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How to submit a winning proposal for EU-funded agri-food promotion programmes
Make your proposal stand out to evaluators.
Info Days 2024 recap: a new opportunity for EU-funded agri-food promotion programmes
This week, the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency (REA) celebrated the Info Days for the 2024 agri-food promotion programmes call for proposals. For Atlas Marketing Studio, these days are a must-attend event, to stay updated on the modifications and new requirements when submitting applications.
And for those of us attending in person, we took advantage of coffee breaks to connect with new partners for presenting MULTI agri-food promotion programmes, and also reconnect with partners we have known for years and that we now call friends.
Among other super interesting information, we were super lucky to receive first hand recommendations from experts who evaluate the submitted proposals for agri-food promotion programmes, both simple and multi, and shared with everyone how to produce best in class applications:
Detailed cost estimates and description of agri-food promotion programme activities
When talking about the award criteria, one of the evaluators, Anne Burchett, emphasised that the first thing she does before delving into the entire proposal is to head straight to the cost estimate and activities description section. Why? Because they need to match seamlessly, and applicants often overlook this aspect. That's why it's always crucial to have the support of experts in the field, specifically in marketing and finance.
It was great to hear this since this is 100% aligned with the team you will find if working with Atlas as your implementing agency: we write proposals with a solid strategy, quantitative and qualitative market research of the target markets, strong creativity when it comes to the key visuals but also the activities and tactical actions. We do all this in-house and it’s the same team who wrote the proposal and knows the programme inside-out who then, if selected as Implementing Body, will bring it to life.
Common mistakes in agri-food promotion programme proposals
Experts also highlighted some crucial mistakes often found in proposals when submitting European agri-food promotion programmes:
- Inadequate market studies. Poor information and research about them.
- Insufficient information in the above, leads to the proposed activities not aligning with the target audience, being vaguely described or supported by “we will make a great job”, which will probably mean the opposite if that is the best they can describe an activity.
- Choosing improper channels—selecting the right ones for each market is vital.
- Consumers should always be the focus.
- Lack of integration between online and offline channels.
In Atlas we take writing proposals for agri-food promotion programmes very seriously and are proud to say that we have had a 100% success rate in the last four years, since all our submitted proposals have been approved and even scored 95/100 in a MULTI programme under the topic of sustainability that finished in December 2023.
Continuity rule for agri-food promotion programmes
The continuity rule was also a hot topic on this year’s InfoDay sessions and we were happy to learn that the Commission had heard demands around this from beneficiaries and implementing agencies.
From 2025, the same Consortium or Organisation will be able to submit a proposal and get it approved more than twice as long as they add a new product or a new market to the new proposal.
And for programmes that promote the same products across the same markets as they have done before, they will have to leave a 1 year space before they can submit a new proposal.
These were the main topics and highlights from the sessions but it’s never easy to squeeze everything into an article, but we go back home super happy and excited for what’s to come.
Reach out to us if you have questions or are considering getting funds for your organisation through European funding to promote your agri-food products, we will be delighted to help and support you all the way.