Seed Grants as Support for Horizon Europe Proposal Preparation

Introduction

With this support instrument CLARIN provides a seed grant (financial support for up to € 6.000) for the preparation of applications for Horizon Europe projects, specifically for:

Horizon Europe Pillar I projects (including ERC)
Horizon Europe Pillar II projects.

The CLARIN seed grants can help cover costs associated with:

Meetings of an international consortium
External consultancy services
Support from student-assistants
Teaching replacement.

The maximum amount that can be applied for is:

For the coordinator of a proposal prepared by a consortium: € 6.000
For a participant (Beneficiary or LTP) in a consortium: € 4.000.

Do you need other support in preparing a EU project proposal? Please visit this page.

Assessment Criteria

All submitted applications will be evaluated by an ad hoc assessment panel (consisting of representatives of CLARIN’s Board of Directors and the National Coordinators’ Forum). The assessment criteria include:

Clarity regarding how the envisaged project addresses the objectives of the relevant call
Relevance of the envisaged project for the overall strategic priorities of CLARIN
The feasibility of achieving a complete proposal before the submission deadline

evidenced by a convincing preparation timeline.

Maturity of the consortium (or applicant in the case of an ERC proposal)
In case of a proposal prepared by a consortium (i.e. not for ERC proposals): track record of the project coordinator with leading international projects.

Application Procedure

The seed grant application should not exceed four pages, including the budget (see budget format below). Submissions must be in PDF format, in one single document.

This is a continuous call
The applicant sends this application form by email to clarin [at] clarin.eu
Proposals will be processed in the order in which they were received
The applicants shall be informed about the decision of the assessment committee asap, but ultimately within three weeks after submission
If the available budget would be exhausted a notification will be posted on this web page.

Eligibility of Applicants and Cost Categories

Representatives of any of the CLARIN consortia or staff affiliated with a CLARIN centre can submit a proposal for a seed grant. The envisaged Horizon Europe project must have a clear link with the CLARIN strategy. Proposals should be consented by the relevant director of the institute to which the applicant is affiliated. In order to be eligible, your application must be submitted to CLARIN at least six weeks before the deadline of the envisaged Horizon Europe call.

The following cost categories are eligible for funding:

Meetings of an international consortium which is preparing a funding application. Eligible costs are:
- Travel costs in relation to the meeting
- Mobility costs of applicants and/or colleagues from the applicant’s team
- Accommodation costs related to a consortium meeting held at the premisses of the applicant
- Costs of renting a meeting room
- Costs of catering
Support by an external agency for:
- ‘An extra pair of eyes’ in the final stages of preparation of a funding application.
- Proof reading of (parts of) the proposal
- Support to improve the visual quality of applications, such as design of tables and infographics.
- The hiring of a student-assistant to help in the preparation of a proposal.
- Teaching replacement for the preparation of a research funding application.
- In case you would like to use the grant for another cost category, please get in touch.

Terms and Conditions: Financial Procedure

A concise final report is expected, including financial justification of the expenses claimed (with a budget breakdown, based on actual costs), proof of the submission to the Horizon Europe portal, and a copy of the submitted funding application. Payment of the funding will only take place after the actual submission of the funding proposal. The part of the granted subsidy that has not been used lapses.