1. Overview of ERC grant schemes
Jen Whale
11th February 2015

2. Background
“…to provide attractive, long-term funding to support excellent investigators and their research teams to pursue ground-breaking, high-gain/high-risk research”
Funded research is expected to lead to advances at the frontiers of knowledge
Operate on a 'bottom-up' basis – no predetermined priorities

3. Evaluation criteria Scientific excellence is the sole criterion
Project: Ground-breaking and ambitious but feasible
PI: Intellectual capacity, creativity and commitment
Interdisciplinary
Unconventional/innovative approaches
Pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields

4. ERC funding schemes PhD Postdoc Academic Snr Research Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Early Career Fellowship
years 2 7 12
Starting
Consolidator
Advanced
Synergy Grants (small collaborations)
Proof of Concept Grants (Commercialisation; ERC grant-holders only)

5. Eligibility
For 2015 calls the eligibility time window is calculated from 1st Jan 2015
For the 2015 CoG: “the PI shall have been awarded his/her first PhD at least 7 and up to 12 years prior to 1st Jan 2015” (1st Jan 2003 to 1st Jan 2008)
PhD award date = date on PhD certificate or date of viva (if proof available)
Extensions for certain circumstances eg. maternity leave (18 months per child); paternity leave
No extensions for part-time work or time out of research

6. Key information Starting grant Consolidator grant Advanced grant
Eligibility
2-7 years since PhD
7-12 years since PhD
N/A
Funding
≤€1.5m over 5 years
≤€2m over 5 years
≤€2.5m over 5 years
Additional funding*
≤€0.5m
≤€0.75m
≤€1m
PI time
≥50%
≥40%
≥30%
Competitive candidate
Transition to independence
Establishing independence
Research leader
potential for independence
maturity
≥1 important publication without PhD supervisor
independence and maturity
several important publications without supervisor
Significant achievements during last 10 years
≥10 senior author publications in major international journals
keynote/plenary invitations, organised conferences, academy membership, launched career of researchers
Track record of achievements appropriate to field and career stage:
Publications, invited presentations, awards, prizes, patents, grants
*Major equipment, access to facilities, relocation costs

7. Application form Part A – Administrative and summary forms
A1 – PI and proposal info; legal representative
A2 – Host institution info
A3 – Budget
Part B1 – Proposal details
Cover page and proposal summary
Extended synopsis (5 pages)
CV and funding ID (2 pages)
Track record (2 pages)
Part B2 – Research proposal (15 pages)
State-of-the-art and objectives
Methodology
Resources (inc. project costs)
Ethical and security sensitive issues
Annexes
Host institution letter of commitment
PhD certificate and evidence of extensions
Ethical issues annex
Proposal templates:
Starting grant Consolidator grant Advanced grant

8. Submission Submit via European Commission Participant Portal
Must have a European Commission Authentication Service (ECAS) account → user ID:
Create a draft proposal
University of Warwick Participant Identification Code (PIC)
Select primary (and secondary) Panel: 25 Panels across 3 research domains
Physical Sciences & Engineering
Life Sciences
Social Sciences & Humanities

9. Evaluation: Stage 1 Eligibility check
Independent remote review by Panel members (part B1 only)
Panel meeting and ranking of proposals
Category A
Category B
Category C
Proposal is of sufficient quality to pass to stage 2
Proposal is of high quality but not sufficient to pass to stage 2
Proposal is not of sufficient quality to pass to stage 2
Stage 2 evaluation
May not submit to the next ERC round
May not submit to the next two ERC rounds

10. Evaluation: Stage 2 StG CoG AdG
Independent remote review by Panel members and other referees (parts B1 & B2)
AdG
Interview
StG CoG
Panel meeting and ranking of proposals
Category A
Category B
Proposal fully meets the ERC's excellence criterion and is recommended for funding if sufficient funds are available
Proposal meets some but not all elements of the ERC's excellence criterion and will not be funded
May submit to the next ERC round if not funded
May not submit to the next ERC round

11. Deadlines Starting Grant Consolidator Grant Advanced Grant Call opens
7th Oct 2014
13th Nov 2014
10th Feb 2015
Submission deadline
3rd Feb 2015
12th Mar 2015
2nd Jun 2015
Dates to inform applicants
Stage 1
7th Jul 2015
6th Aug 2015
18th Nov 2015
Stage 2
12th Nov 2015
20th Jan 2016
16th Mar 2016

12. ERC Advanced Grants Information and Proposal Writing Events
Newcastle University
Monday 23 February 2015 (10:15 – 14:15)
King's College London
Thursday 26 February 2015 (13:00 – 16:00)
Free of charge
Online registration

13. Support RSDO (Jen Whale) and RIS (Jon Bull) ERC step-by-step guide
Participant portal (call documents)
Participant portal FAQ
StG and CoG Info for applicants
UKRO ERC National Contact Point

14. Tips (1) Read the guidelines Consider when to apply and start early
Register as an expert for the EC
Make full use of support available
Get feedback from peers
Choose an easily pronounceable acronym
Easy to read – consider structure and layout
Proof read

15. Tips (2) Accessible and convincing to specialists and non-specialists:
What is the problem that needs to be solved?
Why is it significant?
What makes your approach ground-breaking?
Sell yourself – what is your USP? Be specific
Provide “irrefutable evidence” of excellence and impact
Plan B to mitigate the risk
Focus on part B1; then expand on this in part B2
Andreas Zeller blog