introduction to grant opportunities outside dg research identifying suitable grants

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Funding Proposals

• Introduction to grant opportunities outside DG Research

• Identifying suitable grants

• Planning the proposal writing and submission process

• Writing funding proposals for the European Commission

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Funding Proposals

• Examples of EC tenders and grants outside DG Research

• DG Economic and Financial Affairs http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/tenders/tenders_tenders_en.htm

• DG Employment and Social Affairs http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/emplweb/tenders/index_en.cfm

• DG Competition http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/competition/proposals2/

• DG Internal Market http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/internal_market/calls_en.htm

• General website for tender opportunities with the European commission: TED (tender electronics daily) http://ted.europa.eu/

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Funding Proposals

Examples EC grants

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Funding Proposals

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Funding Proposals

• European Science Foundation http://www.esf.org/activities/funding.html

– Exploratory Workshops: • Small, interactive group sessions which are aimed at opening up new

directions in research to explore new fields with a potential impact on developments in science.

• usually last 1-3 days, have a wide participation from across Europe and involve young, independent researchers and scholars with leadership potential.

– Other grants: • Research Networking Proposals (grants for Europe-wide research networks)

• COST action (grants for European networks, funds for dissemination activities and conferences only)

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Funding Proposals

Example ESF Exploratory Workshops

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Funding Proposals

• Grants by foundations

• Volkswagen foundation (grants for research networks, conferences and summer schools, individual scholarships) http://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/index.php?id=3&L=1

• Fondation Banque de France (study grants) http://www.banque-france.fr/gb/fondatio/tenders/index.htm

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Funding Proposals

Example Volkswagen Foundation

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Funding Proposals

• Find a grant that suits your needs– Existing project/idea that needs funding – does it match the

requirements of the grant?

– Developing an idea to match the grant’s requirements

• Check the work programme/guidelines– Overall objectives, themes etc.

– Eligibility criteria (can you apply as an individual, organisation or only for universities etc.)

– Budget rules (will this grant really pay for the activities planned in your project?

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Funding Proposals

Examples general objectives; eligibility criteria

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Funding Proposals

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Funding Proposals

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Funding Proposals

• Plan your proposal (example = EC proposal for a multi partner project)– Find “good” project partners

– If mentioned in the work programme, also try to find partners from industry/policy – involvement of stakeholder is usually important to the EC

– 1-2 page draft to send to potential partners to win them for the project

– Make sure you agree early who will contribute what to the proposal

– Ideally, set up a timetable and have everyone agree it

– Admin – sounds boring but is important – often, signed forms need to be sent by all partners or you will have to give details about the types of organisations involved etc.

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Funding Proposals

• Plan the budget– Agree a budget early on (this avoids misunderstandings later)

– Find out how flexible budget categories are, what changes can you make once the project is running etc.

– Make sure the proposal text reflects the budget and vice versa

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Funding Proposals

• Writing a proposal– Make sure you respond to all objectives/themes outlined in the

work programme or call.

– Try to stay within the formats lined out in application form • Max no. of pages?

• Indication of length of sections? This could also be an indication of importance of sections for the evaluators…

• Check evaluation criteria (normally you find a grid outlining the criteria and weightings for different sections/topics)

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Funding Proposals

Example Evaluation Criteria/Weightings

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Funding Proposals

Example Evaluation Criteria/Weightings

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Funding Proposals

• Why should your proposal be funded – Quality of the network– Explain why teams will complement each other

– Point out existing projects/collaborations between partners

– Try to achieve a good geographical distribution (North-South, East-West)

– Try to achieve a good gender balance

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Funding Proposals

• Why should your proposal be funded – Added value for the EU– For EC proposals – even if not asked for specifically, it is always

good to justify why you would like “European” money for a project. Try to link your project’s objectives to EU policies:

• Lisbon agenda

• European Research Area - “Overcoming fragmentation” – your theme helps bringing researchers from all over Europe together on a topic that is so far mainly tackled nationally

• Enlargement (it is always good to have partners from the 12 new member states or acceding countries)

• Gender equality (you need to demonstrate how you will achieve a good gender balance, facilitate participation of female researchers)

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Funding Proposals

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Funding Proposals

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Funding Proposals

Gender equality: examples

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Funding Proposals

EU policies examples

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Funding Proposals

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Funding Proposals

• Project management– For a funder it is important to be reassured that you are going to

have a sound management structure planned for the project. Make sure you demonstrate this in your proposal

• Decision making (Steering Committee composition, rules, meetings, Advisory board etc.)

• Dissemination of results

• Financial management

• Administrative management (reporting, organisation of events etc.)

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Funding Proposals

Management structure proposal

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Funding Proposals

Management structure after EC negotiation

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Funding Proposals

• Submitting a proposal– Check how the proposal is supposed to be submitted early on

• Postal submission: – Date of delivery or date of postal stamp?– Marking of the envelope?

• Online submission:– Familiarise yourself with the submission software well in advance– Try to submit before the actual deadline – servers can go down, websites

can be slower towards the deadline due to high demand.

– Agree who will submit the proposal

– Make sure you have a proof for your submission

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Funding Proposals

Questions?

ibenner@cepr.org