1. So, you want to write a proposal?
Ian Holmes
H2020 National Contact Point

2. Horizon 2020 basics Collaborative Projects
Research and Innovation 100% funded (RIA) – 2 stage
TRL 3-5
Innovation Actions 70% funded (100% NFP)(IA) single stage
TRL 5-7
Coordinated Support Actions 100% funded (CSA)
Must have at least 3 EU countries in consortium*
Emphasis on expected impact and Market exploitation
Industry participation, especially SMEs is vital
*could be an issue post Brexit!
The gap between research/technological demonstration/prototype and commercialisation.

3. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)

4. SC2 calls and topics in the context of H2020
Challenge-based, and open to innovative proposals
Calls are not prescriptive –
They don’t outline the expected solutions, or the approach to be taken to solve it
Emphasis on impact, each topic has an impact statement
Explain how you will address these impacts
Need different disciplines and sectors to succeed
Horizontal issues such as sustainability, climate, gender are intrinsic to all projects

5. Responding to key challenges our planet is facing for the years to come.
Work Programme aims to :
Address climate change and resilience on land and sea.
Make the transition towards a circular bioeconomy.
Foster functional ecosystems, sustainable food systems, healthy lifestyles
Boost major innovations on land and sea – new products, value chains and markets.
Develop smart, connected territories and value chains in rural and coastal areas.
Read The Introduction pages 5-10
SFS : Impulsivity and compulsivity and the link with nutrition, lifestyle and the socio-economic environment

6. Contribution to focus area(s)
The EC has identified a number of “cross cutting” focus areas.
Some topics will have additional letters and must ensure they contribute to the relevant focus area theme.
'Building a low-carbon, climate resilient future' (LC)
'Connecting economic and environmental gains - Circular Economy' (CE)
'Digitising and transforming European industry and services' (DT)
E.g. DT-SFS : Personalized Nutrition

7. The policy context Global commitments European policies
CAP & EIP-AGRI
Climate & energy
Bioeconomy strategy
Circular economy
SDGs: 2,3,11,12,13,14,15
Integrated Maritime
and common fisheries
policies
Digital single
market

8. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
Proposals are expected to support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular:
SDG 2 'Zero hunger’,
SDG 11 'Sustainable cities and communities’,
SDG 12 'Responsible consumption and production’,
SDG 13 'Climate action' and
SDG 15 'Life on land‘
Identified in the call text and often appear as “Expected impacts”

9. How to read the calls Call Title Specific challenge Scope
This is the problem to be addressed
Specific challenge
This explains the reason for the challenge
Scope
This provides some insights to possible approaches / solutions
It is not very prescriptive
Look for acronyms, legislation, specific countries, other EC initiatives
It will indicate the expected size of the project e.g. Euro 3 million
Expected impact:
This is what the project must deliver
Justify how your approach is the best way to achieve these impacts

10. Multi-actor projects:
Multi-actor approach must:
Innovation is demand-driven, and ensure involvement of key actors through out the project:
A multi-actor project proposal must demonstrate:
how the project proposal's objectives and planning meet needs, problems and opportunities of end-users,
how it complements existing research and best practices.
“Highly recommended” that it involves EIP-Agri Thematic Networks
READ Page 8 of Work Programme.

11. Stage 1 Application Only 10 pages to cover; 1.Excellence 2.Impact
1.1 Objectives
1.2 Relation to the work programme
1.3 Concept and methodology
1.4 Ambition
2.Impact
2.1 Expected impacts

13. Carries the same amount of marks as all 4 for the excellence headers!

14. First stage proposals:
Complete the parts indicated by a bracket ( } ).
The minimum font size is 11 points.
Page limit for first stage proposal is 10 pages.
Page limit is applied automatically; remove the instruction page before submitting.
If you upload a proposal exceeding the limit, before the deadline you get a warning.
After the deadline, excess pages are invisible!
Keep your text concise

15. X Diagrams Diagrams can be very effective and engaging, if used well.
Ensure they are relevant and specific to project
Ensure they are legible X

16. Relation to the work programme:
Indicate the work programme topic and explain how your proposal addresses the specific challenge and scope of that topic, as set out in the work programme.
Keep it simple and clear.
Often seen: table of all relevant elements of the topic text and the way to deal with them in the project.
Demonstrate you have understood the topic and addressed all relevant aspects of it.

17. Relation to the work programme: example
Specific challenge
Project
Genetic diversity in agriculture is a pre-requisite for food security
Genetic diversity, especially in wheat, is very important for food security
Wheat is prone to a number of biotic and abiotic threats with devastating effects on the nutrition of 2 billion people. Widening its genetic basis is essential to ensure its resilience.
Scope
Big-data approach
The project will use a big-data approach
The selection of valuable traits for the breeding of drought-resistant wheat will utilize data from genomics, proteomics and transcriptomics

18. Evaluation criteria for the Excellence section
How the work corresponds to the topic description in the work programme
Clarity and relevance of the objectives
Credibility of the approach
Soundness of the concept, trans-disciplinary considerations,
Work is
ambitious,
has innovation potential,
and is beyond the state of the art

19. Evaluation criteria for the Impact section
The expected impacts listed in the work programme under the relevant topic
You must address all of them!!!!!
Carries the same value as the excellence!

20. Evaluation Guidelines
If a proposal
Is marginally relevant to the call, lower score for Excellence
No matter how excellent the science!
Does not significantly contribute to the expected impacts in the WP, lower score for Impact
If cross-cutting issues are explicitly mentioned, and not addressed (or non-relevance justified), lower score
A successful proposal will address them, or convincingly explain why not relevant in a particular case

21. Proposal evaluation
Remotely out by independent external experts (3 or 5)
(with )
Some will be “academic peers”
Others cover business / social impacts or other areas of topic
Award Criteria: (Experts)
Excellence
Impact
Quality and efficiency of the implementation

22. Useful Tips First impression count
No guide for applicants, instructions are in the forms
Read the forms
Answer the questions
Stick to the page limit
First impression count
Choose a catchy title
Make it engaging /interesting from the Start
Use clear, legible diagrams
Use your NCP /or impartial colleagues to read it

23. Lessons learnt so far TRL – Involvement of future end-users
Right level
Right place,
Correct terminology
Involvement of future end-users
Clear exploitation approach
Don’t “shoe horn” it in where it doesn’t fit.
Real market information needed
Real Impact to be demonstrated

24. Horizon 2020 UK website www. h2020uk
Horizon 2020 UK website National Contact Point for SC2 – Ian Holmes @UKH2020_Sustain
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