Process

STEP 1: UNDERSTAND the APPLICATION FORMAT

What to do?

Before writing anything, you need to familiarize yourself with the actual structure of a grant proposal form. This means reviewing a real application template from a current or recent EU funding opportunity. Your goal is to get a solid understanding of what is expected: what sections you’ll need to complete, the type of language to use, the word count restrictions, and the general flow.

How to do it?

+ Find a real proposal template.

Use one of the following sources:

• EU Funding & Tenders Portal → Go to “How to Participate” > “Reference Documents”
• Erasmus+ Programme Guide → You can click here for one application form

+ Identify the key sections.

🔎 Tip: Copy these section titles into a blank document. These will become your working outline for the WebQuest.

+ Use AI to help you interpret and digest the structure

Some EU forms are heavy on jargon and structure. Here is how you can lighten the load:

• Paste the table of contents or headings from the form into ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and ask:
  • 💬 “Explain what each section in this EU grant application is asking for — use plain language.”
• If you have a PDF, use ChatGPT + OCR tools (like Google Docs or PDF Candy) to extract the text and get help analyzing it.

+ Highlight what is most important

Print or digitally annotate the application form and highlight:

• Sections you feel confident about
• Sections you find confusing or hard to write
• Word/character limits
• Notes from the official guidelines

This annotated version will act as your go-to reference throughout the WebQuest.

Mini-milestone for Step 1

By the end of this step, you should have:

• A real application template in front of you
• A clear list of required sections
• A personal outline that you will use to fill in during this WebQuest
• Some first insights from AI to clarify unfamiliar parts

 

STEP 2: SEARCH for POTENTIAL PROJECT PARTNERS

What to do?

In this step, you will identify and describe the ideal partners for your project and start drafting the content for the “Partnership” section of your proposal. Even if you are not contacting real organizations right now, you will simulate the process of:

• Finding partners aligned with your project
• Describing their role and expertise
• Explaining how you will collaborate with them

Most EU programmes require transnational partnerships (at least 2–3 partners from different countries), so this is a core part of the proposal writing journey.

How to do it?

Here is how to break it down and get results:

+ Look in the right places

• EU Funding & Tenders Partner Search
• Erasmus+ Partner Search Tool
• LinkedIn: Use keywords like “nonprofit”, “social innovation”, “climate project” + country
• Ask your trainer or peers to suggest known organizations or types of institutions (universities, NGOs, SMEs, etc.)

+ Create short partner profiles: for each potential partner, note:

• Country & organization name
• Sector/type (e.g., NGO, startup, public body)
• What they are good at
• What role they could play in the project (e.g., training, dissemination, pilot testing, technical development)

+ Use AI to help you write the partnership section

• Generate partner descriptions
  • 💬 “Write a short paragraph describing a fictional partner NGO in Spain focused on youth empowerment and digital literacy.”
• Draft a collaboration plan
  • 💬 “Help me write a paragraph explaining how 3 partners will work together across work packages in a Erasmus+ project.”
• Create a partnership summary table: use ChatGPT or Notion AI to format your info into a simple table with columns like: | Partner | Country | Role | Area of Expertise | Contribution |
• Optional but recommended: Draft a partnership request message
  • 💬 “Hi [Name], I’m developing a proposal for a project focused on [topic], and I’m looking for partners with experience in [area]. Would you be interested in exploring a collaboration?”

Mini-milestone for Step 2

By the end of this step, you should have:

• 2–3 real or fictional partner profiles
• A draft version of the Partnership & Collaboration section
• A draft message for partnership outreach
• A clear vision of how your partners complement your project and each other

 

STEP 3: DRAFT the PROJECT SUMMARY / EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

What to do?

Your task here is to write a concise and compelling summary of your project — usually between 150 and 300 words, depending on the call. This section is sometimes called the “Executive Summary,” “Abstract,” or “Project Overview.”

You will need to include the following elements:

• What your project is about
• Why it matters
• Who is involved
• What it aims to achieve

How to do it?

+ Start from your application template

• “Provide a concise summary of the project including its objectives, target groups, main activities, expected outcomes, and relevance to the programme priorities.”

+ Use a simple 5-part outline to draft your text

• Introduction (1–2 lines) – What is the overall theme or need you are addressing?
• Objectives – What will your project aim to solve or improve?
• Main Activities – What will you actually do (briefly)?
•  Partnership – Who is involved, and why are they the right fit?
• Expected Impact – What is the difference your project will make?

+ Use AI to generate and refine your summary

• “Write a 200-word executive summary for an Erasmus+ grant project focused on helping banks improve their ESG compliance. The project includes 3 partners from Spain, Austria, and Poland and focuses on training, peer exchange, and digital toolkits.”

+ Refine with AI:

• Ask ChatGPT to make the tone more formal, or more persuasive.
• Use Grammarly or Wordtune to polish grammar, clarity, and flow.

Tips for nailing this section

• Avoid buzzwords or empty phrases — be specific and practical.
• Use active voice: “The project will provide…” not “It is expected that…”
• Stick to the character limit — check if the form has one.
• Think of it as a one-page pitch: would someone want to fund this after reading it?

Mini-milestone for Step 3

By the end of this step, you should have:

• A clean, well-structured draft of your Project Summary
• At least one AI-assisted version for comparison
• A version that is been refined for tone and clarity using Grammarly or Wordtune
• Confidence that your summary sells your project idea

 

STEP 4: FILL in the PARTNERSHIP & COLLABORATION SECTION

What to do?

You need to write the partnership and collaboration section of your proposal. This means:

• Describing each partner’s role, expertise, and contribution
• Explaining how you will collaborate, communicate, and make decisions
• Showing that your partnership has both the right skills and a good working dynamic

In other words, you need to convince evaluators that your team is capable, well-structured, and ready to work together smoothly.

How to do it?

+ Use a structured format

– Overview of the Partnership

1. How many partners, from which countries, covering which areas of expertise
2. Why These Partners?

iii) Complementarity: Why do these partners make sense together?

1. Experience: What have they done that is relevant?

– Roles and Responsibilities

1. Who is leading what?
2. What will each partner actually do?

– Collaboration & Communication Strategy

1. How will you manage the workflow and meetings?
2. What tools/platforms will you use (e.g., Slack, Trello, Google Drive)?

– Conflict Resolution / Risk Management (optional but great!)

1. How will you solve misunderstandings or delays?

+ Use AI to write strong, polished content

💬 To generate partner profiles:

“Write a paragraph describing a university partner in the Netherlands responsible for research and impact evaluation in a social innovation project.”

💬 To draft a collaboration section:

“Help me describe how 4 partners from Spain, Italy, and Greece will collaborate on a training and dissemination plan, using online tools and regular check-ins.”

💬 To suggest role distributions:

“Suggest work package responsibilities for 3 partners in an Erasmus+ project focused on social entrepreneurship training.”

💡 Tip: After generating AI content, always edit for accuracy and adjust tone to make it sound like you — not a template.

+ Create a clear and visual partner table

• Help evaluators see the structure at a glance with a simple table listing for each partner: country, type, role, area of expertise.
• 📌 You can create this in Notion, Google Docs, or even Canva for a clean visual version (especially if annexes or presentations are allowed).

+ Describe your internal collaboration approach

• Meeting frequency (monthly online, quarterly in-person?)
• Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
• How decisions will be made (consensus? majority vote?)
• Lead partner’s coordination role

🔸 Example paragraph:

“The project will be coordinated by ImpactBank (Austria), with regular monthly check-ins and shared task management via Trello. Work packages will be co-led across partners, with YouthHub managing training delivery and GreenEurope handling outreach. A kick-off meeting and midterm physical meetings are planned to support cohesion and trust.”

+ Address potential challenges

• 💬 Prompt AI: “List 3 possible risks in multi-partner EU projects and how to manage them.”

Mini-milestone for Step 4

By the end of this step, you should have:

• A full draft of your Partnership & Collaboration section
• AI-generated (and edited) text for roles, coordination, and communication
• A clear partner profile table (optional visual asset)
• An explanation of how the team will work together, manage tasks, and resolve issues

 

STEP 5: DEFINE THE PROJECT SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES (FOCUS ON RELEVANCE)

What to do?

Your goal here is to clearly articulate:

• What your project aims to achieve (its objectives)
• Why your project is needed right now
• How it directly responds to the priorities of the funding programme or call

This section is not about your activities yet — it is about showing the evaluators that your project is well-aligned with the bigger picture, and that you understand the societal, environmental, or economic need you’re addressing.

How to do it?

+ Start with the programme priorities

• Before writing anything, revisit the call document or funding guide. Copy and paste the key priorities into your notes. Highlight language like: “Fostering digital transformation”, “Promoting social inclusion”, “Supporting sustainable finance in line with the EU Green Deal”, “Building capacity in civil society organisations”
• Your proposal must mirror this language and prove that your objectives contribute to these goals.

+ Write 2–4 clear project objectives

• Use the SMART model — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — when possible.
  • 🔸 Example (for a sustainability compliance training project):
    • Increase ESG compliance readiness among 50 finance-sector professionals in 3 EU countries within 12 months.
    • Develop a digital toolkit supporting banks in interpreting EU taxonomy reporting obligations.
    •  Strengthen collaboration between sustainability officers and regulatory bodies through peer-to-peer training.

+ Use ChatGPT to polish or simplify:

• “Make these three objectives sound clearer and more aligned with EU funding priorities.”

+ Justify the project scope

This is the part where you explain:

• What problem or gap the project addresses
• Why your target group needs support
• Why this project is timely and unique

🔹 Example starter:

“Despite growing pressure for sustainable finance, many regional banks still lack the internal capacity to navigate EU taxonomy requirements. This project will directly respond to this gap by offering tailored, cross-sector support in line with the Green Deal and ESG directives.”

+ Use AI to strengthen your case

• Ask ChatGPT to help frame the relevance:
  • “Write a short paragraph explaining why a project focused on ESG capacity-building in banks is relevant to EU policy goals in 2025.”
• Use it to connect your project to EU frameworks:
  • “Help me summarize how this project contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals and EU Green Deal.”
• Ask for multiple wording options to fit within character limits.
  • 📌 Tips for writing a strong Relevance section
• Always refer back to the call text or EU priorities.
• Show awareness of current trends, challenges, or policy updates.
• Avoid vague buzzwords like “innovative” unless you explain why.
• Tie your objectives to real-world benefits for your target group.

Mini-milestone for Step 5

By the end of this step, you should have:

• A paragraph or section clearly showing why your project is relevant
• 2–4 SMART project objectives written and refined
• Clear links between your goals and EU or programme-level priorities
• AI-refined content that matches the tone and clarity expected in a real proposal

 

STEP 6: DESCRIBE THE WORK PLAN

What to do?

Now it is time to describe how your project will be implemented — from kick-off to final reporting. In proposal language, this is your Work Plan, often requested in sections titled: “Work Packages”, “Project Implementation Plan”, “Activities & Timeline”, “Tasks and Deliverables”

Your job is to:

• Break the project into logical phases or work packages
• Describe key activities
• Assign responsibilities to partners
• Give a timeline

This section is about clarity, logic, and structure — show funders that you know how to turn your big idea into real action.

How to do it?

+ Break the project into Work Packages (WPs)

• Work Packages are like “chapters” of your project. Most EU proposals have between 3 and 6 WPs. You can use one of these typical structures:
  • Example 1 (Training Project)
    • WP1: Project Management & Coordination
    • WP2: Needs Assessment & Research
    • WP3: Content Development (e.g., training materials/toolkits)
    • WP4: Pilot Implementation
    • WP5: Communication & Dissemination
    • WP6: Evaluation & Reporting

🛠️ AI Tip: “Suggest 5 work packages for a 24-months EU project focused on ESG training for banks.”

+ Describe each WP clearly

For each WP, write:

• Objective: What’s the goal of this phase?
• Activities: 2–4 key tasks
• Timeline: When will it happen?
• Responsible Partner(s): Who leads? Who supports?
• Deliverables: What will be produced?

🔸 Example (WP2 – Toolkit Development)

• Objective: To co-create an ESG compliance toolkit tailored for regional banks.
• Activities: Literature review, partner input collection, toolkit drafting, peer review.
• Timeline: Months 3–6
• Lead Partner: GreenEurope
• Deliverables: Draft Toolkit PDF, Peer Review Report

🛠️ AI Tip: “Draft a paragraph for a work package focused on peer learning workshops, including objective, tasks, and output.”

+ Build a simple timeline

Use a Gantt chart or table to show when each WP takes place.

📌 You can build this in:

• Google Sheets
• Excel
• Canva (for nicer visuals)
• Project management tools like Notion or Trello (optional)

🛠️ AI Tip: “Create a Gantt-style layout for a 12-months project with 4 work packages.”

Mini-milestone for Step 6

By the end of this step, you should have:

• 3–6 well-defined Work Packages
• A short paragraph for each, with clear roles and tasks
• A visual timeline showing how your project unfolds
• A confident, structured section that shows you can deliver what you promise

 

STEP 7: DRAFT THE IMPACT AND EXPECTED RESULTS

What to do?

In this step, you will describe the expected change your project will bring about. This includes:

• The benefits for your target groups
• The value for partners and the wider community
• The long-term outcomes that go beyond the project end date

You will also explain:

• How you will measure success
• How your project contributes to programme-level goals (e.g. digital transformation, social inclusion, sustainability, etc.)

In EU proposals, this section often appears under titles like: “Impact and Dissemination”, “Expected Results”, “Wider Impact”, “Sustainability”.

How to do it?

+ Start by identifying your target groups and beneficiaries. Define who will benefit, directly and indirectly:

• Primary target groups (e.g., bank staff, youth workers, migrants)
• Secondary groups (e.g., end users, customers, communities)
• Institutional actors (e.g., municipalities, networks)

📌 For each, describe how they’ll benefit and what will change for them.

🔸 Example: “Bank compliance officers will gain practical knowledge and tools to confidently implement ESG reporting, reducing their regulatory risk and boosting their institution’s transparency.”

🛠️ AI Tip: “Write a paragraph explaining the impact of an ESG training project on small regional banks in Europe.”

+ List and describe expected results (tangible & intangible). Structure your results like this:

• Short-term results (during the project)
• Medium-term results (after the project ends)
• Long-term or systemic change (if applicable)

🔹 Example result types:

• Trained staff (with numbers or % increase)
• Published toolkits or digital platforms
• New skills, attitudes, or behaviors
• Improved practices in the field
• Strengthened partnerships or networks

💡 Tip: Use clear, measurable language:

• “50 participants trained across 3 countries”
• “80% of pilot users reported increased confidence”

🛠️ AI Tip: “List 5 measurable outcomes for a project building sustainability capacity in financial institutions.”

+ Explain how you will measure success. Describe your evaluation or impact tracking plan. This helps evaluators see that you take accountability seriously.

🔸 Example: “Project impact will be measured via pre- and post-training surveys, partner feedback sessions, and a follow-up questionnaire 3 months after implementation.”

+ Align with EU-level priorities and policies. This is crucial. Evaluators love proposals that clearly connect to EU strategies. Link your results to:

• The EU Green Deal
• High-level EU policies relevant to the field of your project
• European Pillar of Social Rights
• National/regional strategies (if relevant)

💬 Prompt AI: “Explain how a project promoting ESG compliance supports the EU Green Deal and SDG 13 (Climate Action).”

📌 Tips for a strong Impact section

• Be ambitious but realistic — no vague claims
• Focus on beneficiaries, not just partners
• Use simple, active language
• Show you have thought about what happens after the funding ends

Mini-milestone for Step 7

By the end of this step, you should have:

• A clear list of target groups and how they benefit
• A structured set of expected results
• A short paragraph on how you will measure success
• At least one line connecting your impact to EU-level goals or priorities

 

STEP 8: PREPARE THE BUDGET EXPLANATION (NARRATIVE, NOT NUMBERS)

What to do?

You need to write the budget justification or budget narrative — a brief section where you:

• Explain what you are spending money on
• Justify why those costs are necessary
• Show that the budget is realistic, efficient, and aligned with your work plan

Many application forms will ask for a detailed budget table (to be uploaded or filled out separately) and a short-written explanation of the main cost categories. This written narrative supports your numbers and helps evaluators understand your logic.

How to do it?

+ List your main budget categories

Start by identifying your key cost areas. In most social innovation or education-related EU projects, these will include:

• Staff time / personnel (coordination, training, admin)
• Travel and accommodation (for transnational meetings or events)
• External services (designers, trainers, evaluators, AI consultants, etc.)
• Digital tools and platforms (software subscriptions, AI tools)
• Materials and production (toolkits, handbooks, videos)
• Events and dissemination (workshops, multiplier events, webinars)

💡 Tip: Don’t overcomplicate it — this isn’t about precise accounting. Just make sure every cost has a reason tied to your activities.

+ Write short justifications for each category

For each category, write 1–3 sentences explaining:

• What you will spend money on
• Why it is needed
• How it connects to the work plan or expected results

🔸 Examples:

• “Staff time includes coordination, content development, and partner communication. Each partner will allocate one team member for 2–3 days/month over the 12-month project cycle.”
• “Software subscriptions (e.g., Grammarly, Canva, ChatGPT Plus) will be used to support AI-assisted content creation, design, and editing.”

🛠️ AI Tip: “Write a short, formal justification for including €3,000 for dissemination events in a 24-month EU project.”

+ Link to the work plan. Make sure the budget reflects your WPs. You can even say something like:

“The majority of costs are allocated to WP2 (Toolkit Development) and WP4 (Pilot Testing), which require the most staff input and content production.”

💬 AI Prompt: “Help me explain why most of the project budget is focused on content creation and pilot training.”

📌 Mention cost-effectiveness

Evaluators appreciate it when you show that your project is reasonable and value-for-money.

🔸 Example: “The partnership has chosen open-source tools and remote collaboration to reduce costs. All printed materials will also be available digitally to maximize accessibility and minimize environmental impact.”

🛠️ AI Tip: “Suggest a paragraph that shows our budget is cost-effective and aligned with sustainability goals.”

Mini-milestone for Step 8

By the end of this step, you should have:

• A clear budget breakdown by category
• A short narrative for each category (1–3 lines)
• Explanations that link spending to activities and outputs
• A statement that addresses cost-effectiveness and sustainability

 

STEP 9: REVIEW THE PROPOSAL USING AI

What to do?

In this step, your job is to:

• Review and improve your full draft using AI tools
• Check for clarity, consistency, tone, and completeness
• Make sure the proposal answers what the funder is asking
• Remove vague or repetitive language
• Ensure that the final version sounds human, professional, and tailored to the call

Remember: AI will not “fix” a proposal — but it can amplify your revision process, flag weak areas, and help you write more clearly and persuasively.

How to do it?

+ Review for clarity and flow

Use Grammarly or Wordtune to check sentence structure, readability, tone and fluency

🛠️ AI Tip:

• Upload your full proposal or paste it section by section into Grammarly to get style and grammar suggestions.
• In Wordtune, try toggling between “Formal” and “Casual” tone to see which fits best.

+ Ask ChatGPT to act like a reviewer. Use the following prompt template:

• “Act as a grant evaluator. Here is my draft project summary for an Erasmus+ proposal. Please tell me what is missing, what sounds vague, and where I could improve clarity or structure.”
• “Does this section clearly explain the problem and how the project addresses it?”
• “Rewrite this paragraph to make it more concise and persuasive, keeping a professional tone.”

+ Check for consistency and repetition. Ask ChatGPT:

• “Scan this text for any repeated ideas or phrases. Suggest improvements for variety and clarity.”
• “Does the language in this document feel consistent across all sections?”

+ Double-check alignment with the call

• Copy the official call priorities or objectives from the funding body, and then ask: “Does my project summary align clearly with these priorities? Suggest any gaps or phrases I should include.”

💡 This can help you reword key sections using language that reflects the funder’s own language — without sounding robotic.

+ Final AI-based polish pass. Paste your final proposal into ChatGPT and ask:

• “Please scan this text for passive voice, overused words, or vague language. Suggest edits in plain language.”
• “Highlight any sentences that are too long or hard to follow.”

🔐 A final note on ethics

• AI is a support tool, not a ghostwriter. Your ideas and values must stay at the heart of the proposal. Use AI to enhance — not replace — your thinking, your mission, and your voice.

Mini-milestone for Step 9

By the end of this step, you should have:

• A thoroughly reviewed and refined proposal draft
• Edited sections with improved clarity, tone, and structure
• No major repetitions or vague sections remaining
• Stronger alignment with the call priorities
• A human voice supported by AI — not replaced by it