Planning a proposal writing timeline that would end up with a competitive application by the deadline is a challenging task. Often, researchers start late, leaving technical aspects (like budget and ethics) to the last minute, also making any unexpected delays critical. This intensifies in highly competitive proposals like the ERC, where for example a misleadingly simple 5-page document can take months to draft, requiring much more time than initially planned.
In this article, we share our tried and tested ERC timeline to help applicants avoid these issues (or at least minimise them as much as possible). This timeline is simplified, straightforward, and includes references to the unique ERC elements to be addressed at each stage of the process.
Before we discuss the suggested timeline, we’d like to shortly explain the rationale behind it.
Unlike other large-scale project proposals that often require coordinating schedules, chasing partners for feedback, and incorporating patches of texts from multiple partners to produce a 50- or 70-page proposal, the ERC proposal seems quite simple.
As a personal grant, there is no consortium, no complex budget calculations from multiple institutions and a relatively compact description of the proposed research project. However, as the deadline approaches, many applicants suddenly realise that this is not the case. In fact, preparing a competitive ERC proposal can take the same amount of time as preparing a large collaborative proposal, and sometimes even more.
This is due to the highly competitive and unique nature of the ERC grant and the time it takes to mature and crystalise the research project. When a 5-page text determines the scientific excellence of your project and whether it will pass to the second evaluation stage, every word is critical. ERC evaluation assesses the project’s concept, its ground-breaking nature and potential impact to the highest standards, leaving no room for error.
To meet these expectations, and address them in your application, you must first familiarise yourself with the grant. Before you start writing your proposal, take the time to get to know the unique aspects of the ERC grant, namely, its ground-breaking and ambitious nature. This might require adjusting your mindset when writing your proposal, as some expectations can be counterintuitive.
In addition, it is important to factor in unexpected disruptions or delays during the proposal preparation process when planning your proposal writing timeline. Always allocate more time than you think you’ll need to accommodate setbacks, in addition to your yearly schedule and commitments (for example intensive teaching periods, long conference trips abroad, annual leave etc.).
In this regard, the timing of the ERC call deadline can be critical. For example, the Consolidator Grant deadline is typically in Jan-Feb, right after the winter holiday period. The Advanced Grant deadline tends to be at the end of August, a period that usually involves holiday or travel. This means that the proposal writing timeline can change drastically depending on the call deadline you apply for.
On the same note, bear in mind that you might need the help of other people during the proposal preparation process. These can include colleagues who could provide essential feedback or advice regarding your project and might have their own time constraints, or research support staff, language editors and consultants, who will handle multiple applications in parallel and will be less available as the deadline approaches.
The following timeline was designed to accommodate these considerations and ensure a well-thought-through and smooth timeline for preparing a competitive ERC proposal.
Stage 1: The thinking process
When: Up to 6 months before the deadline
In the case of ERC, having an outstanding track record and a brilliant idea for a research project is not enough. The competition is high, particularly when it comes to saturated research areas, and in order to get funded, your idea should stand out from the crowd.
Make sure you familiarise yourself with the ERC grant first and assess whether your idea is in line with these expectations. You might need to adjust your idea, or in some cases even change it entirely. Give yourself enough time to mature your idea and ensure it ticks all the ERC boxes.
Stage 2: Go or No-Go
When: 3-4 months before the deadline
This is the time to decide whether to apply or not. The following are critical to assess:
- Check your eligibility to the specific call you’re after, as it might not be straightforward. This includes your PhD defence date (for StG and CoG), any career breaks, restrictions from previous submissions, etc. You can use our ERC eligibility calculator to make sure.
- Look at the ERC evaluation panels and assess if this is the best time for you to apply. Remember that panelists alternate from year to year.
- If some time has passed since you’ve developed your idea – is it still in line with ERC expectations?
Not sure? Book our Go/No-Go service and we will provide you with professional feedback on your suitability to the ERC grant.
Stage 3: Set the stage
When: 2-3 months before the deadline
Having decided to apply, the next stage is to set the stage before you start the actual proposal writing. Revisit the state of the art in your field, and look for new publications or upcoming work of other research groups to ensure your project idea is indeed ahead of competition.
This might lead to modifications or larger changes in the project, but it is an essential stage when shaping your research project and will save you valuable time in later stages.
Finalize any preliminary research and make sure you can show initial evidence to support your idea and claims (in some cases where you’ll need initial data to be included in the proposal, for example, this stage might require more time).
Stage 4: Write it down
When: 6-8 weeks before the deadline
When you have the foundation of the project in place, write the scientific proposal. You can choose to start either with the B1 or the B2, but focus on one document at a time. When you’re happy with one document, move on to the other one. From this point onwards, the text will undergo iterative revisions until the deadline.
Make sure you present your idea in a clear and coherent manner while feeding the reviewer in line with the ERC expectations. In parallel, you can start attending to the technical aspect of the application (budget, ethics, submission system etc.) to get the process going. During these weeks, ensure you set enough time aside from your busy schedule for extensive iterations on both documents and all accompanying texts (ethics, budget justification).
Stage 5: Finalise
When: 4 weeks before the deadline
By this point, you should have advanced versions of both B1 and B2. Proofread the texts, redo figures and ensure the application is visibly pleasant and easy to read. Now is also the time to finalise the technical sections and supporting documents of the application and ensure they are ready for submission in time.
Stage 6: Submit
When: 1 week before the deadline
By this point, your B1 and B2 should be near-final and the technical issues of your application should now be complete and uploaded to the submission system. Ideally, the last week should be dedicated to QA, final tweaks, and submitting the application to check for validation errors and typical last-minute mistakes. You’ll be able to submit your application as many times as you want until the deadline closes. That being said, know when to stop, as the submission system is often unstable in the last few hours before the deadline, which could lead to mistakes and unnecessary stress. It’s done!
Conclusion
This article was written in response to recurring issues relating to time management during the proposal writing process. The timeline proposed here was designed based on years of hands-on experience working on ERC proposals and with the unique characteristics of the ERC grant in mind. Our experience proves that having a clear and structured timeline produces high-quality proposals that increase their chances of success. As one of Europe’s most competitive research grants, a well-planned writing process could separate a winning proposal from a rejected one. This is why if you are considering applying to ERC, we recommend planning ahead.
If you have any questions or want to know more about our ERC proposal writing services, please contact us.