Submit an application for a grant in a restricted procedure
First step: the Concept Note
In the framework of restricted procedures, applicants must first submit the concept note in accordance with the instructions included in the Grant Application Form.
Applicants must apply in either English, French, Spanish or Portuguese, the language of the call for proposals (CfPs).
In the concept note, the applicants must only provide an estimate of the total costs of the action together with the amount of contribution and percentage requested from the European Commission. Only the applicants invited to submit a full application in the second phase will be required to present a detailed budget. This detailed budget may not vary from the initial estimate by more than 20%. The applicant is free to adapt the percentage of co-financing required within the minimum and maximum amount of co-financing, as laid down in the Guidelines.
Any error or major discrepancy related to the points listed in the instructions on the concept note may lead to the rejection of the concept note. Clarifications will only be requested when information provided is unclear, thus preventing the European Commission from conducting an objective assessment.
Please note that only the concept note form will be evaluated. It is therefore of utmost importance that this document contain all relevant information concerning the action. No additional annexes should be sent, and solely the format uploaded in the CfPs webpage should be used. Hand-written concept notes will not be accepted.
The concept note, together with the checklist (Part A section II of the grant application form) and the Declaration by the applicant for the Concept Note (Part A section III of the Grant Application Form) should be submitted in one original and X copies (as stated in the Guidelines).
Concept notes must also be submitted in electronic form (CD-Rom). The electronic format must contain exactly the same document as the paper version enclosed.
Where an applicant sends several different concept notes (if allowed to do so by the Guidelines of the CfPs), each of them must be sent in a separate package.
The outer envelope must bear the reference number and the title of the CfPs, together with the lot number (where applicable) and the title, full name and address of the applicant, and the sentence ”Not to be opened before the opening session”, also in local language (if applicable).
Concept notes must be submitted in a sealed envelope by registered mail, private courier service or by hand-delivery (a signed and dated certificate of receipt will be given to the deliverer) at the address indicated at point 2.2.2 of the Guidelines for Applicants.
Concept notes sent by any other means (e.g. by fax or by e-mail) or delivered to other addresses will be rejected.
Before submitting, applicants must verify that their concept note is complete using the checklist for Concept Note (Part A section II of the grant application form). Incomplete concept notes may be rejected.
Point 2.2.3 of the Guidelines for Applicants specify the deadline(s) for the submission of the concept note. Any concept note submitted after the deadline will be rejected.
There should be more then one deadline in the year for the submission of concept notes. Any concept note submitted after the first deadline will automatically be included in the next round of applications. Any concept note submitted after the last deadline will be rejected.
Second step: the Full Application Form
Applicants invited to submit a full application form following the pre-selection of their concept note, must do so by using Part B of the Grant Application Form. Applicants should imperatively use the format uploaded in the CfPs webpage, and fill it in by respecting the order and page-limit of the different sections.
The elements contained in the concept note cannot be modified in the full application form. The detailed budget (without decimals) may not vary from the initial estimate by more than 20%. Should the EU contribution vary from the request made in the concept note and approved in the first instance, the % of the EU contribution should be adapted to remain in the minimum and maximum range amount of EU co-financing stated in the Guidelines.
Applicants must submit their applications in the same language as their concept note (language of the CfPs), and complete the full application form carefully and as clearly as possible so that it can be assessed properly.
Any error related to the points listed in the checklist (Part B, Section V of the Grant Application Form) or any major inconsistency in the application form (e.g. the amounts mentioned in the budget are inconsistent with those mentioned in the full application form) may lead to the rejection of the application.
Clarifications will only be requested by the Contracting Authority when information provided is unclear, thus preventing the European Commission from conducting an objective assessment.
Hand-written applications will not be accepted.
Only the full application form and the published annexes which have to be filled in (B. The Budget, C. The Logical framework) should be sent. It is therefore of utmost importance that these documents contain all relevant information concerning the Action. No supplementary annexes will be accepted.
Applications must be submitted in a sealed envelope by registered mail, private courier service or by hand-delivery (a signed and dated certificate of receipt will be given to the deliverer) at the address specified at point 2.2.6 of the Guidelines for Applicants. Applications sent by any other means (e.g. by fax or by e-mail) or delivered to other addresses will be rejected.
Applications must be submitted in one original and X copies, as stated in the Guidelines of the CfPs. The full application form, budget and logical framework must also be supplied in electronic format (CD-Rom). The electronic format must contain exactly the same version of the documents sent in paper version.
The checklist (Section V of part B of the grant application form) and the Declaration by the applicant (Section VI of part B of the grant application form) must be stapled separately and enclosed in the envelope.
Where an applicant sends several different applications (if allowed to do so by the Guidelines of the CfPs), each one must be sent separately.
The outer envelope must bear the reference number and the title of the call for proposals, together with the number and title of the lot, the full name and address of the applicant, and the words ”Not to be opened before the opening session” and ”local language equivalent”.
The deadline for the submission of applications will be indicated in the letter sent to the applicants whose application has been preselected.
Sources and useful links