As the summer days fly by and September deadlines loom, you might be wondering how you’ll ever reach your goal of submitting a Horizon Europe proposal. Never fear! Our proposal writing experts Pamela Cardillo and Casey Borklund have pulled together their top proposal-writing tips, drawn from supporting more than 200 Horizon Europe proposals, to help you write more efficiently and get back on track for the deadline.
Horizon Europe Proposals: Section 1 – Excellence
Excellence is all about the science and innovation behind your proposal. It should clearly demonstrate how your project goes beyond the state of the art while guiding evaluators through your methodology in a logical, progressive way that gives them the confidence your approach will deliver.
Start strong
First impressions matter. Grab the evaluator’s attention from the outset by setting the scene and drawing them into the story of your proposal. Be clear about the challenge you’re addressing and show early on why your project offers the right solution.
Take evaluators on a journey.
Don’t front-load every technical detail. Build your methodology progressively so each section naturally leads to the next.
Give your key results memorable names
Make it easy for evaluators to follow your proposal by using consistent terminology throughout. Rather than repeatedly referring to “the toolkit” or “the platform”, give key results distinctive names—for example, the ERINN Innovation Collaborative Toolkit. This helps evaluators instantly recognise what you’re referring to and reinforces your project’s identity.
Use graphics wherever they add value
A well-designed figure can explain a complex concept far more effectively than a paragraph of text. Where space allows, use diagrams, flowcharts and visuals to simplify complexity and improve readability.
Don’t reinvent standard text
Before drafting standard sections such as Gender Dimension, Open Science or Research Data Management, check whether your research office provides approved text that can be adapted for your proposal. There’s no need to start from scratch.
Horizon Europe Proposals: Section 2 – Impact
In the Impact section, you need to demonstrate that your project will create meaningful change beyond the lifetime of the project. Show evaluators that you understand the wider ecosystem your project sits within, have identified the right stakeholders to help maximise uptake of your results, and have a credible plan for communication, dissemination and exploitation that will turn your results into real-world impact.
Brainstorm your impact pathways together
Strong impact sections are rarely written in isolation. Bring your consortium together to map the pathways from each key result to the wider impacts your project aims to achieve. These discussions often uncover valuable connections that might otherwise be missed. (If you’d like some support, we regularly facilitate Impact Pathway Workshops.)
Use tables strategically
The 2026 template reduces Section 2.2 to just three pages, so every centimetre counts. Tables are an excellent way to clearly present target groups, key messages, communication activities and dissemination plans while making the section easier to navigate.
Horizon Europe Proposals: Section 3 – Implementation
Implementation focuses on how you will deliver your project in practice. It is your opportunity to demonstrate to evaluators that your ambitious idea can be successfully realised through a robust work plan, clearly defined roles, realistic timelines and effective project management.
Draft your Gantt chart early
The Gantt chart is often left as a finalising task but developing it early can save a lot of last-minute revisions. It’s one of the quickest ways to spot inconsistencies, overlaps or gaps across work packages before they become bigger problems.
Build a realistic work plan
Your work packages are essentially the instruction manual for delivering the project, and if you’re funded, they’re what you’ll be expected to implement. Be ambitious, but also realistic: clearly define who will do what, when and how. Your future self will thank you.
Keep deliverables to a minimum
Every deliverable creates work during the project. Include only those that are genuinely needed to demonstrate progress or fulfil the project’s objectives. Set your team up for success from the onset – your project team will appreciate the lighter administrative workload.
Take risks seriously
Risk management is an area where evaluators can quickly lose confidence. Speak with each partner about the operational risks they foresee and provide realistic mitigation measures. A thorough risk table demonstrates that your consortium has carefully thought through project delivery.
And finally…
Don’t underestimate how long final polishing and formatting will take! Aim to leave yourself at least a week for final checks, formatting and uploading to the Funding & Tenders Portal. We also recommend working directly in the official proposal template as soon as possible. Reformatting at the end almost always takes longer than expected, and good formatting can make a real difference when you’re trying to stay within the page limits.
Explore our course
Are you in the middle of proposal writing? If you’re looking for step-by-step guidance through every section of a Horizon Europe Pillar II proposal, check out our Proposal Writing Bootcamp. With more than 15 video lessons, fully updated for the 2026 template, the course walks you through each section at your own pace, helping you write with greater confidence and efficiency.
