EU funding is a mighty jungle full of opportunities. But those don’t mean a thing if you don’t do it right.
It is known that about 40% of written proposals don’t even get submitted. Some couldn’t find the right partners, didn’t meet the deadline, were unaware of certain regulations, didn’t get an expert to evaluate the documents or simply gave up too easily.
Up to 30% of submitted proposals get rejected immediately – often because they don’t even meet the requirements, have formal mistakes or haven’t been completed. The other 70% of submitted proposals make it into the hands of EU jurors, but only 35% of those actually pass the minimum scores to the next stage of the selection process.
Based on the statements of former jurors, it is – unfortunately – quite rare that great proposals get submitted. Which means that really good proposals have a high chance to get approved!
Generally speaking, there are 3 main steps to take before submitting a proposal.
1. Find your path
Even the gurus struggle to find the right path in the jungle of EU programmes and institutions. It’s crucial to identify the right funding opportunities.
2. Swipe, swipe
Finding the right programme is good, but not all applicants are eligible (sadly!) for funding. If your organisation doesn’t meet the requirements just save yourself some headache or find the right match (e.g. a partner organisation for your project).
3. Call me, maybe
There is a lot (like a looot!) of paperwork to be done. Once you find the right documents, attachments, templates, language and list of regulations, it is time to get to work. Sometimes, only coffee and long nights allow you to submit the proposal in time (before the deadline). Even if you are an expert, make sure to have someone skilled evaluate your documents before submission.
Our Services:
Consulting/ Mentoring
In the first session (free-of-charge), we will answer all your questions and explain how you can access EU funding – whether you have a business idea or a running startup.
In further sessions we will discuss your project in-depth, analyse its eligibility and identify suitable funding options. Additionally we offer guidance along the process of your proposal submission and execution.
Evaluation
First of all: congratulations for writing your proposal! We highly recommend to get it evaluated before submission – even if you are an expert. You can send us your documents using the official EU templates and get some feedback. We put ourselves in the shoes of the jurors, meaning we check if the proposal meets the requirements and provide a detailed evaluation sheet with recommendations and expected scores.
Proposal Writing
The EU funding programmes vary quite a lot so we can’t promise to always be able to write a proposal with you. It always depends on your suitable funding opportunity. When you are applying for SME Instrument (Horizon2020), EYE, ProFit, ESF and Erasmus+ programmes, etc. we can be of help. We have our strengths but also some weaknesses. If we can’t assist you personally, we gladly introduce you to those who can.
Workshops
EU funding for SMEs and (social) startups is something we are passionate about and we enjoy sharing our knowledge and experience. There are some very interesting EU programmes and wonderful opportunities that not enough people are aware of. We have given workshops to various subjects such as “Design thinking for social enterprises”, “EU funding for SMEs and startups”, “How not to suck at proposal writing”, and many more. Let us know what you or your organisation needs and we can conceptualise a new workshop format to meet your needs.
If you are still not sure how we can help, just contact us (it’s for free!)