Transcript Diapositiva 1

Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, 19.09.2013
How to write a successful proposal in
EU research funding programmes
Katarzyna Sobótka-Demianowska
National Contact Point
Poland
Institute of Fundamental Technological Research
Polish Academy of Sciences
Why are we interested in participate in the project?,
Academic prestige, Financial Support to our
research group, Technology Commercial
Exploitation
Some key questions
Are we aware of the added-value of our
we should ask to
knowledge/technology in the project?
ourselves
Do we know the possible applications of the project
research results? Are we interested in exploit them?
Are we willing to devote time and effort to negotiate
with the rest of partners?
If the project results can be protected, are we willing
to accept to be in charge of the protection, to make
efforts in the drafting of documents, track the
processing ...?
What potential participants should know at the proposal phase
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Which is our knowledge contribution to the project?
Which knowledge will we need from the rest of partners?
State of the art in the technical aspects in the project
Should we establish a protection, exploitation and dissemination
strategy?
Who will be the owner of the results?
What happens in cases of joint ownership?
Who and how will exploit the results?
Who and how will disseminate the results?
How are we protecting confidential information?
From Idea to Project
1. Project idea
3. Proposal writing
4. Proposal submission
5. Selection & Evaluation process
1 ½ Years
2. Consortium building
6. Negotiation
7. Start of project
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ESTIMATION OF EFFORTS
EC SURVEY ON ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR MANAGING FP7 GRANTS
 Average time to find a suitable call for proposal: 10 hours but 1 hour (or
less) for experienced participants
 Average time to build partnership: 16 hours per partner + meetings (if
relevant) except when continuation of a previous project
 Average time coordinators spend to write the proposal: 190 hours,
depending on experience and project size
Consortium
building
Submission
Idea
Evaluation & selection
Proposal
synthesis
Negotiation
Payments
exploitation
Consortium
agreement
Final Report &
Cost statement
Contract
Real work & consortium running
STARTING
Your
IDEA must be innovative
 Patent databases (ex. http://it.espacenet.com)
 IPR helpdesk (www.ipr-helpdesk.org )
 Previously funded projects FP7
(http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/projects_en.html)
 Previously funded projects FP6
(http://cordis.europa.eu/fp6/projects.html )
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What is my Idea?
 What is the organisation STRATEGY?
 How does MY research fit in the programme ?
 What are the FUNDING opportunities ?
 What is a REALISTIC choice for me ?
 What can I OFFER to a European project ?
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Outline idea
Describe on 1/2 page the following
– What is the problem?
– What are the goals?
– What is your innovative solution?
Problem
State of the art
Innovation !
Goal
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Methodology for project design
Structuring a project
 Define clear objectives – WHY?
Objectives, NON results!!
 Define results – WHAT?
 Measurable “deliverables”
 Responsabilities – WHO?
 Each partner = role and responsability
 Plan activities – WHEN?
 Work Packages, Gantt chart, Pert chart, etc.
 Allocate resources – HOW MUCH?
 to WP’s and activities
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Objectives: WHY?
Define the objectives in the European political contest
General Objectives
 Long term: beyond the duration of the project
 Improve, strenght, facilitate, realize …
Specific Objectives
 To be realized during the project implementation
 Testing, pilot plant, develop new knowledge, …
General vs Specific
General objectives are broad and long-term. Specific objectives are short
term and narrow in focus. The general objective is met through accomplishing
each of the specific objectives.
Example :
 General Objective: Tom will increase profits in the lawn care division from
ten thousand dollars annually to ten thousand , five hundred dollars by
1/15/2010.
 Specific objectives:
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John will increase his monthly customer contacts for 40 to 65 or more by 5/1/08.
John will circulate 100 promotional flyers in at least 5 new counties by 2/2/09.
John will make follow up calls to at least 90% of the counties targeted above by 4/1/09.
John will increase his work hours from 20 to 25 or better beginning 4/1/09.
Example:
General objectives:
The aim of ESTERPHARMA is development of competitive and eco-friendly
biotechnological routes for production of molecules with pharmacological
(antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and/or antitumour) activity.
Specific objectives:
• Optimizing enzyme production, bringing the production of 4 native and 1
improved fungal feruloyl esterases and 2 native and 1 improved fungal
glucuronoyl esterase from lab scale to fermentation level at 5-20 l scale
with a production level of at least 10 mg/l.
• Developing improved downstream processes and methods for enzyme
formulation and immobilisation: achieving at least 2-fold increase in
conversion yield by using enzymatic cocktails, and developing immobilised
biocatalysts recyclable at least ten times.
• …..
The EU policies contest
Results: WHAT?
 Main results
 Primary goals to realise the project objectives
 Detailed results
 Intermediary results necessary for the achievement of
the main results (deliverables)
 Used for monitoring the project implementation
 Material: prototype of platform, software,
publications, report …
 Immaterial: new knowledge (in report), proven added
value ….
QUANTIFY and QUALIFY!
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Responsability: WHO?
 Principal partners
 each partner has a clearly defined role
 Link the risults to project partners
 Complementariety
 Different types
 Involvement of external stakeholders
 Users: Evaluation Committee
 Advisory committee
 Consortium agreement
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Roles in the project
Official roles
 Coordinator
 Partner
Practical roles
 Technology/solution
 Developer
 End user
 Training specialist
 Project manager
 Dissemination expert
 ..
You are only part of the puzzle
Always look for
Balance, Complementarity, Excellence, Commitment
Create your
consortium in line
with the project
objectives
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Success Factor Partnership
 a fully integrated and balanced team
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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
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for RTD, as Technology provider, user, for Exploitation, Dissemination,
Management
involvement of consumer organisation, European association etc. (in
accordance with topic)
different interests in the project, internationality, cultural framework,
language
Planning: WHEN?
 Management basis (monitoring)
 Distinctive phases
 Visibility of the work:
 Flow chart (Pert Chart)
 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
 Work Packages (WP)
 Tasks (T)
 Bar/Gantt Chart
 Milestones
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Work Breakdown Structure
Decomposition of a project into smaller components. It defines
and groups a project's discrete work elements in a way that
helps organize and define the total work scope of the project
WBS is developed by starting with the end objective and
successively subdividing it into manageable components in
terms of size, duration and responsibility (e.g. tasks, subtasks
and work packages) which include all steps necessary to achieve
the objective
Milestones
 Milestones
are control points where decisions are needed
with regard to the next stage of the project.
For example, a milestone may occur when a major result has
been achieved, if its successful attainment is required for
the next phase of work.
Another example would be a point when the consortium must
decide which of several technologies to adopt for further
development.
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Allocate resources: HOW MUCH?
Realistic Budget : AFTER the definition of:
 results, activities and roles of the partners
Activities
Eligible costs:
 Personnel
 Travel/subsistence
 Material/equipment
 Overheads
 Subcontract
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Writing the proposal
PART A ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
• FORM A1: General information (coordinator)
• FORM A2: Participant information, (1 each partner)
• FORM A3.1: Budget (one each partner, completed by the
coordinator)
• FORM A 3.2 Budget overview
PART B TECHNICAL INFORMATION in PDF format
• The sections follow the evaluation criteria
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Writing the proposal
• 1: Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the topics
addressed by the call
• 1.1 Concept and objectives
• 1.2 Progress beyond the state of the art
• 1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan
Maximum length for the whole of Section 1: 20 pages, plus the
tables
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1.3 S/T methodology and associated work plan
i) Describe the overall strategy of the work plan (max: 1 page)
ii) Show the timing of the different WPs (Gantt chart or similar)
iii) Provide a detailed work description broken down into work
packages:
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Work package list
Deliverables list
List of milestones
Description of each work package
Summary effort table
iv) Provide a graphical presentation of the components showing
their interdependencies (Pert diagram or similar)
v) Describe any significant risks, and associated contingency
plans
Writing the proposal
2. Implementation
2.1 Management structure and procedures
2.2 Individual participants
2.3 Consortium as a whole
2.4 Resources to be committed
• Clear management structure
• Clear rights & responsibilities for each partner
• Describe with this partnership is the best to achieve the scope
of the project
• Clear financial plan: Budget + Cofinancing
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PART B3.1
MGT STRUCTURE/PROCEDURES
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT
ALREADY SUMMARIZED THE WP MNG TABLE
DECISIONAL
MECHANISMS(bodies,
composition, roles)
 MANAGEMENT BODIES
 QUALITY CHECK (indicators,
involvement of external experts)
Category/Risk
SCIENTIFIC
 CONTINGENCY PLAN (to
manage any potential
research/management risks)
Measure
Description
Level
PROBABILITY
(low, medium,
high)
IMPACT (low,
medium, high)
IMPACT
MANAGEMENT
CONFLICT
RESOLUTION
MNG STRUCTURE/PROCEDURES
GOVERNANCE
• Decision making and/or executive bodies, their
composition,
• Their competencies (coordination, monitoring,
decision-making) procedures for appointment,
• Timing and modalities for meetings,
• Voting rules (unanimously, majority)
 Procedures for GA/CA revision
 Decisions related to defaulting or leaving parties, access of
new beneficiaries
PART B1.3
WP ‘MANAGEMENT’
INITIAL/FINAL WP
PARTNERS INVOLVED:
•Only Coordinator?
• Coordinator and WP Leaders?
• Coordinator and Project Management Office?
• Tutti?
TYPICAL TASKS :
• Governance
• Communication
• Project meetings (based on the number of partners, criticalities, ecc…)
• Reporting (based on official reporting periods)
• Quality check
• Distribution of EC contribution/Financial issues
• etc…
TYPICAL DELIVERABLES:
• Periodic/Interim Reports
• Definition of quality procedures
TYPICAL MILESTONES:
• project meetings
• Appointment of advisors/external experts
DURATION = project duration
BUDGET= no formal limits, but between 7% and 10% of the total EC contribution
PART B2.2
INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS
THE COORDINATOR PROVIDES A FORM FOR THE COLLECTION OF PARTNERS’ PROFILES
LINK TASKS TO PARTNER’S EXPERTISE
ONLY THE EXPERIENCE WHICH IS RELEVANT TO PROJECT ACTIVITIES
PART B2.3
CONSORTIUM AS A WHOLE
FOCUS ON:
 MAJOR PARTNERS
 Each partner has a well define role(complementarity – ‘vertical’
partnership)
 Mapping of expertises (table?)
 Highlight different types of partners (Universities, SMEs, Public
bodies, etc…)/Geographical distribution(New Member States? Third
Countries?...)
 Link project results to partners
 Involvement of external stakeholders
 Adivisory Committee
 End users: Evaluation Committee
PART B2.4
FOCUS ON:
JUSTIFY COSTS
For example:
-PERSONNEL(eg. table of the PM average
cost per partner)
- TRAVEL (estimation of the number/costs of
meeting, travel EU/extra EU)
- SUBCONTRACTING (name of the supplier –
if available – and justification)
SCHEMES
CHARTS
- COST CATEGORIES (eg. % on total eligible
costs)
- ACTIVITY TYPE (% on total EC
contribution)
- Per WP/TASK?
TABLES
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Writing the proposal
3. Impact
3.1 Expected impacts listed in the work programme
3.2 Dissemination and/or exploitation of project results, and
management of intellectual property
4. Ethical issues
5. Consideration of gender aspects
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Engaging with the public is now a priority
– focus on communicating results rather than process
– PROJECT’s corporate image applied on every information and
communication material
– listen and adapt the messages, tailor communication to different
audiences by responding to the matter issues
– communication activities should be selective and targeted to
maximise the impact
– emphasis must be put on "going local" – use project partners, contact
local press
– focus on people and personalities to give science a « human face »
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Communicating
To whom ?
√ to the Coordinator and the
√
√
Scientific Officer
Scientific community
√ Policy makers
Press, general public
What?
√ Research results and key events
Why?
√ Visibility
√ Impact
√ Responsibility to citizens
√ Obligation in Grant Agreement
Where?
√ Scientific journals & meetings
√ Internet
√ TV, Press
How?
√ Website
√ Materials (brochures, posters)
√ Press releases
√ Publishable summaries
√ Pictures, videos…
When?
√ On time!! (not the day before
publication)
The Dissemination Plan
• Defining clear objectives (including measurable
results)
• Establishing target audiences
• Define the problems to be tackled
• Anticipating key messages
• Identifying the appropriate communication partners
• Selecting the appropriate channels and tools
• Planning the communication process
Remember: visibility of EU support
• any notice or publication about the project must specify that
the project has received research funding from the EU’s
Seventh Framework Programme, including at:
 Conferences and presentations
 Posters
 Scientific & general articles
 Books
 Training materials
 Software
 Websites
 Advertisements
Proposal writing TIPS
Take care of the details
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
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Development of the text
 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.)
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Structure and approach
 Introduce (new) concepts at the beginnig, explain and work out
(do not introduce new concepts afterwards)
 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 the figures)
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Structure and approach
Make the proposal readable. Evaluator has few hours to
read your proposal and evaluate it.
Write in bold, use cursiv, underline.
Better one table than thousand words…
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…
Eleven centres and research groups active in andrology and medical sexology have been selected: Leuven (B), Muenster
(D), Leipzig (D), Barcelona (E), Rome (I), Florence (I) (these biomedical centres also have interdisciplinary
connections with psychological and psychosexological research groups and inter sectorial connections with research
groups in the sectors of sociology and science of communication; complementary training described in point B2.1
will be organised in these Centres); Malmoe (S), Manchester (UK), Giessen (D), Tartu (EE), Lodz (PL) (centres with
clinical and bio-molecular facilities). See also point B3 with the individual Centres description.
As previously noted, these centres are already linked by a common training project under the EAA. This new research and
training project will be able to make use of an already effective network.
Also inserted in the Network will be the companies most involved in producing the latest generation products active in
the andrological field: Serono, Organon, Ferring, Sigma Tau producing hormones and drugs proposed for therapy
male infertility, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Bayer, and GSK, manufacturers of various type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitors acting
on erectile dysfunction, Johnson & Johnson, manufacturer of the forthcoming selective inhibitor of the serotonin
reuptake, specifically aimed at treating premature ejaculation, Schering and Solvay, manufacturers of new
testosterone formulations with innovative, specific administration methods dedicated to age-related forms of
hypogonadism. Part of the complementary training describe in point B2.1 will be organised by experts from these
pharmaceutical companies.
List of involved Centres
Malmö (S), University of Lund, Department of Urology Malmö, Chairman Prof. Aleksander Giwercman
Manchester (UK), Department of Endocrinology, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Chairman Prof. Frederick Wu
Tartu (EE), Department of Urology, Tartu University Hospital, Chairman Prof. Margus Punab
Leuven (B), Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital, Chairman Prof. Dirk Vanderschueren
Muenster (D), Institute of Reproductive Medicine University of Munster, Chairman Prof. Eberhard Nieschlag
Giessen (D), Department of Dermatology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Chairman Prof. Andreas Meinhardt
Leipzig (D), Department of Andrology and Dermatology, University of Leipzig, Hans-Juergen Glander
Lodz (PL), Department of Andrology and Reproductive Endocrinology, Medical University of Lodz, Chairman Prof. Krzysztof
Kula
Barcelona (E), Fundacion Puigvert Andrology Service, Clinica de la Santa Creu, Chairman Prof. Osvaldo Rajmil
Rome (I), Department of Medical Physiopathology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Co-Chairmen Prof. Andrea Lenzi and
Prof. Franco Dondero
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!!!
centres
Competencies
Clinical Laborat
ory
Sexologi
cal
Psychologi
cal
Ethic
al
Sociologic
al
Rome
X
X
X
X
X
X
Malmo
X
X
X
-
X
-
Manchest
er
X
X
X
-
X
-
Tartu
X
X
X
-
-
-
Leuven
X
X
X
X
X
X
Muenster
X
X
X
X
X
X
Giessen
X
X
X
-
X
-
Leipzig
X
X
X
-
-
-
Lodz
X
X
X
-
-
-
Barcelona X
X
X
X
X
X
Florence
X
X
x
x
X
x
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5 SECRETS
1. CHANGE PERSPECTIVE
Your proposal must be written in order to resolve
European problems identified in EU policies
Never give the impression that you are writing a project
because trying to get funding!
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5 SECRETS
2. SOME LOBBYING BEFORE SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL
Confront with the NCP and Commission officers consistency of
your project idea
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5 SECRETS
3. Satisfy EVERY evaluation criteria
Catchy title, acronym
 Synthesis of the project (objectives, results, R&D approach, partnership,
usefulness of the results, exploitation)
 Convincing technological background and state of the art
 Make objectives, methods, results and deliverables clear
 Well structured work plan
 Appropriate management structure
 Detailed implemetation and exploitation plan
 Realistic description of costs
 Balanced consortium (roles, qualifications)
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5 SECRETS
4. The themes
FOCUS ON DELIVERABLES, FINAL BENEFICIARIES AND
EXPLOITATION RESULTS
•The deliverables have to be always quantifiable
•Identify the first user of the results
•Foresee the way of exploitation of the results
(dissemination plan)
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5 SECRETS
5. EDUCATE THE EVALUATORS
Don’t considerate only scientific aspects
(it is not an scientific paper!)
But also political, economical and social!
And show your preparation on this themes with data and
figures
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Thank you for attention
Katarzyna SobótkaDemianowska
[email protected]
National Contact Point
Poland
Institute of Fundamental Technological Research
Polish Academy of Sciences
ul. Krzywickiego 34
02-078 Warsaw
tel: 0 48 22 828 74 83
fax: 0 48 22 828 53 70