Are you planning to apply to a call for proposals? Here are some tips for a successful application

Published: 4 December 2025

Reading time: 2 minutes

In January, our annual calls for project grants and starting grants open. Competition is tough. For your project to have a chance of being funded, you need a very strong application. Here are the tips that can make a difference.

Project grants and Starting grants are our largest annual calls and are open to applications in all Forte’s areas: health, working life and welfare. In recent years, the number of applications has increased – and so has the level of competition. Below, we have listed our best advice for those of you planning to apply.

Does your project match the call?

Read all information about the call carefully and assess whether your research matches the call’s scope and criteria.
If it does, plan to clearly describe how your research responds to what we are asking for.
Ensure that the project is feasible within the specified time frame.

Prepare well in advance

Create an account and familiarise yourself with the application system Prisma. You can enter your CV and publications on your personal Prisma account even before the call opens. You then transfer this information to the application.
Start completing the application early and check what is required in the application form – do not wait until the last day to submit.
Involve participating researchers as early as possible. They must also enter their CV and publications in Prisma and approve their participation before the application can be submitted. Note that participating researchers are only permitted in Project grants, not in Starting grants.

Develop a clear application

Read the call text and the instructions for the application carefully.
Justify your choices – problem, research questions, theory, data and method.
Describe how the project will be carried out: data collection, analysis, collaboration and division of responsibilities.
Identify potential risks and justify why your approach is best suited to answer the research questions.
Aim for a balance between originality and reliability in your methods and approach.
Write clearly and accessibly. Using your own sub-headings can help structure the text.
Remember to include both the mandatory information and any non-mandatory information you wish to convey.

Get support from others

Ask colleagues for feedback, including those who are not familiar with your research. Let someone external point out if there is information that is difficult to understand.
Use the support functions available at your higher education institution. It is often possible to get helpful assistance with different kinds of text review.
A participating administrator can help complete the application without being part of the project team. For example, you can invite a financial officer from your institution to contribute to the budget sections.

Facilitate for the reviewers

Our review panels are often interdisciplinary – do not assume that all reviewers are experts in your field.
Explain all information clearly so that reviewers never have to guess what something means.
Avoid including well-known researchers for appearance’s sake – every researcher involved must have a clear role in the project.