LIFE+

Developing, writing and submitting an excellent proposal

Arno Schoevaars

14 March 2013

Introduction

This presentation

Developing a Life+ project

• Characteristics Life+ Nature project

• Characteristics Life+ Environment project

Writing a Life+ proposal

• Theory: 5 steps of competitive proposal writing

• Practical tips & tricks

Submitting a Life+ application

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PNO

• Grant & Innovation

• 6 countries EU

• 240 employees

• EU coverage

• Annual: > 150 EU proposals

• Succes ratio: > twice EU average

Arno Schoevaars

• Grant consultant, 20 years

• Manager Team EU+Innovation

• Life applications: 1994 - 2012

• Succes ratio Life: 60%

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Introduction

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Developing a Life+ project

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Life+: Structure & Characteristics

Life+ 2007 – 2013 Supporting Development and Implementation of European Environmental Policy and Legislation

Nature & Biodiversity

Nature Conservation Projects Grant 50% to 75%, Average funding € 2.000.000

Environment Policy & Governance Demonstration projects of: clean technologies (lower emissions,

environmental friendly products / processes) Grant 50%, Average funding € 1.500.000

Information and Communication Communication and awareness raising campaigns on

environmental, nature protection or biodiversity issues Grant 50%, Average funding € 400.000

General

• EU’s financial instrument to support implementation and development

of EU Environmental Policy

Nature

• Best practice and/or demonstration projects contributing to the

implementation of the objectives of the Habitats and Birds Directives

• Demonstration and/or innovation projects contributing to the

implementation of the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy outlined in the

Communication "Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU

biodiversity strategy to 2020".

How does such a project look like???

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Characteristics of a Life+ Nature project

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Life + Nature 2011: Let the raised bogs grow!

You Tube Link

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Straight forward:

• Nature is best practice & Biodiversity is innovative

• Connect directly to Natura 2000 / Habitat, Birds Directive

• Enlarge and improve nature acreage and level, use maps

• Be specific, quantify measures

• Connect to similar Life+ projects from the past (outreach)

• Invest in dissemination, raise public awareness!!!!

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Developing a Life+ Nature project

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General

• EU’s financial instrument to support implementation and development

of EU Environmental Policy

Environment

• Demonstration and/or innovation projects related to: climate change,

water, air, soil, urban environmental, noise, chemicals, environment &

health, waste & natural resources, forests, innovation (demonstration

of innovative technologies generating potential environmental

advantages) and strategic approaches promoting effective

implementation of EC environmental policy.

• Projects contributing to the monitoring of the environmental status of

forests within EU territory

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Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project

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Life+ Environment is about Innovation:

• The valorisation of research results: DEMO!

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Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project

EU Grants Landscape

SRA Vision Implementation path

Downstream Research and

development

Upstream Research Near Market R&D and

Introduction • Discovery

• High Risk

5/7+ years

• Feasibility • Demonstration

• Prototype

• Concept •Pilot

5/3 years « Routine

jobs »

•

Production • Training

• Non-

technological

(market) barriers

-3

years

FP7 COOPERATION (Research)

National Grants Eureka (national grants + EU status)

EU CIP Programme, LIFE+ (Demo and Innovation)

Structural Funds (R&D + Investments), European Social Fund (training)

European Investment Bank (loans, RSFF, Marguerite Fund )

• Research

Training

FP7 PEOPLE (research training)

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Life+ Environment is about Dissemination and commitment:

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Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project

“Sustainable chemistry begins by assuring our own

footprint is light, but it only reaches its full potential when it

delivers solutions to the problems faced by society.”

-Mr. David Kepler, DOW’s Chief Sustainability Officer.”

"The Life+ grant meant an extra incentive to carry out

the project. Moreover, this European grant confirms our

position as leader in the European market”

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Context and European «issue»

1. Solve a EU Problem (demonstrate a concrete solution, proven on small scale)

2. Improvement + Potential end-situation (%, value)

3. Mechanisms and Actions to realise improvement (bring solution to market)

4. Potential Market Value for EU industry (increase competitiveness)

5. EU Return on Investment (Political and Societal Return)

Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project

Life+ Environment is about impact • Demonstrating a sound solution for an EU environmental problem!

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Life+ Project: Example Chemical sector

GREEN FOOTPRINT

“Demonstrating the introduction of novel renewable

Polyurethane materials for high quality, top design

and sustainable shoes”

Client: DOW Chemicals Italia

Partner: Mondial Suole

LIFE+ ref. LIFE07 ENV/IT/000412

36 months from

1/1/2009 to 31/12/2011

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Green Footprint: environmental impact

• annual production of 19.5 billion pairs of shoes

• reduce fossil resource use for specific footwear with 20% up to 25%

• reduce energy intensity with 13% and a reduced carbon footprint of 0,7

kton CO2/ton PU

• The estimated reduction of fossil materials in the European footwear

market only already leads to an annual energy savings of 410*106 MJ

= 67 000 Barrel of Oil Equivalent (1 BOE = app. 6,1 GJ)

Full recycle – Eco-sustainable life cycle Environmentally friend materials

Life+ Project: Example Chemical sector

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Life+ Project: Example energy

BlueTEC

“BLUETEC - Demonstration of the technological,

economic and environmental sustainability of a full-

scale tidal energy device in a harsh offshore

environment”

Client: Bluewater Energy Services

Partners: Ponte di Archimede

ERI

LIFE+ ref. LIFEO9 ENV/NL/000426

1 Sep. 2010 to 31 Dec. 2013

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BlueTEC:

• Energy production from renewable resources

• 1 MW Bluetec tidal energy device will be able to prevent 20,864t

CO2 emissions during its 20 years lifecycle

• Showcasing design and technology in harsh environment that can be

upscaled to produce electrical energy at a cost of 0.34 euro/kWh (= EU

policy)

• Operation & maintenance (O&M) costs < 0.11 euro/kWh stimulating

market uptake and replication in other locations in Europe and the world

(potential globally is 62,000 MW)

2005 – 2009: Small pilot

demonstrating reliable

production in mild environment

(1 turbine in Street of Messina)

Life+ Project: Example energy

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Developing a Life+ project

• Addres a clear environmental EU problem

• Showcase improvement in the state-of-the-art

• Prepare yourself to showcase European impact

• Cooperate on EU level, partner-up

• Know how to reach stakeholders, if possible involve them (disseminate)

• Beware: beneficiary has an audited annual report

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Writing a Life+ proposal

Getting their message across

The 5 steps of competitive proposal writing

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1. Determine context • What is the core message & goal • Who is your target audience • What are the parameters, formats • Choices (focus & planning) • Confirmation

2. Determine message • Collect information • Generate ideas • Select information • Structure information

3. Get the message and outline on paper • Make a concept in a follow-through approach, remember it is your text • Finalise concept (bring back focus, main & sub topics, finalise structure) • Feedback

4. Communicate the message • Write with style: accessible & structured, comprehensible & enthralling, illustrative and practical • Write with conviction: argumentative and appealing • Feedback

5. Finalise the proposal • Write concise and correct, use images, check lay-out, review • Guide the reader through the text, illustrate reasoning & indicate conclusion

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1. Determine context, understand your project

Make a project summary:

• What is the project about?

• Why is it innovative?

• What EU environmental problem is addressed?

• Why is this problem important?

• What is the projects’ replication potential?

• Who are stakeholders (policy, industry, society)

• Who should be partners to ensure replication?

• How is the project going to be realised?

• What is the context of the project in relation to EU an sector policies

and strategies?

• What is the projects’ impact (emission reduction, employment)?

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2. Determine message, focus your project

Collecting, selecting and structuring information:

• Use Google well!! E.g.

• Innovative?

• SotA: JRC EIPPCB: eippcb.jrc.es

• Life+ project database: ec.europa.eu/environment/life/

• Replication potential?

• Branch /sector information & Eurostat: epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu

• European added value

• Google & Eurostat: epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu

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• Do not start writing before the message is clear!!! Writing takes time!

• Use the summary to start

• Study and use formats

• Be concise

• Be complete

• Be comprehensible

• Use the 5 step approach

3. to 5. getting their message across

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3. to 5. getting their message across

Make it easy for the evaluators to give you high marks

Don’t write too little or too much (cover what is requested)

Don’t leave them to figure out why it’s good, show them

Leave nothing to the imagination, be specific

Back-up your assertions with concrete examples

Think of the finishing touches which signal quality work

Clear language, be concise

Well-organised contents and clear project management

Useful and understandable diagrams

No typos, no inconsistencies, no numbers which don’t add up

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Submitting a Life+ proposal

Getting the message across in-time

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Electronic submission

• Read the guidelines

• ECAS Register

• eProposal tool, at least two weeks before submission

• Single participant:

• Start writing in the tool directly

• Make regular pdf prints

• Consortium:

• Transport tool format to Word

• Write concepts, correct

• Copy/paste in eProposal tool

• Submit two days before deadline, revise your proposal and

resubmit, ….

• 25 June 2013, 16.00 hours

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After submission

• Evaluation > 5 months

• Revision > 3 months

• Contract signatures > 3 months

• Project start on average 9 - 11 months after submission

• Kick off with monitoring team:

• very helpful and cooperative

• Administration Life+ compliant, tricky

• Problems: Communicate open, offer solutions

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Questions

Thank you for your attention

In case of any questions please feel free to contact me:

PNO Consultants

Arno Schoevaars

Manager EU Innovation

arno.schoevaars@pnoconsultants.com

Tel: + 31 6 29 55 89 15

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Life+: The ambition

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To