In the 2024 work programme, the ERC format provides more flexibility in describing the applicant’s CV. Scientific excellence remains the sole evaluation criterion. However, you are now free to highlight those aspects in your CV and track record that you find most relevant to show how your profile matches the proposed research.
A multidisciplinary and multisectoral consortium led by Prof. Bianca Brundel (Amsterdam UMC) acquired funding to study the mechanisms that drive atrial fibrillation, the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia. CIRCULAR was funded by the competitive Dutch NWA-ORC programme. Fundament supported the consortium in all steps of the process, from drafting a convincing pre-proposal and full proposal to writing the rebuttal to reviewers’ comments and preparing for the interview.
NWA-ORC is the largest funding programme related to the Dutch National Science Agenda. All research topics are welcomed, as long as they are connected to the NWA. The essence of the NWA-ORC programme is centered around having impact. What exactly is meant with this term and what are you supposed to write in the proposal for this programme?
So, you’ve decided to write an ERC proposal to fund your groundbreaking research idea! Your idea is novel, timely, and substantially goes beyond the current state-of-the-art. How to write the two scientific parts of your proposal? What information should go in section B1 versus B2?
Under the leadership of Dr. Marit Sijbrandij from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, an international consortium acquired funding to study the effects of the pandemic and associated containment measures on mental health and wellbeing, in particular of vulnerable groups. RESPOND is the single funded project coordinated by a Dutch coordinator in this competitive Horizon2020 coronavirus-2 call. Fundament supported the consortium in drafting a convincing full proposal in the very short timeframe between call opening and deadline.
NWA-ORC is the largest funding programme related to the Dutch National Science Agenda. All research topics are welcomed, as long as they are connected to the NWA. An important criterion is that the consortium should consist of partners spanning the entire knowledge chain. But what is this knowledge chain and how should you take it into account when drafting your proposal?
In NWA-ORC the ‘breakthrough’ is introduced as the key aspect of this programme. Projects are supposed to include potential breakthroughs, be it societal ‘and/or’ scientific. What exactly is meant with this? And what does ‘and/or’ imply? Since we’re only in the second year of the programme not much can be said with certainty, but I’ll give it my best try to explain here.
It would be wise to prepare the online administrative forms well in advance of the deadline. While the forms are really not that complex and filling them will only take up as much as an hour of your time maximum, they might have implications for the evaluation of your proposal. So, it is not really the task to do when you feel brain-dead from working on your proposal. Here are some things to consider when filling them out.
Many mid-career researchers question whether they should apply for a VIDI or an ERC Starting grant. There are some differences to consider. And, when you decide to go for both, you should be a planning rockstar.
![[FUNDED] CIRCULAR: Co-creation and animal-free solutions for atrial fibrillation](https://fundament.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/CIRCULAR_logo.png){kind=logo}
![[FUNDED] RESPOND: studying mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic](https://fundament.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/infographic-respond.png)
