1. LIFE+
Developing, writing and submitting an excellent proposal
Arno Schoevaars
14 March 2013

2. Introduction
This presentation
Developing a Life+ project
• Characteristics Life+ Nature project
• Characteristics Life+ Environment project
Writing a Life+ proposal
• Theory: 5 steps of competitive proposal writing
• Practical tips & tricks
Submitting a Life+ application
2© PNO Consultants

3. PNO
• Grant & Innovation
• 6 countries EU
• 240 employees
• EU coverage
• Annual: > 150 EU proposals
• Succes ratio: > twice EU average
Arno Schoevaars
• Grant consultant, 20 years
• Manager Team EU+Innovation
• Life applications: 1994 - 2012
• Succes ratio Life: 60%
3
Introduction
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4. Developing a Life+ project

5. © PNO Public 5
Life+: Structure & Characteristics
Life+ 2007 – 2013
Supporting Development and Implementation of
European Environmental Policy and Legislation
Nature & Biodiversity
Nature Conservation Projects
Grant 50% to 75%, Average funding € 2.000.000
Environment Policy & Governance
Demonstration projects of: clean technologies (lower emissions,
environmental friendly products / processes)
Grant 50%, Average funding € 1.500.000
Information and Communication
Communication and awareness raising campaigns on
environmental, nature protection or biodiversity issues
Grant 50%, Average funding € 400.000

6. General
• EU’s financial instrument to support implementation and development
of EU Environmental Policy
Nature
• Best practice and/or demonstration projects contributing to the
implementation of the objectives of the Habitats and Birds Directives
• Demonstration and/or innovation projects contributing to the
implementation of the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy outlined in the
Communication "Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU
biodiversity strategy to 2020".
How does such a project look like???
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Characteristics of a Life+ Nature project

7. 7
Life + Nature 2011: Let the raised bogs grow!
You Tube Link
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8. Straight forward:
• Nature is best practice & Biodiversity is innovative
• Connect directly to Natura 2000 / Habitat, Birds Directive
• Enlarge and improve nature acreage and level, use maps
• Be specific, quantify measures
• Connect to similar Life+ projects from the past (outreach)
• Invest in dissemination, raise public awareness!!!!
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Developing a Life+ Nature project
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9. General
• EU’s financial instrument to support implementation and development
of EU Environmental Policy
Environment
• Demonstration and/or innovation projects related to: climate change,
water, air, soil, urban environmental, noise, chemicals, environment &
health, waste & natural resources, forests, innovation (demonstration
of innovative technologies generating potential environmental
advantages) and strategic approaches promoting effective
implementation of EC environmental policy.
• Projects contributing to the monitoring of the environmental status of
forests within EU territory
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Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project
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10. Life+ Environment is about Innovation:
• The valorisation of research results: DEMO!
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Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project
EU Grants Landscape
SRA Vision
Implementation path
Downstream Research and
development
Upstream Research Near Market R&D and
Introduction
• Discovery
• High Risk
5/7+ years
• Feasibility • Demonstration
• Prototype
• Concept •Pilot
5/3 years « Routine
jobs »
•
Production
• Training
• Non-
technological
(market) barriers
-3
years
FP7 COOPERATION (Research)
National Grants Eureka (national grants + EU status)
EU CIP Programme, LIFE+ (Demo and Innovation)
Structural Funds (R&D + Investments), European Social Fund (training)
European Investment Bank (loans, RSFF, Marguerite Fund )
• Research
Training
FP7 PEOPLE (research training)
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11. Life+ Environment is about Dissemination and commitment:
11
Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project
“Sustainable chemistry begins by assuring our own
footprint is light, but it only reaches its full potential when it
delivers solutions to the problems faced by society.”
-Mr. David Kepler, DOW’s Chief Sustainability Officer.”
"The Life+ grant meant an extra incentive to carry out
the project. Moreover, this European grant confirms our
position as leader in the European market”
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12. Context and European «issue»
1. Solve a EU Problem
(demonstrate a concrete
solution, proven on small scale)
2. Improvement + Potential
end-situation (%, value)
3. Mechanisms and Actions to
realise improvement
(bring solution to market)
4. Potential Market Value
for EU industry
(increase competitiveness)
5. EU Return on Investment (Political and Societal Return)
Characteristics of a Life+ Environment project
Life+ Environment is about impact
• Demonstrating a sound solution for an EU environmental problem!
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13. 13
Life+ Project: Example Chemical sector
GREEN FOOTPRINT
“Demonstrating the introduction of novel renewable
Polyurethane materials for high quality, top design
and sustainable shoes”
 Client: DOW Chemicals Italia
 Partner: Mondial Suole
 LIFE+ ref. LIFE07 ENV/IT/000412
 36 months from
 1/1/2009 to 31/12/2011
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Green Footprint: environmental impact
• annual production of 19.5 billion pairs of shoes
• reduce fossil resource use for specific footwear with 20% up to 25%
• reduce energy intensity with 13% and a reduced carbon footprint of 0,7
kton CO2/ton PU
• The estimated reduction of fossil materials in the European footwear
market only already leads to an annual energy savings of 410*106 MJ
= 67 000 Barrel of Oil Equivalent (1 BOE = app. 6,1 GJ)
Full recycle – Eco-sustainable life cycle
Environmentally friend materials
Life+ Project: Example Chemical sector
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15. 15
Life+ Project: Example energy
BlueTEC
“BLUETEC - Demonstration of the technological,
economic and environmental sustainability of a full-
scale tidal energy device in a harsh offshore
environment”
 Client: Bluewater Energy Services
 Partners: Ponte di Archimede
ERI
 LIFE+ ref. LIFEO9 ENV/NL/000426
 1 Sep. 2010 to 31 Dec. 2013
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BlueTEC:
• Energy production from renewable resources
• 1 MW Bluetec tidal energy device will be able to prevent 20,864t
CO2 emissions during its 20 years lifecycle
• Showcasing design and technology in harsh environment that can be
upscaled to produce electrical energy at a cost of 0.34 euro/kWh (= EU
policy)
• Operation & maintenance (O&M) costs < 0.11 euro/kWh stimulating
market uptake and replication in other locations in Europe and the world
(potential globally is 62,000 MW)
2005 – 2009: Small pilot
demonstrating reliable
production in mild environment
(1 turbine in Street of Messina)
Life+ Project: Example energy
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17. Developing a Life+ project
• Addres a clear environmental EU problem
• Showcase improvement in the state-of-the-art
• Prepare yourself to showcase European impact
• Cooperate on EU level, partner-up
• Know how to reach stakeholders, if possible involve them (disseminate)
• Beware: beneficiary has an audited annual report
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18. Writing a Life+ proposal
Getting their message across

19. The 5 steps of competitive proposal writing
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1. Determine context
• What is the core message & goal
• Who is your target audience
• What are the parameters, formats
• Choices (focus & planning)
• Confirmation
2. Determine message
• Collect information
• Generate ideas
• Select information
• Structure information
3. Get the message and outline on paper
• Make a concept in a follow-through approach, remember it is your text
• Finalise concept (bring back focus, main & sub topics, finalise structure)
• Feedback
4. Communicate the message
• Write with style: accessible & structured, comprehensible & enthralling,
illustrative and practical
• Write with conviction: argumentative and appealing
• Feedback
5. Finalise the proposal
• Write concise and correct, use images, check lay-out, review
• Guide the reader through the text, illustrate reasoning & indicate conclusion
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1. Determine context, understand your project
Make a project summary:
• What is the project about?
• Why is it innovative?
• What EU environmental problem is addressed?
• Why is this problem important?
• What is the projects’ replication potential?
• Who are stakeholders (policy, industry, society)
• Who should be partners to ensure replication?
• How is the project going to be realised?
• What is the context of the project in relation to EU an sector policies
and strategies?
• What is the projects’ impact (emission reduction, employment)?
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2. Determine message, focus your project
Collecting, selecting and structuring information:
• Use Google well!! E.g.
• Innovative?
• SotA: JRC EIPPCB: eippcb.jrc.es
• Life+ project database: ec.europa.eu/environment/life/
• Replication potential?
• Branch /sector information & Eurostat: epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu
• European added value
• Google & Eurostat: epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu
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• Do not start writing before the message is clear!!! Writing
takes time!
• Use the summary to start
• Study and use formats
• Be concise
• Be complete
• Be comprehensible
• Use the 5 step approach
3. to 5. getting their message across
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23. 3. to 5. getting their message across
Make it easy for the evaluators to give you high marks
 Don’t write too little or too much (cover what is requested)
 Don’t leave them to figure out why it’s good, show them
 Leave nothing to the imagination, be specific
 Back-up your assertions with concrete examples
Think of the finishing touches which signal quality work
 Clear language, be concise
 Well-organised contents and clear project management
 Useful and understandable diagrams
 No typos, no inconsistencies, no numbers which don’t add up
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24. Submitting a Life+ proposal
Getting the message across in-time

25. 25
Electronic submission
• Read the guidelines
• ECAS Register
• eProposal tool, at least two weeks before submission
• Single participant:
• Start writing in the tool directly
• Make regular pdf prints
• Consortium:
• Transport tool format to Word
• Write concepts, correct
• Copy/paste in eProposal tool
• Submit two days before deadline, revise your proposal and
resubmit, ….
• 25 June 2013, 16.00 hours
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26. After submission
• Evaluation > 5 months
• Revision > 3 months
• Contract signatures > 3 months
• Project start on average 9 - 11 months after submission
• Kick off with monitoring team:
• very helpful and cooperative
• Administration Life+ compliant, tricky
• Problems: Communicate open, offer solutions
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27. Questions
Thank you for your attention
In case of any questions please feel free to contact me:
PNO Consultants
Arno Schoevaars
Manager EU Innovation
arno.schoevaars@pnoconsultants.com
Tel: + 31 6 29 55 89 15
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28. Life+: The ambition
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