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The questions that come up most often in consultations. These programmes change every year, so always check the current year's official call for applications before you apply.
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The questions that come up most often in consultations. These programmes change every year, so always check the current year's official call for applications before you apply.
The evaluation criteria and scoring table at the back of the call for applications are, in effect, the table of contents for your proposal. Allocating length and evidence to the highest-scoring items is where writing begins.
Most calls set out the evaluation items, sub-criteria and points in a table. If you cannot find it, check the programme operating guidelines or the notes attached to the application form. If there are five evaluation items, your proposal should have five top-level sections. The moment a panel member has to hunt for an item, points leak away.
If technical merit is 40 points, commercial viability 30, delivery structure 20 and other items 10, your page count should roughly follow that ratio. Proposals that spend five pages on a 10-point item and one page on a 40-point item are more common than you would expect.
Words like ‘excellent’ or ‘differentiated’ do not earn points. Patents, test reports, contracts and revenue data give a panel member something concrete to score.
Eliminating deductions is faster than earning bonus points. Failing eligibility, ignoring the prescribed format, exceeding the page limit or omitting a required item all get you filtered out before anyone reads the content.