The main aspects to consider
The project writing phase begins after a careful reading of the call for proposals, and once it has been verified that the Main starting conditions, namely:
- The existence of a project idea suitable for the call (in terms of thematic and eligibility of the type of activity proposed);
- The existence of a call within the reach of the organization’s capabilities (also in terms of resources and timing);
- The existence of an eligible partnership in terms of administrative criteria, with sound and complementary technical and organizational resources.
Next, the key elements for proposal preparation are:
- Careful reading of the guidelines and annexes of the notice;
- The verification and updating of actor and context analysis;
- The clear and structured definition of project goals and outcomes;
- The response to the timely demands of the notice;
- The final structuring of the partnership and working group;
- The accurate description of activities, possibly organized into “work packages.”
- The drafting of a realistic and accurate time schedule (Gantt chart);
- The finalization of a rigorous and justified financial plan (both in terms of resources provided by the partners and the required contribution);
- A description of the strategy for monitoring, evaluation and dissemination of project results.
The development of the proposal must first take into account the evaluation criteria given in the call for proposals.
In more general terms, reference can be made to five criteria considered “universal” in the context of projects: relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability. These criteria are discussed more specifically in the subsequent chapters. In addition to these criteria, it is possible to mention other particularly frequent ones that can be conceptually traced back to the five already listed:
- The originality and innovativeness of the project idea, i.e., the elements of novelty compared to previous or still ongoing initiatives. In some cases (e.g., in research and innovation), the application of cutting-edge approaches and technical expertise is required. In EU calls for proposals it is also necessary to highlight the project’s ability to involve and provide solutions that can be used in different contexts, to open up new opportunities, and to provide a benefit (direct, indirect or potential) to the entire local organisations;
- The feasibility and concreteness of the proposal presented, in which the actions carried out, their purpose, the process, and the resources used are clear (even and especially to those unfamiliar with the project). Clarity in the use of language and exposition of the proposal (especially if the language being written in is not one’s own) and the adoption of a logical framework are a key aspect of writing a good project.
Tips for writing a project
1. Understand what you do, and why you do it.
Before drafting a project, it is advisable to use some of the techniques of mapping of actors and needs that allow problems and solutions to be addressed with greater vision and clarity. They are presented in detail in other chapters of this section, but we illustrate some of them here.
- “Stakeholder analysis” consists of mapping the resources, interests, problems, relationships, capacities and interests of the actors around the project, and then defining the “target groups,” the needs to be addressed and the synergies to be developed.
- The “needs analysis” consists of a description of strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities related to a context or “target groups,” the characteristics of a current (“as is”) and desired (“to be”) situation, the discrepancies that are intended to be addressed, and the steps needed to achieve it.
- “Scenario building” consists of presenting (explicitly in the proposal) or surfacing (internally, during proposal preparation) various possible scenarios that can highlight needs, assumptions and risks related to the activity-and practical ways to address them.
2. Maintain an overview.
The various elements required to submit a project travel in parallel and influence each other: proposal development and budgeting; proposal, budget and definition of the partnership and working group; proposal, budget and definition of a monitoring and evaluation system. For this reason, it is recommended that advance step by step in project design, providing various moments of verification both within the partnership, and with people outside and “neutral” to the project. For example, the following steps can be followed:
- Preparation of a summary document with key information from the call for proposals, project submission forms, your own context and needs analysis, and the approach you intend to propose;
- Development of a well-structured project logic with the typical elements of a logical framework and the main points of a monitoring and evaluation framework;
- Development of a first draft of the project in which the requirements of the application form are developed, in light of the ideas developed; followed by other drafts, until the final one-and as many verification points.
Advancing step by step allows one to pose doubts, see the various aspects of the project from different points of view (strategic, practical, budget…) and adapt them in the light of the evaluation criteria, the operational repercussions and the need to introduce distinctive and innovative aspects, so that a true project “vision” shines through the proposal.
The activity of preparing a project is complex in terms of content, partnership management, forecasting finance and administrative compliance. Graduality and checkpoints make it possible not to leave out important points and make sure that the different parts of the project develop smoothly.
3. Clear writing.
Simplicity and clarity of language and style are a key aspect of a winning proposal. The concepts and ideas to be expressed must be clear and straightforward first and foremost in the mind of the person writing a proposal. We take some suggestions from two important reference guides for this purpose.
- Elements of style (William Strunk, Jr, 1918): include only one key-topic for each paragraph (which should be regarded as the “basic unit” of a text); use the positive form and active voice (unless impossible to do otherwise); leave out unnecessary words and keep subordinates, modal expressions, adverbs and adjectives to a minimum; keep words and concepts close together (and similar in the way they are expressed); preferably use only one verbal tense (preferably the present tense).
- Write clear (European Commission, 2016): Think before you write (Who will read the document? What are you trying to achieve? What points should the document cover? What can the reader expect. Are you sufficiently direct and interesting?); Keep it short and simple: documents and sentences are the more effective the shorter they are (avoid obvious expressions, clichés, redundant or unnecessary elements, repetition, ambiguity and jargon, keep to an average of 20 words per sentence, and check whether each section and each word are really necessary); aim for effectiveness of communication (express concrete concepts as much as possible , do not “bury” important information inside words or sentences, and insert the most “strong” elements at the ends of sentences).
It is also necessary to revise, cut and check texts several times; and to become familiar with computer tools, to avoid seemingly trivial, but real and frequent problems (e.g., difficulties in managing formatting and revisions of a document, or in identifying different versions).
4. Deepen and improve, always.
These aspects do not exhaust the suggestions and best practices that are useful in developing a good European project. Additional aspects, which are particularly broad and complex, are discussed in more detail in later chapters of this section. Other aspects are covered in our section on Insights.
Our advice is to continue to inform, deepen and improve, through the Guide and through all possible stimuli that may come from other sources, from practice, from the advice and example of colleagues and partners.
The budget and administrative aspects
Working on a project requires not only knowledge, ideas and creativity, but also a certain amount of care and rigor. This applies to all aspects, and especially to budget preparation and management of administrative aspects.
The main elements for preparing a budget are:
- Knowledge of the call and the program, particularly regarding eligibility criteria, forms of contribution, and models to be adopted;
- A good understanding of the different components of the project and related activities, and continuous coordination with those on the team involved in preparing the technical part of the proposal;
- A specific and detailed view of the resources (material, financial and human) required for each activity, their cost to the organization and the contribution made by partner and external organizations;
- Some insight into the managerial and financial life of the organization, which can assess some obvious, but not always clear, aspects of participation in a European project: the cash-flow (almost always the receipt of the grant is subsequent to the expenditure made) and the “implicit” costs (time and human resources of the administrative structure) of participation in the project;
- The ability to relate all these aspects, i.e., the criteria, the forms, the resources available, and the resources needed.
Preparing a budget is therefore not a “residual” activity in a project, but is (on the contrary) the most concrete and formalized project proposal. It requires technical vision, experience, forecasting skills, familiarity with numbers and spreadsheets, the ability to negotiate, explain, engage and persuade (a budget is the subject of extensive discussions in every partnership), order in files and documents, knowledge of the market and suppliers of goods and services needed for the project.
As is the case in preparing a proposal, budgeting has a gradual progression and is subject to frequent revisions:
- A first draft may consist of a detailed analysis of the human and material resources needed to carry out the various activities. The values and volumes of which may vary and be adjusted as we go along, depending on the scope of activities envisaged in the proposal;
- Once these aspects begin to solidify, an initial budget can be prepared that is consistent with the format and criteria set out in the call for proposals. This formal verification can generate new thinking, adjustments to the proposal, and changes in the partnership;
- The final version of the budget normally requires numerous readings, checks and approvals by the partners, who will be asked to provide resources (partly reimbursed from the project budget) and to take responsibility for activities and “work packages.”
However, it is thelead organization that assumes the responsibilities for communication to the European Commission, coordination of partners, budget control, and implementation of activities in the manner and on schedule. During the period of project execution, the lead organization receives the co-financing fees and pays the other partners their share of the project, subject to their reporting of expenditures and the progress of related activities.
Budget management during project execution requires:
- An adequate and planned process of resource mobilization, in terms of spending commitments and procedures;
- The collection, organization, and storage of documentation, with categories and tools common to the entire partnership and consistent with the budget items and reporting methods provided by the project;
- A focus on periodic and final reporting, continuous interaction with the Managing Authority, and retention of documentation for as long as necessary (normally at least 5 years).
These aspects are explored in depth in a Special chapter devoted to reporting.
Similar considerations apply to the administrative aspects required to submit a project. These aspects specifically include:
- Monitoring of eligibility requirements applicable to partners, costs and project activities;
- The collection of supporting documents necessary for project submission (e.g., documents supporting eligibility criteria and technical, financial, and staffing capacities of partners);
- The proper registration of the lead partner and partners to the appropriate portals provided by the call (particularly under community programs);
- The uploading of the different parts of the proposal to the appropriate “e-submission” portals.
In fact, in most cases the submission of proposals is done through special web platforms.
It is a good idea to spend time on the processes of registration, uploading proposals to the portals, and reviewing the instructions on how to use them, normally found in the call documentation. It is not recommended to submit the proposal close to the deadline to avoid technical problems or server overload making it impossible to submit by the specified date and time limit.
Procedures may vary under structural funds and territorial cooperation programs, where different managing authorities may adopt different systems, but they are relatively standardized under EU programs, which refer to the single portal “Funding&Tenders.” Through that portal you can create your account (“EU Login”), register your organization and access the instructions for using the platform. A special pdf manual with all the instructions. We have devoted a separate article to these aspects.
Administrative aspects remain topical even after the project has been submitted. When a project is awarded,
Prior to project submission, a partnership agreement should be signed between the lead partner and partners, regulating their relationships, rights and duties, responsibilities and quotas within the project. This is a “private” document between the organizations participating in the partnership, but important to avoid disagreements during project allocation and implementation.
As explained in the appropriate chapter, during the project implementation period it is necessary to carry out regular administrative support to file and provide at the designated times the documents necessary for reporting activities (contracts, invoices, receipts, timesheets, etc.), which may vary, however, based on the procedures set forth in each individual program and call.
