National Contact Points (NCPs) perform valuable services in guiding and supporting national applicants in preparing proposals for Horizon 2020 funding.

We expect that through an enhanced cooperation and networking between these national entities, a higher quality of their consulting services and thus of proposals and projects can be achieved.

Therefore, the overall objective of NCPs CaRE is to form a joint cooperation network of experienced and less-experienced NCPs on Societal Challenge 5 (SC5) “Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials” which aims at pooling their resources and know-how to raise the overall quality of services provided to their clients. By involving 23 formally nominated National Contact Points across Europe, the NCPs CaRE project will significantly strengthen transnational cooperation.

In addition, NCPs CaRE will extensively involve the 26 NCPs that have decided to become a “Partner Organisation (PO)”, associated partner. To harness synergies is especially relevant to SC5 NCPs, since potential applicants within this challenge are very diverse with respect to their scientific or organizational background, level of experience, involvement in transnational networks. Specifically, activities of NCPs CaRE towards this goal include, amongst others, teaming and twinning schemes, the compilation of best practices handbooks and manuals, events, meetings and trainings both on-line and on a face-to-face basis, as well as a wide range of other communication and dissemination tools and platforms.

These activities foreseen by NCPs CaRE will contribute to enhancing the impact of R&I in SC5 and ensure a more efficient use of resources and R&I developments by improving the workflow between NCPs, applicants, the European Commission (EC), and other parties with a stake in SC5. Tailor-made like they are for the SC5 clientele, these activities will make it easier for all those participating, and benefitting NCPs to enhance the number of proposals with regards to both quantity and quality.