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From idea to a proposal(Technicalities to draft an FP 7 project)

Viorel Vulturescu – ANCS Romania

Keep thinking that .....Keep thinking that .....FP 7 is program (I)- Funded by European + associated countries tax

payers ;- Designed to solve European scientific problems;- Open to (almost) all countries in the world- With specific topics which are not necessarily

European but needed both by EU and third countries (e.g. tsunami, desertification, etc.)

FP 7 is program (II) - Identify solutions for global issues (e.g. climate

change, arctic melting, etc. );- Strengthen international cooperation in science

& technology development;- Pave the way for knowledge & technology

transfer in Europe, - etc., etc. …

Keep thinking that .....Keep thinking that .....

The start…The start…Assessment:Step 1: Read the research topic published in the work program

Step 2: Which is MY Research Capacity (knowledge and infrastructure)?

Step 3: Do I have support available (both scientific and non-scientific ?)

Step 4: Do I know enough colleagues abroad (in EU and outside EU) in order to have the criticall mass to start a project ? Are they availbale ?

Where to find the calls for proposals?Where to find the calls for proposals?

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm

Documents NEEDEDDocuments NEEDEDCall ficheWork Programme – EnvironmentGuide for applicants (for the chosen funding scheme)Rules of participation (eligibility, submission, etc.)Financial rules (how money are to be spent)

INFORMATION PACKAGE

CRUCIAL !

• After reading the work program, CHOSE the topic where you CAN participate

ALWAYS offer what

IS REQUESTED;

Work ProgramWork Program

Background:

Topic description:

Type of project:

What is looking for:

Project DraftProject Draft

Describe shortly (max. 2 pages):

- Which are the project objectives vs. research topic- How can you solve the issue mentioned in the topics ?- How can you contribute to knowledge development, problem solving and support policy development ?-Who are your partners to set up the core group ?- Is it realistic to be a coordinator or is better to be a partner ?- One step proposal or two steps ?-Do I have enough time to complete the proposal ? (typical is one / two life time shot)

Project structuringProject structuring

OBIECTIVES – WHY?OBIECTIVES – WHY?• Project objectives has to be defined within the European

political context!• General objectives

– On long term – .. To improve, to strengthen, to facilitate, etc.

• Specific objectives – On short term– ... To test, to develop new knowledge, etc. ...

ObjectivesObjectives

RESULTS – WHAT?RESULTS – WHAT?• MAIN RESULTS– Main targets to fulfill project objectives

• DETAILED RESULTS– Milestones – (intermediary results)– Documents (maps, software, publications, etc.) – Immaterial results (new knowledge, test results,

databases, etc.)

• QUANTITATIVE and QUALITATIVE !QUANTITATIVE and QUALITATIVE !

RESPONSIBILITY – WHO?RESPONSIBILITY – WHO?MAIN partners• each partner has a clearly defined role• Link the results to project partners• Complementarities• Different types Involvement of external stakeholders• Users: Evaluation Committee• Advisory committee Consortium agreement

ROLES IN AN FP 7 PROIECT (and not ROLES IN AN FP 7 PROIECT (and not only)only)

Official role Practical roles Coordinator Technology developer Partner Knowledge owner / provider

User Trainer Dissemination …….

WHERE ARE YOU ??

YOU ARE A SMALL PART OF THE YOU ARE A SMALL PART OF THE PUZZLEPUZZLE

• Always look for Balance, Complementarities, Excellence, Commitment

A successful partnership is …A successful partnership is …

…a fully integrated and balanced team• critical mass• complementary, clear roles & functions• no overlaps, no duplications• experienced in EU RTD projects• knowledge of the reputation of core partners• involvement of SMEs• Dissemination, Management

PERT – NO !!!!PERT – NO !!!!WP1 Management WP2 …………. WP3 ………….WP4 ………….WP5 Dissemination

WP 1

WP 2

WP 3

WP 4

WP 5

End of project

Project start

Reports Deliverables

PERT - YESPERT - YES

WP5: Dissemination

WP leader: P4Partners: ALL

RESOURCES – HOW MUCH?RESOURCES – HOW MUCH?• Realistic Budget, according to project

involvement: balanced (per partner, per activities, per year)

• Eligible costs– Salaries– Travel– Equipments / materials– Overhead– Subcontracting

ActivitiesActivities

Tips in proposal writing (I)Tips in proposal writing (I)• Use standard and concise English• Make the text clear, well structured, and fluent• Plan an index, use short paragraphs, point out key passages,

schematise the concepts• Insert only information relevant to the project• Answer to ALL! the questions indicated in the form• Use terminology relevant to the context of the Programme and the

call• Coherent language in all proposal paragraphs (e.g. service –

system, experimentation – test etc.)• Introduce (new) concepts at the beginning, explain and work out

(do not introduce new concepts afterwards)

Tips in proposal writing (II)Tips in proposal writing (II)

• Maintain the discourse coherent• Refer to public data (statistics) if relevant• Refer to previously funded projects (innovation can be a follow-up)• Short and dense text (use figures) • Make the proposal readable. Evaluator has few• hours to read your proposal and evaluate it.• Write in bold, use cursive, underline.• Better one table than thousand words…

Money are important but …Money are important but …• Your proposal must be written in order to solve

European problems identified in EU policies• Never give the impression that you are writing a

project because trying to get funded

On specific scientific issues: YOU ARE THE KNOWLEDGE OWNER

Sell your competence at the right price: DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF

Build partnerships on: TRUST and CONFIDENCE

www.ENV-NCP-TOGETHER.eu

– WP 1 – Koos de Koorte(Agentschap NL - NL)- NCP 1st training held in Bucharest in March, - 2nd training held in Malta January 2011- Twinning measures – Ongoing

– WP 2 – Alain Straus (FFG - AT)• Match-making software developed• 1st BE held in Vienna (Austria - Sept. 2009).• 2nd BE held in Istanbul (Turkey- Sept. 2010)• 3rd BE – Poland (Gdansk – 5-7 September 2011)

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Achievements so far (I)

– WP 3 – Catherine Holt (BETA - UK)• Pre-screening tool of project proposals !!!• Electronic version – possible future development

– WP 4 – Marion Tobler (EU RESEARCH - CH)• Full cooperation with other projects (e.g. EURAL,

IncoNet EECA)

WP 5 – Surbhi Sharma (ITSMA - IN)• Report on Indian organizations and environmental

sector in India• Database with potential Indian partners !!!

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Achievements so far (II)

– WP 6 – Lior Ben-Artzi (ISERD - IL)• Catalogue of researchers – on-line tool• PR materials: Posters, Leaflets

– WP 7 – Zdenka Sustakova (TC AS CR - CZ)• National sector survey – will be available soon

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Achievements so far (III)

• WP3 – Proposal Pre-screening Tool

• The Tool is broken down into sections and includes the following areas:• Formal Guidance• Common Errors• Good Practice• What the Evaluator Looks For• Model Answers, with Good Practice Guidelines• Checklist

(some) deliverables available so far (I)

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Format of the Proposal Pre-screening Tool

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Pre-screening Proposal Tool - Advice

(some) deliverables available so far (II)

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Pre-screening Proposal Tool – Model Answers

(some) deliverables available so far (III)

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Pre-screening Proposal Tool – Examples

(some) deliverables available so far (IV)

DO NOT HESITATE, PARTICIPATE!!!

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