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Writing a grant proposal: structure, evaluation criteria and common mistakes in EU and German applications

Editorial team artemis-ju.eu · Updated 27 October 2026

A good proposal answers exactly the questions evaluators score. In Horizon Europe these are three criteria: Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of implementation, each scored from 0 to 5. Under the standard rules a proposal needs at least 3 points per criterion and 10 overall to be fundable, and funding then follows the ranking until the budget runs out. German federal applications follow similar logic but usually work in two stages.

Structure of a Horizon Europe proposal

  • Part A: administrative forms in the portal: partners, budget, ethics and security questions.
  • Part B: the technical description, written in the official template and structured along the award criteria.
Part B section Content What evaluators check
1 Excellence objectives, ambition beyond the state of the art, methodology clarity, soundness, novelty
2 Impact pathways to the expected outcomes, dissemination, exploitation, communication credibility and scale of impact
3 Quality and efficiency of implementation work plan, work packages, milestones, risks, resources, consortium fit of plan, budget and partners

For the 2026-2027 work programmes the Commission cut Part B page limits by five pages: 40 pages for RIA and IA under actual costs, 45 for lump sum, and 25 or 28 pages for CSA. Individual topics may differ, and 2025 work programme topics opening in 2026 still use the old templates. Always use the template linked from the topic page.

How evaluation works

  1. Admissibility and eligibility check: completeness, page limit, minimum consortium, country rules.
  2. Individual assessment by independent experts.
  3. Consensus on scores and comments.
  4. Panel review and ranking of proposals above threshold.
  5. Evaluation Summary Report sent to the applicants.
Score Meaning (paraphrased)
0 not addressed or cannot be assessed
1 poor, serious weaknesses
2 fair, significant weaknesses
3 good, a number of shortcomings
4 very good, a small number of shortcomings
5 excellent, only minor shortcomings

Standard thresholds are 3 per criterion and 10 overall, and half points are possible. In two-stage calls, stage one scores only Excellence and Impact, with a threshold of 4 each. For Innovation Actions, Impact carries more weight in the ranking. Topics may set their own thresholds and weightings; see reading funding calls.

Writing tips by criterion

Excellence: set measurable objectives and show precisely what goes beyond the state of the art. State the technology readiness level (TRL) at start and end.

Impact: link every expected outcome of the topic explicitly to project results. Say who will use them, how they will be exploited and at what scale. Generic claims without numbers or target groups do not convince.

Implementation: work packages with clear leads, milestones and deliverables, effort and budget matched to tasks, and a risk table with mitigation. See building a consortium for the partnership side.

The budget

The budget is assessed under Implementation. Personnel effort should match tasks, subcontracting should cover only clearly defined services, larger cost items need a short rationale, and indirect costs are covered by the 25 % flat rate. In lump sum topics you prepare a detailed budget per work package and partner, and payment later depends on completed work packages rather than receipts.

German federal applications

Many German federal programmes, for example thematic programmes of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), use two stages:

  1. Project outline (Projektskizze): a short description of idea, objectives, partners and indicative budget, usually submitted through the easy-Online portal to the responsible project management agency (Projektträger).
  2. Formal application: after a positive outline review, you submit the application forms (for companies usually on a cost basis, AZK) and a detailed project description (Vorhabenbeschreibung) with objectives, state of the art, work plan, exploitation plan (Verwertungsplan) and financing plan.

As a rule, nationally funded projects may only start after approval or an approved early start. The exact structure is defined in each funding guideline or call notice.

Common mistakes

  • Missing the topic’s expected outcomes.
  • Vague impact without target groups, numbers or exploitation route.
  • Unrealistic work plans or budgets that do not match tasks.
  • Partners without a clear role, or no end users.
  • Formal errors: page limit, wrong template, last-minute submission.
  • Recycled text from older proposals.

Costs and support

Proposal preparation takes internal time and possibly consultant fees; see grant consultant fees. Your remaining share of project costs is explained in funding rates and own contribution. You can find advisers in our grant consultants directory.

Sources

As of October 2026. This guide does not replace tax or legal advice; the work programme, call conditions and grant agreement, or the funding body’s guideline and decision, are binding.

Sources and further reading

Frequently asked questions

Who evaluates my proposal?

In Horizon Europe, several independent external experts first assess each proposal individually and then agree on a consensus. You receive an Evaluation Summary Report with scores and comments.

Is passing the thresholds enough?

No. Thresholds are a precondition. Proposals are funded in rank order until the topic budget runs out.

Can I write a German federal application in English?

German federal programmes generally expect German-language applications, although some international or bilateral calls accept English. Check the call notice (Bekanntmachung) or ask the project management agency (Projektträger).

Can I resubmit a rejected proposal?

Yes, to a later suitable topic. Use the evaluators' comments and check whether the topic has changed.

Related guides

Reading EU funding calls: how to decode a topic page on the Funding & Tenders Portal How to read EU funding calls: topic ID, type of action, single or two-stage deadlines, budget, eligibility and work programme on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Building a consortium: minimum rules, partner search and the consortium agreement in Horizon Europe How to build a Horizon Europe consortium: three partners from three countries, partner search, roles and the consortium agreement based on the DESCA model. Horizon Europe: How the EU research framework programme works for companies in Germany Horizon Europe 2021 to 2027 in brief: EUR 95.5 bn budget, three pillars, funding rates for RIA, IA and CSA, German National Contact Points and the FP10 outlook. EIC Accelerator: up to EUR 2.5 million in grants plus equity for start-ups and SMEs EIC Accelerator 2026: grants up to EUR 2.5 m, equity via the EIC Fund, the three steps from short proposal to jury interview and the 2026 cut-off dates. Funding rates and own contribution: how much of your project a grant really covers How funding rates and own contribution work for R&D grants in Germany: EU GBER ceilings, SME bonuses, a worked example and why you must pre-finance costs. What does a grant consultant cost in Germany? Fee models, contract terms and eligibility Grant consultant fees in Germany: fixed fees, day rates, success fees and hybrid models compared, key contract terms and whether consulting costs are fundable.