How to write a successful EU funded project proposal? Fred de Vries Brussels 21 April 2004 Seminar Networking eLearning Practitioners

Overview What is a good proposal? How is a proposal assessed? Filling the forms Relevant sections of the proposal Do’s and Don’t Short break for lunch Discussion & Questions

What is a good proposal? Novel & innovative idea in your context Relevant for you and your partners Relevant under the EU Call Clear, Complete & Concise in writing Following the Call guidelines

How is a proposal assessed? all proposals are registered; countries, organisations,language of submitted text eligibility check (see call text) each proposal is evaluated by 2 independent experts panel meeting with in-depth discussion of best proposals commission selects projects for funding

Filling your forms Respect the guidelines –Your proposal may otherwise be ineligible –Example: project budget / funding percentage –Example: countries involved Running text, work plan and budget should match in activities, hours, expenses Sometime tedious for you, but doing it right definitely helps

Your proposal as a whole Is the proposed idea interesting as such Is it novel? crisp? Innovative? Common practise in adult education can be truly innovative in primary education Are target groups seriously involved? Project for SME’s without SME’s involved?

Some questions for you Who has proposed projects for EU funding before? Nil - 1 out of out of 2 - allSuccess? Nil - 1 out of out of 2 - all Why was your proposal NOT ACCEPTED? Why was your proposal ACCEPTED

Relevant sections of the proposal 1.European added value 2.Relevance 3.Methodology 4.State-of-the-Art & Innovation 5.Validation 6.Transfer, dissemination, exploitation 7.Cultural dimensions 8.Work plan 9.Distribution of effort, use of resources, value for money

1. European added value Added value, means that it is new nationally/regionally + European Union Transfer of experience and knowledge Generalizing results Explain why you bother asking for community funding. Only money? Or networking? Cooperating? …

2. Relevance Activities and product should be relevant to the objectives of the Call Activities and product should be relevant to the subject area chosen Not be contrary to the EU policies Many times “wheels are reinvented”

3. Methodology Strategy for achieving the objectives should be clear and appropriate Many times one reads proposals in which this is very loosely organised Many times activities are not coherent, not explained, Products show up out of the blue.

4. State-of-the-Art & Innovation Innovative is a broad concept, but just stating that you are innovative is not enough, explain in your context for your target groups State of the art is often neglected, while you can back up your proposal by relevant references; literature, hyperlinks, standards and methods.

5. Validation Actually check the results with the original objectives… This validation activities are mostly neglected. Many times is the formative / summative evaluation not independent No results is also a result, which can help new project prevent falling in pitfalls.

Transfer Dissemination exploitation Promotion, dissemination of results Many opportunities here: –Transfer to other regions, organisations –Translate & localize –Incorporate the results in existing organisations and networks Mostly product oriented and not process oriented

Transfer Dissemination exploitation Do an effort in making the results taken up by users at the end of the project Be clear on making the products / results available (for money, for free, limited groups, licensed, can make changes) The mistake made most is concentrating on means to disseminate instead of explaining a vision or strategy

7. Cultural dimension European culture … different languages Intercultural dialogue If not applicable, do not fantasize If applicable, maximize on it to promote your project

8. Work plan Detailed enough? Realistic (relation objectives & means) Deliverables (what, when, for whom) Budgets often overrated (too much travelling, generic computer equipment) Plans are kept vague in many cases

9. Effort, resources, Value for M Divide the work among the partners Let partners contribute on their actual strong sides, no use for artificial partners Realistic planning and budget; it is easy to overestimate

Do’s & Don’t’s Copy text from EU Call Make lists of the tools you use + choosing one in a later stage Design your own Electronic learning environment from scratch Explain in your own words the relevance Describe what you are going to do with the tools (scenario’s) (Re)use already available systems + add essential non existing functionality

Do’s & Don’t’s Send in the forms without checking it by someone not involved Cover up that you want to prolong an existing project by a new fund Be vague about your intentions and the results of the project Be open for constructive criticism from colleagues Build on the results of other project(s) taking in account existing products and results Be precise and explicit about the project

Embarrassment check! Make an electronic copy of your proposal Remove EU funding and references Send it to a relevant Higher Manager with the request for supporting and funding! YES NOWould you dare to do so? YES NO If yes, send the proposal to Brussels If no, consider revising or withdrawing

Conclusions Is it difficult to have a successful Project proposal?

Break for lunch Discussion Work out a project idea for example for eLearning Call Present idea’s and look for partners

Formulate a proposal idea? Explain the idea in half a page? –Is it a novel idea in itself? –Does it address an eLearning action line? Then, who else do you need in Europe Which specific target groups does the project address What are the results of the project?

Present your idea for a project … … … … … …

Thank you for your attention