A call for proposals looks complicated because it mixes rules, forms and deadlines. In practice every application follows the same seven steps. This guide explains them in order, with the time to plan for and the most common mistakes.
It applies to European, national and regional calls. Details change from call to call: the official text always prevails.
1. Check that you can apply
First read who can submit an application. The call states the accepted legal forms, the country or region and sometimes the size or the sector of activity.
Also check the requirements people forget most often. Many calls ask you to be up to date with taxes and social contributions and to have an office in the area of the call. Others exclude those who already received too much aid in the last three years.
If a requirement is unclear, write to the funder before you start working. The card shows the contact office and, where there is one, the free public help desk.
2. Read the whole official call
The card helps you find your way, but the application is prepared on the official text. Download the call, its annexes, the guidelines and the answers to frequently asked questions.
Note three things straight away: the deadline with its exact time, the type of procedure and the award criteria. A first-come, first-served procedure rewards whoever applies first; a competitive procedure rewards the best project.
Check how much the grant covers too. Often the call pays only part of the costs, and the rest, the co-financing, is up to you.
3. Register early on the platform
Almost every application is submitted online. European calls need an EU Login account and the organisation's PIC number; many national calls need a digital identity for the legal representative.
Registration can take days or weeks, especially when documents or a qualified electronic signature are needed. Do it as soon as you decide to apply, not in the last week.
Check who has to sign as well. It is usually the legal representative; if someone else signs, they need a mandate under the rules of the call.
4. Build the project and the budget
Describe what you want to do, why it is needed and what results it will bring. Split the work into activities with realistic timing and link each activity to its costs.
Put only the eligible costs listed in the call in the budget. Ask suppliers for quotes and check whether VAT can be claimed: for many beneficiaries it is not eligible.
Watch the start date. Many calls do not pay for costs incurred before the application: do not sign orders or start work until you have checked this rule.
5. Gather the required documents
List everything the call asks for: forms, declarations, statutes, financial statements, quotes, partner letters, CVs. For each document, check the format, the page limit and the type of signature.
Declarations on aid already received take time. If the call applies the de minimis rule, collect the aid of the last three years before filling in the forms.
If you apply with other organisations, ask for their documents well in advance. One missing letter of commitment can block the whole application.
6. Submit and keep the receipt
Submit at least a few days before the deadline. Platforms slow down in the last hours, and a technical problem rarely justifies a late submission.
After submitting, download the receipt with the date and the reference number. Check that every annex was uploaded and can be read.
The funder may ask for clarifications or missing documents. Answer within the stated time, usually a few days, or the application may be rejected.
7. After the result: start, costs and reporting
If the project is funded, you receive a ranking, a decision or a grant agreement to sign. Read the obligations: timing, publicity of the funding, changes allowed and payment terms.
The grant usually comes in several instalments: a pre-financing payment, possible interim payments and the balance after the final report. Keep invoices, traceable payments and evidence of the activities from day one.
Ask the funder before any significant change. Keep the documents for the years stated in the call, because audits can come even after the project closes.
How much time it takes
For a simple call, such as a first-come, first-served voucher, two or three weeks are often enough. For a competitive national or regional call, plan for one to two months.
A European project with partners from several countries usually takes three to six months. Start from the deadline and count backwards: registrations, partners and quotes are the steps that slow you down most.
The most frequent mistakes
- Starting too late: registrations and signatures take longer than expected.
- Putting ineligible costs, or costs already incurred, in the budget.
- Forgetting the co-financing and finding out later that the cash is missing.
- Using an old form or a format different from the one required.
- Not answering a request for clarification in time.
Who can help you for free
Many programmes have public help desks that guide you free of charge:
- the National Contact Points of European programmes;
- the Creative Europe Desks for culture and audiovisual;
- the Erasmus+ National Agencies;
- chambers of commerce and regional offices.
The card of each call shows the help desk for that measure, when there is one.