with ARR representatives, trainer Gabriela Makoveiu summed up: “I urge you to become true partners to your stakeholders. You have unique first-hand information and are able to provide qualified expert support. It is up to you whether your partners will not only understand the technical requirements, but also feel the philosophy of the project. Your task is to help them integrate into this system, see its value, and use the opportunities for development.”
Marina Bryl, UCORD Project Leader, emphasized: “The UCORD project will continue to support the development of the RDA’s capacity to work with European financial mechanisms. Thanks to this training, RDA representatives gained a deeper understanding of European procedures, strengthened their professional skills, and became better prepared to participate in international programs.”
We would like to thank the trainer for her expertise and the participants for their enthusiasm, dedication, and desire to develop their regions!
The Swiss-Ukrainian project “Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development ” (UCORD) is being implemented with the support of Switzerland by NIRAS Sweden AB.