Research report on how the European Structural Funds have supported the voluntary sector in Wales

WCVA’s Third Sector European Team (3-SET) wants to commission a supplier to produce a research report on how the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) have supported the voluntary sector in Wales, across all programme periods (2000 – 2006, 2007 – 2013, 2014 – 2020).The purpose of the report is as follows:1. To establish and document the sector’s contributions and achievements - both quantitative and qualitative.2. To highlight the sector’s engagement at the design and monitoring level of the programmes.3. To demonstrate the impact made by the funding and the sector through a selection of project case studies.4. To identify the key lessons learnt from the voluntary sector’s participation in the European Structural Funds programmes, especially during and since the Covid-19 pandemic.5. To highlight the effectiveness of the technical support service, including the use of the Intermediary Body model to encourage voluntary sector participation through the distribution of accessible sized grants to voluntary organisations.WCVA has access to some of the data needed to compile the report, including:- Some written and video case studies- Evaluation reports- Some numerical data – such as the amount of funding secured by the sector under the 2007–13 and the 2014–20 programmes- Relationships with past and existing deliverers- In-house knowledge of the technical support serviceThe successful supplier will:- Have a comprehensive understanding of the European Structural Funds and policy landscape in Wales.- Undertake desk research complemented by interviews with stakeholders from the voluntary sector and key WEFO staff.- Be required to discuss initial ideas with a small steering group (organised by WCVA) and present a draft version of the report to the group before it is finalised.- Produce a report that will enable WCVA to create an engaging and impactful communications piece to be circulated widely to demonstrate the impact made by the funding and the sector.Further information can be found in the full Request for Quote document.