Finding the perfect project partner!

Finding the perfect partner

The quest for that perfect partner from another participating country is becoming ever more important in the ENI CBC world! As calls for proposals are launched programme by programme, ideas are being hatched all along the external borders of the EU. But only a partner (or several) with a common interest in a neighbouring country can really make these ideas come to life. For seasoned players of the ENI CBC game this does not necessarily pose a problem, but for newcomers with a single project idea the search is well and truly on to find a partner(s) to share and develop that idea with.

Where to find the perfect partner?

It may be instinctive to look around a familiar circle or rely on contacts or networks close to hand to find what is needed to bring a project idea to life. But what if this does not yield the desired result? There must be a way to widen the partner search. One answer lies in a current trend both within Interreg and ENI CBC programmes. Several programmes (Black Sea Basin, Estonia – Russia Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus, Latvia – Russia, Mediterranean Sea Basin and Poland-Belarus-Ukraine) have developed partner search tools on their websites to assist in the process of finding suitable project partners for projects.

What  is a partner search tool?

These tools allow organisations and persons with a project idea to register online on a dedicated section of the relevant programme website. Once registered to a specific thematic objective or priority, project ideas can be posted and a request for ideal partners placed- For example, a scientific institution specialising in marine environmental protection in Georgia can post a request for a partner in an environmental NGO in Greece. The requests can be for both standard project partners and lead project partners. Programme websites are not the only means of hosting a partner search tool: several Interreg programmes also use LinkedIn groups to post project ideas and launch partner searches. This is a potential option to be looked into for ENI CBC programmes in forthcoming calls. Another tool that can support the quest for partners is KEEP. Here, details on all ENPI CBC projects can be found, for example, what specific fields were covered, where these projects were implemented and information on the partners involved.

Have a look at the ENI CBC partner search tools for yourself here.