The Netherlands Embassy in Sofia supports small-scale cultural projects in Bulgaria. For this purpose it has the so-called PKP fund available. PKP aims at promoting Dutch culture to a large Bulgarian audience preferably with a spin-off for Dutch–Bulgarian cultural cooperation and exchange. Eliglible for applying are Dutch and Bulgarian organisations and individuals. For additional information, please read the guidelines and the application form.

Guidelines For Small-Scale Cultural Projects, PKP

For supporting small-scale cultural projects in Bulgaria the Netherlands Embassy in Sofia has the so-called PKP fund available. The following guidelines are taken into account in assessing the proposals for PKP financing:

• PKP aims at promoting Dutch culture in Bulgaria preferably with a spin-off for Dutch –Bulgarian cultural cooperation and exchange;
• Proposals have to represent quality, in terms of substance as well as in terms of organisation and administration;
• In order to enhance the visibility of Dutch culture, proposals for PKP funding should seek to reach a large Bulgarian audience;
• Activities, organisations or individual artists can, in principle, receive PKP funding only once;
• Both Dutch and Bulgarian organisations or individuals can apply for PKP funding;
• Every proposal submitted for funding under PKP will be judged on its own merits. The Embassy retains the right to deviate from the guidelines.

1. The following costs can be funded under PKP:

• Travel costs of Dutch nationals from the Netherlands to Bulgaria and v.v.;
• Accommodation costs in Bulgaria for Dutch nationals involved in the project for which funding is requested;
• The rent in Bulgaria of equipment in order to realise activities;
• Shipping costs from the Netherlands to Bulgaria v.v. for materials necessary to realise the projects (e.g. for films, videos, etc.).

2. The following costs can NOT be funded under PKP:

• Travel costs outside the ones mentioned above;
• Applicant’s fees;
• Labour;
• Daily expenses;
• Overhead;
• Representation (cocktails, etc.);
• Rent of venues;

The applicant has to make clear that the costs claimed for funding under PKP are reasonable and that the money spent on these costs is used in the most efficient way. For this purpose, the applicant should submit together with the application form offers or pro-forma invoices for all expenses claimed in the application budget. 

In order to apply for PKP funding, the standard application form must be used. This form is available on request and can also be downloaded from the website of the Embassy ( www.netherlandsembassy.bg).

• The application form has to be filled in completely.
• The application form has to be filled in English.
• The application has to contain a budget of the project as such and clearly indicate for what budget items funding is requested. To this end the standard budget form (included in the application form) has to be used.
• Applicants residing in Bulgaria should state the budget in Bulgarian Leva; applicants residing in the Netherlands should state their budget in Euro.
• Applicants residing in Bulgaria should mention in their application a bank account in Bulgaria in Bulgarian Leva, while applicants residing in the Netherlands should mention a bank account in the Netherlands in Euro, because payments, in principle, are made by bank transfer. When mentioning the bank account, all details like IBAN, BIC, bank branch and branch address should be indicated. 
• Applications can be submitted by regular mail.
• Applications have to be submitted at least 100 days before the start of the activity for which funding is requested. In a period of 13 weeks after receipt of the application the Embassy is due to take a decision on it.  
• If an application for PKP grant is approved, the Embassy sends a grant decision letter to the applicant stating the terms and conditions under which the subsidy is granted and the approved budget. Within six weeks after this decision is sent a written objection may be lodget with the Minister for European Affairs. The notice of objection must be signed and dated and include the name of the person submitting it.  
• PKP contributions are bound to a maximum. Final contributions are always based on costs actually made, to which purpose the applicant has to submit copies of original invoices.
• PKP contributions are paid in two installments, the first of which 60 % and the second – 40% of the total amount granted. The first installment is transferred after the grant decision letter is signed by the Embassy. The second installment is transferred after the Embassy has received and approved the final narrative and financial report.
• A final narrative and financial report in accordance with the required format has to be submitted to the Embassy within 13 weeks after the project has ended. It should contain copies of the original invoices for all expenses made for the project.

These guidelines are for information purposes only. No rights can be derived from them. The Embassy reserves the right to deviate from these guidelines at its own discretion.

Download the  PKP application form and the  PKP final (narrative and financial) report.

Guidelines For International Cultural Policy Programme (PICB) application process:

For supporting projects under the International Cultural Policy Programme (PICB) in Bulgaria the following guidelines are taken into account in assessing the proposals for PICB financing:

• The contribution can in principle only be granted to a local organisation;
• The organisation should have a good local reputation;
• The project should help to strengthen the Netherlands’ international cultural profile and cultural cooperation between the Netherlands and the partner country;
• The project should be of sufficient quality, by both Dutch and local cultural standards;
• The local organisation and the Dutch counterpart must be of sufficient quality, including their financial capacity;
• There must be a reasonable balance between the PICB contribution and the recipient's own funding (i.e. a certain element of reciprocity);
• There must be an acceptable balance between the costs and the reach of the project;
• The contribution should be essential for the project to go ahead (in other words the project should not 'make a profit' from the contribution);
• The activity must not yet have started;
• Overheads should in principle not exceed 7.5 % of total project costs.

The following elements do NOT qualify for a grant:

• Expenditure on activities which are covered by the Foreign Service Allowances and Facilities System, especially hospitality and representation;
• Infrastructural costs;
• Contributions to cover deficits after an event has taken place;
• Purely commercial projects;
• Public information, including traditional Dutch promotional activities;
• Fees/salaries, mediation costs and suchlike;
• International travel costs.

PICB applications should be submitted to the mission in writing, together with a project description that includes a detailed budget, supporting offers and a funding plan.

Commitments and financial monitoring: the PKP guidelines apply to entering into commitments and financial monitoring.

These guidelines are for information purposes only. No rights can be derived from them. The Embassy reserves the right to deviate from these guidelines at its own discretion.

Download the  PICB application form and the  PICB final (narrative and financial) report.