Get your Horizon Europe Strategic Propoal Language Toolkit (free resource)
A practical resource designed to help you write with clarity, credibility, and strategic focus – so you can feel confident that your proposal clearly communicates its value to evaluators.
A strong idea alone is not enough to secure funding. Evaluators must quickly understand why your project is excellent, what value it delivers, and how it can realistically be implemented.
Many proposals lose points in the evaluation – not because the concept is weak, but because the language is:
Using strategic, precise wording helps evaluators recognise the strengths of your proposal more easily and see its alignment with Horizon Europe objectives.
You’ll receive 30 evaluator-aligned phrasing examples that help you set the right direction for your proposal by enabling you to:
These phrasing examples do more than improve individual sentences. They help you think strategically about how to approach your proposal narrative, decide what to emphasise, and align your writing with how proposals are assessed.
You can use the toolkit while drafting or revising your proposal to sharpen your messaging and avoid common evaluation pitfalls.
They are based on:
For researchers, project managers and innovation professionals involved in writing Horizon Europe collaborative proposals (particularly under Pillar 2 – the thematic Clusters) – across universities, research institutes, as well as public or private organisations.
Hello, I’m Astrid Mechel,
I help organisations secure EU funding through tailored advice and practical workshops. With more than 20 years of experience in EU funding programmes and policies, I bring deep, hands-on expertise from multiple perspectives. I’ve written successful EU grant applications myself, advised applicants as a National Contact Point for Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, and worked in an EU Executive Agency – including as a panel moderator. Today, alongside my core work, I occasionally serve as an expert evaluator, giving me a clear and up-to-date view of how proposals are assessed.
Specialising in Horizon Europe grants for research and innovation, environmental sustainability, and social impact, I help organisations navigate the complexities of EU funding and maximise their proposal’s chances of success.
Hello, I’m Astrid Mechel,
I help organisations secure EU funding through tailored advice and practical workshops. With over 20 years of experience in EU funding programmes and policies, I bring deep, hands-on expertise from multiple perspectives. I’ve written successful EU grant applications myself, advised applicants as a National Contact Point for Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, and worked in an EU Executive Agency – including as a panel moderator. Today, alongside my core work, I occasionally serve as an expert evaluator, giving me a clear and up-to-date view of how proposals are assessed.
Specialising in Horizon Europe grants for research and innovation, environmental sustainability, and social impact, I help organisations navigate the complexities of EU funding and maximise their proposal’s chances of success.
Client Voices
“Astrid’s trainings are highly professional, and her experience shows in every explanation. I gained much more confidence in writing proposals.”
– Programme Coordinator, Public Sector
“The workshop helped me better understand what is expected by evaluators and how to structure the different sections within the Horizon Europe proposal template.”
– Research Manager, University
Key Terminologies – Application Guidance
This guidance compares and compare and clarifies the 10 key terminologies within an EU funding application. How should you address them in your proposal, and what kind of information belongs to which one of them?
Online Workshop on 6 November!
The workshop “Getting Started with EU Funding” is for participants with no or very limited experience in EU funding. Discover what kind of projects the EU is funding, the requirements and how you can apply for funding in your thematic field.
EU Funding Checklist
Do you have a new project idea and are wondering if EU funding could be available for your project?
This checklist will guide you through the most important questions to be considered when applying for EU project grants and includes some further suggestions how you could adapt your concept to be more in line with EU expectations regarding fundability.
Online Workshop
Interactive and step-by-step EU Proposal Writing Workshop
On 6 February 2025 from 13h00-16h30