The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works has announced a direct grant procedure under Operational Programme Regional Development 2007-2013 and it invites 62 municipalities within the scope of urban agglomerations in line with the National Map of Residence Care, adopted  by the Working Group for the Deinstitutionalization of Children at the level of Deputy Minister and set up by Order No Р-105/30.10.2009 of Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, to submit project proposals under Priority Axis 1 “Sustainable and Integrated Urban Development”, Operation 1.1. “Social Infrastructure”, scheme BG161PO001/1.1-12/2011 “Support for the deinstitutionalization of social institutions delivering services to children at risk”

The overall objective of this grant scheme is to ensure an appropriate and efficient social infrastructure contributing to alternative residence and related community-based services which will replace institutional care.  

The grant scheme is implemented with the financial contribution of the European Union via the European Regional Development Fund.

Specific objectives:

• to improve social infrastructure in urban areas which delivers community-based services  to disabled children and adolescents placed in Homes for Children with Mental Disabilities and Homes for Children with Physical Disabilities and to disabled children above the age of 3 placed in Homes for Medical and Social Care for Children;
• to ensure social inclusion and equal access of disabled adolescents and children placed in  Homes for Children with Mental Disabilities and Homes for Children with Physical Disabilities and of disabled children above the age of 3 placed in Homes for Medical and Social Care for Children.
• to support the creation of infrastructure providing community-based services to disabled children and adolescents  in line with the National Map of Planned Residential Care.

Eligible activities:

• Establishment of Residential Family Centres with the adjoining yards.
• Building, repairing, renovating and upgrading the buildings of sheltered housing (adding to and expanding, renovating and restructuring the space) including the adjoining yards (if the building has any);
• Implementing energy efficiency measures in the above buildings/premises including thermal insulation, replacement of windowpanes and doors, local installations and/or connections to the heating and gas supply systems, etc.;
• Implementing installations/facilities for renewable energy sources meeting the needs of electricity consumption of the relevant building but not generating any trade revenues (profits) for the beneficiaries during the utilization of the facilities;
• Delivery of the appropriate equipment and furniture for the above buildings/premises needed for the relevant residential and social services;
• Improved access of the disabled people to the above buildings.

The total amount disbursed under the scheme is 83 580 505,72 BGN. The contribution of the European Regional Development Fund amounts to 85 % or 71 043 429,86 BGN.

Project proposals shall be submitted at the following address:

Specific beneficiaries can apply within two deadlines - deadline 1 (until 30 June 2011, 16:00 p.m. local time) and deadline 2 (until 30 September 2011, 16:00 p.m. local time).

The Guidelines for Applicants and the full set of documents have been approved by the Head of the Managing Authority of OPRD with Order No РД-02-14-152/ 25.01.2011.  

IMPORTANT!!!

The Guidelines for Applicants under scheme BG161PO001/1.1-12/2011 “Support for the deinstitutionalization of social institutions delivering services to children at risk” implemented under Operational Programme Regional Development have been changed!

The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works announces to the specific beneficiaries of the grant scheme BG161PO001/1.1-12/2011 “Support for the deinstitutionalization of social institutions delivering services to children at risk” that pursuant to Order No РД-02-14-1525/15.07.2011 of the Head of the Managing Authority of Operational Programme Regional Development 2007-2013, the Guidelines for Applicants under this scheme have been amended as follows:

• The total amount disbursed under the scheme has been increased from 83 580 505,72 BGN to 106 976 439,51 BGN.
• The following text is deleted in item 5.1.2.3 Eligible activities/types of projects/ under this grant scheme, after the table National Map of Planned Residential Services: “In the event of shortage and/or absence of funds under this scheme, contracts with the specific beneficiaries will be concluded after funds have been provided in line with the rules of the programme”.

The revised Guidelines for Applicants under the procedure have been published on the website of the Operational Programme http://www.bgregio.eu/ in the section Applying – Actual schemes and on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works: http://www.mrrb.government.bg/ and on the Single Information Web Portal www.eufunds.bg.