PREFEKT 2019
Preparing International Grant Application
22 March 2019
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application2
 Search for a call
 Before you start…
 Proposal structure
 Tips and tricks
 Support at MU
22 March 2019
 Visegrad Fund Grant Application
5 April 2019
Programme
Why to write grants application
To have enough funding to:
run your studies,
purchase top-notch soft- and hardware,
pay respondents,
participate in conferences,
publish your results in high-impact journals.
Be aware:
̶ Only the best-in-class projects are funded.
̶ Winning grants is prestigious. It is also hard work.
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application3
Research Grants at MU (2017)
̶ Almost 60% annual research budget
̶ Providers (number of projects):
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59%
41% Projects
Institutional Support
498
247
127
75
64
63
3018 Internal
GAČR
MEYS
EU
Ministry of Health
Other national
TAČR
Other international
Proposals 2018 – evaluation results
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application5
189
37
23
48
13 14 3 1 1 1
48
11 23 12
2 3 5 6 6
1
102
26
49 12
6
4
5 7 1
1
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
GAČR
EU-H2020
TAČR
MZdravČR
MŠMTČR
Mezinárodní-ostatní
MZemČR
Národní-ostatní
MKČR
MPOČR
MVČR
EU
EEA/Norway
EMBO
rejected evaluation accepted
Proposals 2018 (H2020) – evaluation results
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7
1 1
2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4
8
3 2 2
1
1
2
2
5
2
2 6 3 1
1 1
1 3 4 1 1 1 1 1
1
1 1 1
1
1
1
4
1
2
2
1 1 1
1 1
1
1
1 1 1 1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
PřF
CEITEC
FI
ESF
FF
FSS
LF
LF
PřF
CEITEC
ÚVT
CEITEC
FF
LF
PřF
CEITEC
LF
FSS
ESF
CEITEC-CŘS
FI
ESF
PřF
ÚVT
CEITEC
PřF
ÚVT
PřF
FSS
ÚVT
ESF
FI
FSS
ESF
FSS
PřF
FSS
CEITEC-CŘS
FI
FI
PrF
LF
ÚVT
LF
ÚVT
FF
MSCA SC1 ERC SEWP COST LEIT RI SC2 SC7 SC5 SwfS ECSEL SC6 FET IMI2ERA-NET
rejected evaluation accepted
Where to look, who to ask
Ask:
̶ your PhD supervisor
̶ your colleagues
̶ project support staff at your department/faculty
̶ project support staff at RMU
̶ use searching tools
̶ sign for newsletters (news at provider’s webpages, Research Office Newsletter, …)
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PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application8
Searching tools (example 1): anlupa
International Providers
̶ Canon Foundation in Europe
̶ EEA Grants and Norway Grants
̶ Eureka
̶ European Commision
̶ European intergovernmental framework for cooperation
in science and technology
̶ Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
̶ L'Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
̶ Visegrad Fund
̶ Ministerstvo pro vzdělávání a výzkum Spolkové
republiky Německo
̶ National Science Foundation (NSF)
̶ Open Society Fundation
̶ The Research Council of Norway
National Providers
̶ Česko-bavorská vysokoškolská agentura
̶ Fond rozvoje sdružení CESNET, z.s.p.o.
̶ Grantová agentura ČR (GA ČR)
̶ IT4Innovations národní superpočítačové centrum
̶ Karlovarský kraj (KKV)
̶ Lesy České republiky
̶ Liberecký kraj (KLI)
̶ Ministerstvo kultury (MK)
̶ Ministerstvo průmyslu a obchodu (MPO)
̶ Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy (MŠMT)
̶ Ministerstvo vnitra (MV)
̶ Ministerstvo zdravotnictví (MZ)
̶ Ministerstvo zemědělství (MZe)
̶ Norské fondy
̶ Technologická agentura ČR (TA ČR)
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Searching tools (example 2):
Funding & Tenders Portal
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To enhance ability to get fundable score
̶ Clearly defined problem
̶ Ability of project to extend scientific knowledge
 Interesting, important, testable hypotheses that build on previous research in the field
̶ Propose a scope of work that is appropriate
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TASK 1 - Elevator speech
… a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people who don't
know you
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Before you start I.
̶ Who
 is your audience? Understand the focus of the granting agency.
̶ What
 is the question you are addressing?
 tools will you use to address the question?
 will society have at the end of the research?
̶ Where
 will the research take us?
̶ Why
 is the time now to address the question?
 are you the person to perform the research?
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Before you start II.
Check out the timeline for submission, and the funding cycle
Check to see if you meet the eligibility criteria
Check the size of grants offered, including min and max awards
Look at the number and kind of past awards given by the funder
If the grant requires partnering; is there a potential partner for this grant?
Before beginning, determine if you have the needed:
time,
energy
and other resources to prepare an successful grant application
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Does the idea match the call?
̶ You do not need to cover the full call alone
̶ You can argue that you have a good focused idea even if it is not covering the full call
spot on.
your idea the call
Source: www.ous-research.no
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TASK 2 – call analysis
̶ Who
 is your audience? Understand the focus of the granting agency
̶ What
 is the question you are addressing?
 tools will you use to address the question?
 will society have at the end of the research?
̶ Where
 will the research take us?
̶ Why
 is the time now to address the question?
 are you the person to perform the research?
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Grant Application Template
̶ Answer all questions/fulfil all expectations
̶ Respect all page limitations for all sections
̶ Use the correct and last version
Why you should follow the template strictly:
̶ Evaluator expects the logic of the template
̶ She/he will have a much easier job finding the good points and compare proposals
̶ In some cases any deviation from the template may lead to rejection of the whole proposal
(national providers)
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Project proposal structure in general
̶ Different agencies = different requirements, different terminology
̶ All proposals: scientific + administrative/technical parts
̶ Horizon 2020:
 Scientific part = EXCELLENCE
 Technical parts = IMPACT + IMPLEMENTATION
̶ Two approaches towards selection of the topic:
 bottom-up
 top-down
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Proposal Structure
Administrative Part
 Title
 Acronym
 Abstract
 Budget
Technical Part
 Excellence
 Impact
 Implementation
 PI / Consortium info
 Ethics
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application19
Abstract
̶ Invitation to read the whole proposal.
̶ It must make the reader curious and full of expectations on what will follow.
̶ Should be brief, informative and catchy.
̶ Often used for distribution of proposals among evaluators.
̶ Too vague abstract may be picked by unsuitable evaluator.
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application20
TASK 3, 4 – Abstracts
̶ Go through two different project abstracts and try to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
̶ Which abstract is more convincing and why?
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Excellence
… the scientific part
̶ Project proposal ≠ scientific paper !
̶ Objectives – clear, measurable, realistic, achievable, well-structured (overall objective/
specific objectives)
̶ Relation to the call
̶ Concept and approach – your motivation, links to other initiatives, methodology,
inter/multidisciplinary aspects, gender issues
̶ Ambition – going beyond the state of the art, novelty, innovation potential
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application22
How to write objectives
̶ consistent terminology („objectives“ rather than „aims“)
̶ project is based on an idea or vision
̶ objectives = the achievements/goal of the project
̶ writing objectives = you should tell what you will achieve to fulfil the project idea
 to show that this project will really bring something new
 to show the funding institution what they will get (before the project start)
 to give them a way to follow up and control your work (during the project period)
 to describe for yourself and your partners what goals you have set
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Objectives are not activities!
̶ WPs and tasks are activities
̶ The wrong question: What am I going to do?
̶ The right question: What do I plan to achieve?
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How to write the state of the art
̶ Should prove researcher‘s orientation in the field (x not for showing off excessive knowledge)
̶ Should serve the proposal – well-targeted information about particular sub-field
→ identification of the research gap
→ the objectives of the proposal fall within the identified gap
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application25
Impact
… the broader relevance of your work
̶ Evaluators expect wider impact then scientific publications
̶ Contribution to the impacts listed in the call text, innovation capacity, competitiveness, any
other environmental and socially important impacts
who benefits from proposed research and in what ways (multiple different levels of benefit)
̶ Linkage with relevant political strategies (regional, national, international/EU)
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application26
Implementation I.
…the technical part
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
WP1 Preparatory works D1.1
1.1 Constituting the team
1.2 Review of literature
WP2 Data collection D2.1 D2.2 M1
2.1 Subject recruitment
2.2 Administration of questionnaires
WP3 Data analysis D3.1 D3.2 M2
3.1 Document analysis
3.2 Questionnaire analysis
WP4 Communication anddissemination D4.1 D4.2 D4.3 D4.4
4.1 Communication plan
4.2 Continuous communication and dissemination
Year 5
Project timeline
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application27
Implementation II.
̶ Business language/“eurospeak“: deliverables, milestones, work packages, tasks…
̶ Consortium as a whole
 description of the consortium
 complementarity of the partners
 how the partners individually contribute to the project
 how they will effectively work together (→ management structure)
̶ Risk management
̶ Resources to be committed
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application28
Budget
̶ Direct costs
 Personnel Cost (all benefits included)
 Other direct costs, including
 Travel cost
 Equipment and infrastructure costs
 Other costs and services (materials, supplies)
 Subcontracting
̶ Indirect costs
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application29
Remember
̶ The most important is a good, logical story
̶ Be consistent
 structure writing based on what you set out in the start to achieve
 use the same word for the same thing throughout the proposal
 all parts should mutually enforce each other
̶ Focus and do not deviate
̶ If you get new ideas add an objective and restructure accordingly
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application30
Using the right words…
̶ Use the concepts and terms used by the call text, supporting documents, and the funding
sources
̶ Read their text a try to match your text with their vocabulary:
 It is easier to read and understand by the evaluator
 It shows that you have read the text yourself
 It gives the impression of you as an “insider” close to the call
 It avoids misunderstandings and “not having addressed the questions”
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application31
Bad words: ambiguity
̶ may lead to, if successful, could have an impact on, will probably lead to an improvement
 you should not write as if in doubt
 your project is ambitious Research; the winner is high risk high gain
 be realistic and clear in your goals and work plan
 any doubts – show in the risk plan what may fail; however, then you have a mitigation
strategy ready
̶ will be agreed later, depending on the outcome, will be assigned when the project starts, may
be changes in course of the project, will be decided post project
 avoid any open or unanswered questions in your text
 even if you are not 110% sure make a choice and be clear
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Grant Application Process - Some General Tips
Begin early.
Apply early and often.
Answer all questions. (Pre-empt all unstated questions.)
If rejected, revise your proposal and apply again.
Give them what they want. Follow the application guidelines exactly.
Be explicit and specific.
Be realistic in designing the project.
Make explicit the connections between:
 your research questions and objectives,
 your objectives and methods,
 your methods and results,
 your results and dissemination plan.
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application33
Reasons for failure
̶ More than half (60%) are rejected on first reading because:
 Proposal did not match program
 Applicant did not follow directions
(New & Quick, Grantseeker’s Toolkit, 1998)
PREFEKT – Preparing International Grant Application34
What to do…
̶ Think about the unique selling points of our research group – what can you offer to be
interesting?
̶ Be proactive – approach experts, write e-mails – easy start to conversation/cooperation
̶ Use conferences to discuss student exchanges, lab cooperation
̶ Identify small funding and mobility grants, these enable your to build first steps for larger
projects
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Your support at Masaryk University
̶ Project support at faculties – first contact
̶ Research Office (Rectorate)
 Information service: web, newsletter & e-mail news, workshops
17 April 2019 – ERC day at the MU
 Individual support: consultations of project proposals/ grant opportunities
 Financial support: for preparation of project proposals (prestigious schemes)
̶ Technology Transfer Office (IPR)
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Visegrad grants
̶ Supports projects focused on V4 regional cooperation in various areas such as:
Culture and common identity
Regional development, environment and tourism
Education and capacity building
Public policy, legislation and justice
Democratic values and the media
Social development
̶ No budget limit (typically approx. 5 000–30 000 €)
̶ Project duration: max. 18 months
̶ Covers total project costs (co-financing encouraged)
̶ Participants from at least three V4 countries
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Thank you for your attention.
Ida Součková Olšová
i.souckova@rect.muni.cz
Radka Martincová
radka.martincova@gmail.com
Sources and links: Horizon 2020, International Visegrad Fund