When I started writing EU projects, reading a call and the criteria that project proposals should fulfill, I felt like all those years of English Grammar were worth nothing. Digging in the internet, even before the times of Google, I found some guides and guidelines that I completed with seminars and consultations with the concerned European Commission DG’s.
So, each time I give training on EU projects, I use this cloud, as a check-list for suitability of proposals. Beautiful colorful words, but do they mean what they mean? Not exactly. Let’s see:
– Sustainability: Even if the environment dimension is essential, this reminds us that the projects have to be able to continue after the EU funding has been spent.
– Local Support Groups: Compulsory for funds like URBACT, FEDER or FARNET, projects that set up a participatory approach with a focus group have a plus!
– Transnational: The call normaly states a minimum of participating countries. But so as to be outstanding, the proposal has to include more than the minimum and reach geographical balance.
– Added Value: The proposal has to go further than the state of the art and not be a mere repetition of on-going strategies
– European Value: The project has to fulfill the EU objectives (namely today the EU 2020 strategy) and get in the mainstream of the policy we want to tackle.
– Innovation: Don’t say it’s innovative, prove it. Compare, search and brainstorm the concepts.
– Co-financing: With scarce exceptions, EU fund streams never offer a 100% of project budget. The proposal must ensure matching funds.
Have you found any other word that should be in the cloud?