EUKI Networking Event on Finance Sparks Collaboration
by Jeanette Elser, GIZ/EUKI
Finance professionals from the EUKI community gathered, for the second time, at the tailored EUKI Networking Event on Finance Management. The participants took the unique opportunity to network and exchange knowledge. The event took place from March 17th to 18th in the center of Warsaw.
Financial professionals are crucial to the success of EUKI-funded projects. They manage and oversee the finances and contracts behind the scenes. However, events specifically tailored to these professionals are few and far between. Finance managers rarely have the opportunity to meet in person to discuss about grant management.
Commited to addressing this gap, the EUKI finance team has brought together 33 participants from 32 organizations across 16 countries. These EUKI project finance managers took the unique opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, and delve into the complexities of grant management.
“I was expecting a monotonous event on financing, but I was taken by surprise at how interactive and informative the last two days have been!”
Ina Janushi, Urban Research Institute
The event went beyond traditional guidelines by sharing practical examples and real-life experiences in grant management. Through interactive games, interviews, and groupwork, participants explored efficient approaches and identified challenges to ensure smoother financial implementation of EUKI-funded projects. The participants showed high interest in topics such as audits, project budgeting, procurement, overseeing project partners, and handling conflicts within the consortium. These topics are far from new. Nevertheless, by creating a dedicated space for open exchange, the event enabled experienced finance managers to share their knowledge, offered those new to the role the opportunity to learn from real-world practice. The event allowed challenges and solutions to be discussed openly with peers of the EUKI community and the EUKI finance team.
Beyond following the EUKI team’s curated programme, participants actively co-created the agenda by introducing topics of their own and delving into areas of mutual interest and common priorities.
Finance manager Beata Etmanowicz oversees the grants of the EUKI-funded projects RenovAID and Socially Just Carbon Pricing Policies in CEE. During her presentation, she introduced a tool designed to streamline the management of multiple EUKI projects. This innovative solution enables her to efficiently monitor partners, payments, and costs. Many participants expressed strong interest in this tool.
“Although I am a highly experienced finance manager with a wealth of EUKI projects under my belt, I learnt a great deal at this event and enjoyed the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with other financial managers.”
Claudia Tufisi, Energy Policy Group
The event emphasized that the complexity of grant management can only be overcome through close cooperation and an active exchange of knowledge. As the EUKI community grows, these formats will be essential for promoting innovation, efficiency, and excellence in the management of grants.