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Proposal Preparation

Beyond the need to meet the formal requirements of the call, is essential that the proposal must also meet the expectations of the review process to ensure successful application. This requires a thorough process, starting with the selection of the most suitable topics and going through careful planning of the project, highly professional proposal writing substantiated by methodological editing that would enhance the scientific excellence along with risk analysis and contingency plan and reference to ethical issues, gender issues and impact

Adaptation to Topics –

Many programmes publish their calls for proposals with specific topics that govern the funding conditions. It is imperative to be able to match your interest to available calls and topics. EuCRF is in a particularly apt position to assist you in examining the correspondence between your R&D objectives and plans and the topics available. We shall help you to find the most suitable topic and to adjust your scientific and developmental interests so they match as best as possible the requirements and what might be even more important – the expectations – of the call at hand.

Setting Parameters for Your Project –

Your R&D agenda needs to be adapted not only to the essence of the topics, but also to the format of the projects as anticipated by the calls. Our experience in preparation of numerous proposals that have succeeded in securing funding guarantees that the project we help you to plan responds as best as can be to the requirements and expectations of the call, while also serving your needs and preferences in the best possible manner.

Grant Writing –

It has long since established that good science might not be enough to secure funding for your R&D projects. It is necessary to write the grant effectively so it allows the reviewers to discover its attractiveness. Unlike other professional grant writers who try to write the proposal for you, we recognise that it is you and your scientists who know best the scientific and developmental bases of your plan and, of course, your developmental needs. Therefore, we trust you with these aspects of the proposal while working with you on the methodology and the presentation of your scientific excellence – asking questions that would lead to better clarity of your needs and objectives and correcting the arrangement of your proposal. In addition, we take upon ourselves to write –with you – the non-scientific parts of the proposal.

Methodological Editing –

Our deep knowledge of scientific methodology helps you in creating the most coherent proposal possible. This is done by our most senior scientists and unlike what might be done otherwise – by post-doctoral fellows or even doctoral students. This is because we regard the scientific methodology to be the very essence of your proposal whose main task is to accentuate and illuminate the scientific and technological advantages offered by the proposal.

Risk Analysis & Contingency Plan –

Risk analysis and contingency plan are normally required both in the proposal and later on during the lifetime of the project. However, even before the preparation of the proposal begins – and as a basis for it – it is imperative to assess what sorts of risks the proposed project presents and to devise ways and means to avoid such risks or to mitigate such risks should they occur. Bringing in our extensive experience in project design and implementation, we shall work with you closely to ensure ample overall risk identification and assessment and means to overcome exigencies.

Ethics, Gender Issues and Impact –

While planning a project, we need to consider, apart from the scientific, developmental & technological issues which are at the heart of the project, there are also other realms which funding authorities hold dear and regard as highly important. This is because such authorities have to demonstrate public responsibility in view of the use of public money for the funding they offer. Thus, consideration of these non-scientific aspects cannot be taken lightly. Most important amongst these, are the ethical aspects related to the research and the results of the proposed project; gender considerations – particularly gender distribution balance within the consortium and the effect of the project on gender-related issues; and finally, the various impacts of the proposed project: on society at large and on relevant citizenry and other socio-economic facets, on relevant industries, on the level of competitiveness, etc. These issues will have to be addressed and expressed also in the proposal but they need to be considered at the outset of the planning of project. EuCRF contributes here in the consideration and planning of these issues, based on our extensive experience in working successfully with publicly funded projects at both their planning phase and implementation.

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