Writing your proposal – the research part

Part B of the proposal is the narrative part that outlines in detail the proposed research project. It is a technical description of all planned activities and expected impacts. This must be prepared in advance using the template downloaded from the system and uploaded to the submission system as a PDF document.

Linking your proposal to the call topic

To write a good research proposal, it is essential to understand the funding call topic in the work programme. When writing the application, keep referring to the call topic and the key wording used within the scope of the topic. Ensure you remain within the scope of the topic, and that your proposal addresses all evaluation criteria, which are outlined in Annex D and Annex F of the Work Programme (General Annexes to the Work Programme can be downloaded from the HRB website).

If you have questions on the scope, a Q&A on each call topic will be available in the portal. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, contact your NCP for further assistance.

 

Part B of the application: Writing a successful proposal

Please, start your application in the Funding and Tenders portal for the specific call you are interested in. Once you have done this, you will be able to download the right Application Form template for Part B of the proposal. This template includes instructions to complete Part B of the proposal. Please, follow them as strictly as possible. In general terms, Part B of the proposal is divided into three sections:

 

1. Excellence

This is where you clearly outline the aims and objectives of your research, what makes the proposed research ambitious, and where it will go beyond the current ‘state of the art’.
The Excellence section is also where you describe in detail the planned project activities and the proposed methodology that will be used to deliver them. The planned project activities should be grouped in a logical, consistent and structured way into work packages. Each work package must present a clear link to the project objectives and to other work packages. Activities within work packages should be clearly defined as tasks. Projects should have at least two work packages: one for management and coordination activities and one for outputs related to the project goals. Beyond that, create only as many as you need. Other important aspects to take into account in the excellence section include:

• Gender dimension of research and innovation: Integration of the gender dimension within research and innovation content is a requirement by default in Horizon Europe. It will be evaluated under the excellence criterion unless the topic description explicitly specifies otherwise. For further guidance on how inclusive analysis contributes to research and innovation, read this EU policy report.
• Research data management: This is mandatory in Horizon Europe for projects generating or reusing data. If you expect to generate or reuse data and/or other research outputs (except for publications), you are required to include a one-page outline of a data management plan. More details can be found in the Programme Guide.
• Open science: In Horizon Europe, open science practices are considered in the evaluation of proposals. You must provide details of how your project will comply with defined mandatory practices, and explaining how you will adopt recommended practices will be viewed positively in the evaluation. More details are available in the open science chapter of the Programme Guide.

2. Impact

This is where you set out how your research can contribute to the outcomes and impacts described in the Work Programme. You should clearly detail the planned activities and actions the project will take in order to maximise the outcomes and impact of your research outputs. You should explain how this will feed into the six higher-level expected impact areas of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan, which correspond to the six destinations (key areas) of this work programme. Some important aspects to take into account in your impact section include:

• Communication, dissemination and exploitation: Beneficiaries of Horizon Europe funding are required to communicate with stakeholders and the public about their research, disseminate their research results (make them publicly available), and outline paths for exploitation (making concrete use of research results). A plan for these activities must be included in Part B of the proposal. Further details are available in this EU webinar and in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
• Intellectual property management: Applicants must provide details on how they will manage intellectual property rights (IPR) throughout their research, particularly in the context of the exploitation of results following the project. For more details, the European Commission has an Intellectual Property Helpdesk.

3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation.

This is where you give details on the work plan and resources needed to deliver on your project objectives and on the capacity of participants and consortium as a whole. A description of work packages, deliverables, milestones and risks should be included as well as details on how this is the best consortium to obtain the project objectives. An important aspect to take into account in the implementation section include:

Inclusion of social sciences and humanities: The effective integration of social sciences and humanities in all clusters, including all Missions and European Partnerships, is a principle throughout Horizon Europe. See further details in the Programme Guide and in this video which explains how this component of the proposal will be evaluated.

For more advice on how to draft a successful application, read our top proposal-writing tips for Horizon Europe and take a look at this webinar: ‘Unlocking Success: Insider Insights for Winning Horizon Europe Health Proposals’.

 

Essential information for clinical studies

For proposals that involve clinical studies (and these are many under the health cluster), project participants must add a completed template to the application and upload it as separate annex to Part B in the Submission System. Templates are available to download from the Funding & Tenders portal. Find here an annotated clinical study template with guidance that will help you understand how to fill this template. You can watch this webinar on clinical studies in Horizon Europe for more information.

 

Blind evaluation pilot

Please note that the EC is currently running a pilot whereby for certain calls, first-stage proposals of two-stage submissions will be evaluated blindly, i.e. applicants may not disclose their identity in Part B of their proposal. Further information is available in the Work Programme General Annexes (section F) that can be downloaded from the HRB website.

 

What your NCP can do for you

The Horizon Europe Health NCP can provide advice and guidance for preparing Part B of your application. NCPs are experienced in reviewing proposals. They can advise you on how your proposal fits within the call, how to write the impact section, and the dissemination and communications sections. They can also guide you on general language and the presentation and layout of your proposal, and provide you with background information that will enhance your application.

Want to know more? Contact your HRB Health NCP.