Gemensamma AI-förmågor in municipalities and civil society

This the offer is aimed at municipalities and civil society organizations that, together with others, want to prepare, develop, test and introduce joint capabilities based on artificial intelligence.

The call for proposals is an opportunity for organizations in the target group to jointly begin a concrete and long-term journey towards joint AI capabilities. The solutions sought should also be relevant for actors in addition to those participating in the projects. In this way, the projects can act as pioneers in areas that are important for development in Sweden.

The project consortium must contain at least 3 need owner organizations such as municipalities or civil society organizations. One of these must have the role of project coordinator. Companies and research organizations such as universities, university colleges or research institutes can participate in the role of participant or subcontractor.

Vinnova's funding can amount to a maximum of SEK 2 million per project.

The percentage of a participating party's costs that can be financed by Vinnova depends on the type of organization the project party is.

Maximum aid intensity for each type of organization in this call for proposals is:

• Municipality: 50 percent
• Civil society organization: 70 percent.
• Company:40-60 percent, based on company size.
• Universities, university college and research institutes: 100 percent.

Project duration: maximum 18 months.

The following dates apply to the call for proposals:

Opening date: December 6, 2023.
Last application date: April 3, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
Latest decision date: 29 May 2024.
Project start at the earliest: 3 June 2024.
Project start no later than: 17 June 2024.

The call for proposals is aimed at municipalities and civil society organizations that, together with others, want to prepare, develop, test and introduce joint capabilities based on artificial intelligence.

A municipality or a civil society organization must be coordinator. The projects must contain at least 3 such need owner organizations and can additionally include companies, academia and other types of actors.

Definitions

By municipality we mean here a primary municipality or municipal association where only primary municipalities work together, not regional municipalities. The project must be carried out in the non-economic activitiesof the municipality or the association of municipalities, not municipal companies.

Civil society organizations means:

• Organizations within the non-profit sector.
• Limited company with special profit distribution restriction (SVB). The profit must be a means to drive activities and not an objective in itself.
• Self-governing cooperative businesses with a selfless mission.

Please note that only legal entities can participate in the project. Individual companies cannot participate as participant.

What do we mean by coordinator?

Coordinating participant, or coordinator, is the participant who is the main applicant and who is responsible for the project's communication with Vinnova. Coordinator receives the project's funding from Vinnova and forwards budgeted funds to the other participating project parties.

What do we mean by participant?

All organizations that collaborate in the project are project partners. The project parties contribute to planning and implementing the project, and share risks and results. The project party does not necessarily need to receive a share of the grant, but participates and has costs in the project, and is listed as project party in proposal. A participant is always a legal person. If a subcontractor is used in a project, he is not a participant.

Gathering power for AI in municipalities and civil society

The call for proposals is part of the initiative Gathering power for AI in municipalities and civil society that Vinnova runs in collaboration with AI Sweden. Vinnova is the main financier and carries out four calls for proposals and AI Sweden runs broad mobilization and support. You can read about the background and purpose of the investment on Vinnova's website. You can find more about what is going on in the power pool, including collaboration opportunities for applicant, on AI Sweden's website.

Gathering power for AI in municipalities and civil society - Vinnova
Gathering power for AI in municipalities and civil society - AI Sweden

aim of the call

The main purpose of the gathering of forces is to support and stimulate municipalities and civil society organizations to get started faster with and take advantage of AI. The overarching goal is a strengthened welfare and greater social benefit through the target groups' successful application of AI solutions.

The aim of this call is to stimulate broad collaboration and common solutions in the areas where the needs and opportunities with AI are greatest. AI is a new transformative technology that requires organizational learning and the development of new ways of working. Such processes are best carried out in broad cooperation with like-minded organisations. In addition, the greatest potential with AI is often found in joint solutions where, for example, data from different sources can be aggregated for more accurate AI solutions.

The call for proposals is also aimed at project that intend to make clear progress towards concrete implementation. The projects cannot therefore remain in an initial investigation, policy development or preparatory phase alone. Nor can they stop at building joint technical capability without having a concrete application in mind.

Why are common AI capabilities needed?

Vinnova and the parties within Kraftsamlingen see several advantages in the construction of joint AI capabilities. By fully or partially developing common AI solutions, or even administrative common infrastructure for AI, municipalities and civil society organizations can lower costs and achieve better results from their investments. This can include, for example, ready-made AI models, software libraries, digital infrastructure and expertise that all actors can benefit from without having to build everything from scratch. Here we list some benefits of cooperation that we consider to be valuable to achieve.

Sharing of costs and resources

Development and implementation of AI technology can be costly. By collaborating, municipalities and civil society organizations can share preparation and development costs, purchasing hardware and software, and training staff. This reduces the financial burden on each individual actor and increases the availability of more sophisticated AI solutions.

Larger data base for higher quality and new values

AI-powered systems require large amounts of data to operate effectively. By working together, actors can, whenever possible, jointly collect and share their data resources, which can improve the quality and reliability of the AI solutions that are developed. This is particularly important in areas such as health, care and safety, where more data can lead to better decisions and results. Combinations of different data can also give rise to new solutions.

Standardisation, interoperability and common working methods.

By cooperating, actors can create standards and common guidelines for both the technological development and the use of AI.

Knowledge sharing

Actors can benefit from each other's experiences and knowledge of AI in terms of, for example, strategy, organizational development, implementation and the new working methods required. By sharing and comparing results, best practices and lessons learned actors can avoid common pitfalls and increase the success of their strategies and project.

Sustainable growth and gender equality

Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and community development. Genom Agenda 2030, the countries of the world have agreed on a global agreement and understanding of what characterizes sustainable development. Through our efforts, we contribute to the global commitment to reach the goals.

In Inom Agenda 2030, Vinnova has specifically identified climate and gender equality as two central sustainability perspectives to which our funded investments should contribute positively. Project financed by Vinnova are therefore expected to take special account of the climate and gender equality aspects.

One aspect that Vinnova follows up and assesses is whether both women and men share in the grant in an equal way, participate in and have influence over the project.

Another question involves analyzing and deciding whether there are gender or gender aspects that are relevant in connection with the project's problem area, solutions and utilization. This question is mandatory for all applicant and can be found under the heading " project tasks" in Vinnova's e-service. In this call for proposals the question is the basis for assessment under the potential criterion in section 7.

Read more about our work to contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030
Read more about what our work for equal innovation means for those of you who seek funding from us

Results from research and innovation that are made freely available increase the opportunity for more people to contribute to solutions to societal challenges. The call for proposals should contribute to making more results freely available to everyone and scientific publication should take place with open access.

You can read the call's assessment criteria in section 7.

The applications are assessed in competition with each other. We believe that good and competitive project can look many different ways, but they probably contain several of the following components:

• The project has a clear aim of a concrete ability with great potential
  This means that it is relatively clear what the desired benefits are, that they are demonstrable and that they address an important area of need for the project's owner. The project may also be relevant to an even larger target group that can conceivably benefit from the project in the future. There also needs to be novelty value in what is done by choosing to address an application area where there are not already good and established solutions.
• The project is making clear progress towards actual implementation
  The projects must make clear progress towards a future implementation and cannot stay in, for example, only an initial investigation, policy or technology development or preparatory phase.
• Strong commitment
  We expect and reward a substantial commitment in the form of own effort from the owners of the needs. The projects should have a strong anchoring in the organizations' management. Commitment can also be shown by organizations outside the project consortium, for example in the form of reference groups.
• The projects address the entirety of what is required for a successful introduction
  The projects should address the aspects required for a future successful implementation. Examples of questions to address could be: How should the solution be used concretely in the business together with other systems and processes? What new working methods and roles need to be developed? How are decision-making processes and legal certainty affected? How does the solution ultimately need to be designed and deployed in order to function in an operational environment?
• Clear cooperation and common solutions
  The projects are characterized by a committed collaboration where the project parties, in cases where it is technically and legally possible, solve all or parts of the project together, including joint management. The projects can benefit from the advice and examples of forms of cooperation and common solutions that the force's national AI council for municipalities has established.
• Responsibility for the project's broad and long-term potential
  Successful project probably take a great deal of responsibility for the fact that many potential need owners can be inspired by and take advantage of the project's results. For example, reference groups can be formed so that several people can follow and contribute to the project. The project parties are happy to see themselves as pioneers who pave the way for a larger group that gradually becomes involved during and after the project. In order to succeed with such a responsibility, the project partners likely have an overall plan for what they want to achieve in both the short and long term.
• Innovative solutions and approaches
  AI is enabling whole new transformative solutions that span multiple areas that may have previously been seen as separate. We therefore like to see project that are innovative in what is addressed and how. Project may include both large and small organizations and consist of both municipalities and civil society organizations. For example, they could collaborate to create completely new types of solutions that are possible thanks to the use of data from different businesses.

Activities for which funding can be applied for

It is possible to apply for funding for activities that are part of innovation projects with a focus that fulfills the call's aim.

All cost categories specified in Vinnova's general terms and conditions are eligible for support in this call for proposals.

The cost types are:

• Personnel costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings (depreciation costs).
• Consulting costs and licenses.
• Other direct costs.
• Indirect costs.

Our funding takes place through funding and is described on the page Rules and term for funding. The projects in this the call for proposals can apply for a maximum of SEK 2 million in funding from Vinnova. The percentage of a participating party's costs that can be financed by Vinnova depends on the type of organization the project party is. In this the call for proposals the following maximum aid intensity applies for each organization type:

Maximum aid intensity for each type of organization is:

• Municipality: 50 percent
• Civil society organization: 70 percent
• Company: 40-60 percent (based on company size, read more below)
• Universities, university college and research institutes: 100 percent.

Organizations that do not carry out economic activities can receive non-state support. This basis for support applies, for example, to municipalities and universities, university colleges, research institutes. Maximum aid intensity is 100 percent of eligible costs in general, but in this call for proposals municipalities can receive a maximum of 50 percent. Funding is granted in accordance with regulation (2009:1101) with instructions for the Agency for innovation system.

Funding for organizations that carry out economic activities are covered by rules on government support, which you can read more about on our website. State support for economic activities. The state aid rules govern, among other things, which types of costs are permitted and what proportion of them may be covered by funding.

In this the call for proposals organizations that carry out economic activities can be granted funding for activities that constitute experimental development with support of § 9 regulation (2015:208) on state support for research and development as well as innovation and article 25 of the commission regulation (EU) No. 651/2014 (GBER).

The project's activities must constitute experimental development. Details regarding funding for experimental development can be found in the document "Support levels, definitions and more for funding according to Vinnova's support scheme on the page: Rules for funding.

Maximum aid intensity participant can be granted for experimental development:

• Small business: 60 percent.
• Medium-sized company: 50 percent.
• Large company: 40 percent.

Use the Tables of levels of support for government support in the same document and
and the document Instructions for eligible costs, section 2 which can be found on the page Vinnova's general terms and conditions for funding.

Funding to organizations that conduct economic activities can also be granted with support from § 2 p. 2 of the regulation (2015:208) on state support for research and development and innovation, that is, as support of minor importance (de minimis support) according to Regulation (EU) No. 1407/2013.

• Maximum aid intensity 100 percent of eligible costs.
• Maximum permitted support is 200,000 euros per recipient during the last three tax years.

Please note that organizations seeking funding based on this basis for support must submit a completed form as a certificate that the organization is entitled to this support at the time of application.

The certificate form can be downloaded from the page State support for economic activities

Prerequisites for assessment of proposal

We will only assess applications that meet the following formal eligibility requirements:

• The project consists of at least three need owner organisations, i.e. municipalities or civil society organisations. One of these is coordinator.
• All project parties must be legal entities.
• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• Project description in the prescribed template is attached and it does not exceed 14 pages.
• CVs for key personnel in the prescribed template are attached.
• The project's activities must not have started.

Other conditions

In addition to the formal requirements above, the following also applies:

• The requested funding amounts to a maximum of SEK 2 million.
• The project duration must be a maximum of 18 months.
• Project parties must be listed in Vinnova's e-services, where the budget is shown for all project parties. It is not enough to indicate project parties in the project description.

What do we assess?

Potential

• The project's potential to create benefit for the need owners and other stakeholders participating in the project.
• The project's potential to create benefit for Sweden's municipalities or civil society organizations.
• The project's potential to contribute to increased gender equality and the global goals in Agenda 2030, as well as minimize the negative effects.

Implementation

• The realism of the project plan in relation to set objective, methods, activities and budget.
• How well the project plan demonstrates a valuable collaboration in which all project parties participate actively.
• How well the project plan addresses the entirety of the perspectives and needs that need to be addressed for a successful implementation.
• How well the project plan addresses dissemination of results, both within the own organizations and outside the consortium.

Actors

• The competence, credibility and ability of the project parties to implement the project and realize its long-term potential.
• The commitment of the project parties and the anchoring of the project in the organizations' management.
• How well the project team is composed with regard to gender distribution, as well as the distribution of power and influence between women and men.
  
  

How do we judge?

Proposal is assessed in competition with other received applications and the assessment is based on the electronic proposal sent to Vinnova via Vinnova's e-service.

Applications that meet all formal eligibility requirements are assessed by a group of specially appointed expert evaluator appointed by Vinnova. The evaluators make recommendations to Vinnova prior to decisions on who will be granted funding.

In addition to an individual assessment of each project, Vinnova strives in this the call for proposals to achieve a spread of the areas of operation and application of the granted projects, as well as between project run by municipality and civil society organizations.

Interviews may be used as part of the assessment work. In that case, these are announced during week 18 and carried out digitally during week 19 or 20.

To apply for funding, you fill in a web-based form in Vinnova's e-service for applications, which can be accessed via the "Apply now" button further down the page.

There you also upload the following attachments:

• Project description
  May include a maximum of 14 vertical A4 pages with 12-point text. The project description must follow the template found further down on this web page.
• CV attachment
  Relevanta CV for the project manager and all key people. The attachment is expected to include at least one CV per participant. Varje CV may be a maximum of 1 A4 page with 12-point text. The CV attachment must follow the template found further down on this web page.

Only requested pages and attachments will be assessed. References to web pages will not be considered.

Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. You can start filling in information, save and continue at a later time. When proposal is ready, you mark it as done. You can fully unlock proposal and make changes at any time, right up until the last application date.

Mark proposal ready in good time before the call for proposals closes.

When the call for proposals has closed and proposal has been registered with Vinnova, a confirmation will be sent out by e-mail to you who are responsible for the user account, project manager and company signatory or head of department. It may take a few hours before you receive the email.

If you have not received a confirmation by e-mail within 24 hours after the call for proposals has closed, please contact us.

When the application period has expired, completion of proposal can only take place upon request from us.