Access to Resources
Tapping into major funding streams
After leading over 20 projects through European and other funding, Mark Majewsky Anderson is well-placed to give his insights on the challenges of accessing large funding streams.
One of the principal reasons given for not becoming more globally connected is the lack of resources. However, the fact is that there are resources available, if you know how to access them. It can be daunting to navigate the various funding streams available to you. You may have a clear understanding of national programmes but international opportunities can be more complex. Of course, for Europeans, the most prestigious and generous pool of funding comes from the European Commission but you may be surprised by the number of calls that are available to and even aimed at entities outside the European Union. The Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme is open for non-EU partners, especially in low and middle income countries, while the Erasmus programme for mobility and cooperation actually has specific funds earmarked for non-EU partners who can even coordinate projects.
Of course, taking on the application and proposal process is very daunting even for the most experienced of coordinators and the complexity of the process cannot be underestimated – the identification of suitable partners, the conceptualisation of an innovative project, and an effective strategy for implementation, all require time and effort and success is never guaranteed.
One very specific tip I would have for anyone taking on this ambitious task is to always consider what the funder is looking for. However good you think your project is, if it doesn’t fit with the objectives of the programme, a project proposal will never succeed. Always be specific and ambitious in your objectives, whilst remaining realistic and detailed in the results you aim to attain. Have confidence in what you can achieve!