Day 1: The Blueprint & The Donor’s Mindset

Module 1: Decoding the Call & Donor Psychology

Objective: Understand what the donor actually wants
– Horizon Europe, Erasmus+ vs. Private Sector
– How to read the “Call for Proposals” (Eligibility criteria, Award criteria)
– The 90-second rule: How evaluators scan your proposal

Module 2: The Problem Tree vs. The Solution Tree

Objective: Draft a data-driven problem statement
– Moving from “Feelings” to “Data”
– Cause and Effect analysis
– Writing the “Problem Statement” (The hook)

Day 2: The Logical Framework (LogFrame) & Objectives

Module 3: The Logical Framework (LogFrame)

Objective: Build a LogFrame matrix
– Goal vs. Purpose vs. Outputs vs. Activities
– Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs)
– Assumptions and Risks

Module 4: Writing SMART Objectives & Expected Outcomes

Objective: Draft SMARTER objectives
– Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluated, Rewarded
– How to quantify “soft” outcomes (capacity building, awareness)

Workshop: Methodology & Work Plan

Objective: Build a feasible 12-month work plan
– Gantt Charts (Excel) vs. Narrative description
– Detailing activities step-by-step
– The “Work-Life Balance” of a project timeline

Day 3: Budgeting & Sustainability

Module 5: Financial Planning & Budgeting

Objective: Create a budget table and narrative
– Direct costs vs. Indirect costs (Overheads)
– Cost sharing (In-kind).
– Budget narratives: Justifying your expenses.

Module 6: The Sustainability Section (The “After the Grant” Plan)

Objective: Write a sustainability plan
– Financial sustainability (Income generation, diversification)
– Institutional sustainability (Capacity retained)
– Policy/Political sustainability

Module 7: Innovation & Added Value

Objective: Identify key innovative aspects in existing projects
– What makes a proposal “Innovative”? (Technology, process, partnerships)
– How to write the “Added Value” section

Day 4: Executive Summary, Review & Submission

Module 8: The Executive Summary (The “Mini-Proposal”)

Objective: Draft a compelling Executive Summary
– Writing the summary LAST (not first)
– The “Elevator Pitch” in 1 page

Final Workshop: Peer Review & Donor Simulation

Objective: Apply evaluation criteria practically
– Participants present a specific section to the group
– The group acts as the “Evaluation Committee”
– Scoring using a mock evaluation grid

Module 9: Submission Process & Common Mistakes

Objective: Avoid automatic rejection
– Administrative errors (Formatting, margins, page limits)
– Online portals (Proposal submission systems)
– Cover letters and attachments