How to find and choose an EU funding expert?

Obtaining EU grants can provide real support for the development of a company, farm, non-governmental organisation or local government unit. At the same time, preparing an effective grant application requires knowledge of the call rules, assessment criteria, rules on the eligibility of expenditure, application documentation and project settlement procedures.

That is why many businesses and institutions decide to work with an EU funding adviser. Choosing the right expert is very important – not only for the quality of the application itself, but also for the security of the entire process, proper planning of the investment and subsequent implementation of the project.

In this article, we explain how to find an effective EU grant adviser, what qualities a good consultant should have and what professional cooperation on preparing a grant application should look like.

Who is an EU funding adviser?

An EU funding adviser is a specialist who supports clients in analysing available support programmes, assessing project eligibility, preparing application documentation and – depending on the scope of the contract – also in implementing and settling the project.

An adviser's scope of work may include, among other things:

• searching for current and planned calls,
• analysing the possibility of obtaining funding,
• selection of the right grant programme,
• assessing the project's compliance with the call criteria,
• preparation of the grant application,
• drawing up the project budget,
• preparing attachments,
• support in communication with the institution organising the call,
• advice on project implementation and settlement.

A good adviser should not limit themselves solely to “writing the application”. Their main task is to structure the project so that it complies with the call rules, is financially reasonable, feasible and consistent with the objectives of the given programme.

Why is choosing a grant adviser so important?

EU funding is often linked to important investment decisions. A company planning to purchase machinery, implement new technologies, invest in renewable energy sources, digitalise, expand abroad or grow its business must correctly assess whether the project meets the programme requirements.

An incorrectly prepared application may result in:

• the project being rejected at the formal or substantive assessment stage,
• a loss of the time needed to prepare the documentation,
• incorrect budget planning,
• the inclusion of costs that are not eligible,
• a risk of problems at the project implementation stage,
• the need to repay part or all of the funding if the programme rules are breached.

An effective adviser helps to reduce these risks.

How to find a good EU funding adviser?

When choosing an EU grant adviser, it is worth paying attention not only to their declared experience, but also to how they conduct the conversation, how they analyse the client's needs and the quality of the information they provide.

A professional adviser should, right at the start of cooperation, ask for basic information about the project, such as:

• the legal form of the entity,
• the investment location,
• the size of the company,
• the sector and PKD code,
• the planned scope of the project,
• the approximate value of costs,
• the investment start date,
• the applicant's financial situation,
• previous use of State aid,
• the business objective of the planned undertaking.

If an adviser immediately assures you, without a detailed analysis, that “you are definitely entitled to a grant”, caution is advisable. In practice, every project requires individual verification against the call rules, the scoring criteria and the eligibility of expenditure.

10 qualities of a good EU funding adviser

1. Knowledge of current grant programmes

A good adviser should know the current and planned calls financed from European funds, national and regional programmes and other public funds. This includes, among others, programmes for businesses, farmers, non-governmental organisations, local government units and healthcare entities.

It is also important to monitor changes in call schedules, call documentation and institutions' interpretations published, among other places, on the European Funds Portal. Grant programmes are updated, and call conditions may differ even within similar measures.

2. Ability to assess project eligibility

An effective adviser is able to assess whether a given project actually fits the programme objectives. Not every purchase of a machine, photovoltaic installation, IT system implementation or construction investment will be eligible for funding.

The adviser should check, among other things:

• whether the applicant is eligible to take part in the call,
• whether the project location falls within the supported area,
• whether the planned costs are eligible,
• whether the project meets the formal criteria,
• whether there is a real chance of obtaining an adequate score,
• whether the investment has not been started too early.

3. Experience in preparing grant applications

An adviser's experience should include not only theoretical knowledge but also practical work with application documentation. A grant application requires a coherent combination of the descriptive part, budget, schedule, indicators, cost justification and attachments.

4. Transparent communication

Professional cooperation should be based on clear rules. The adviser should explain precisely:

• what the scope of their services is,
• what documents the client must provide,
• what the work schedule is,
• what the costs of preparing the application are,
• whether a success fee is provided for,
• what the adviser is responsible for and what the applicant is responsible for,
• what the main risks associated with the project are.

Transparency is particularly important in grant projects, because the client has to make decisions concerning the investment, financing, purchase dates and the obligations arising from the grant agreement.

5. No empty promises

No adviser should guarantee that a grant will be awarded. An adviser can prepare the application, assess the project's potential, identify its strengths and weaknesses, estimate the risk and suggest ways of increasing the chances of a positive assessment, but should not promise the outcome of the assessment.

The final decision depends on the assessing institution, the competition in the call, the available allocation and the quality of the other projects submitted. An honest adviser communicates these limitations clearly.

6. Ability to work with the assessment criteria

An effective grant application should be prepared for the specific criteria of the call. A good adviser analyses the call documentation and knows which elements of the project influence the assessment.

This concerns, among other things:

• innovativeness,
• cost-effectiveness,
• environmental impact,
• compliance with the DNSH (“do no significant harm”) principle,
• impact on the company's competitiveness,
• project readiness for implementation,
• consistency with regional smart specialisations,
• impact on digitalisation, energy efficiency or the development of services.

As a result, the documentation is not a general description of the investment but a structured response to the requirements of the given programme.

7. Knowledge of the rules on the eligibility of expenditure

One of the most common problems in grant projects is incorrect cost planning. A good adviser should be able to verify whether a given expense can be covered by funding.

They should also pay attention to:

• cost limits,
• the required own contribution,
• the maximum level of funding,
• the rules on State aid,
• the need to comply with the competitiveness principle,
• the method of documenting expenditure,
• the prohibition on starting the project before submitting the application, if this follows from the call rules.

This is important because even a well-assessed project may become problematic at the implementation stageif the budget has been planned incorrectly.

8. Ability to plan the schedule realistically

Preparing a grant application takes time. It is often necessary to collect quotes, prepare attachments and financial documents, agree on the scope of the investment and refine the descriptive part of the project.

A good adviser should assess whether the application can be prepared within the given deadline without excessive risk to quality. They should also explain to the client that starting work too late may limit the ability to prepare the documentation properly.

9. Ability to cooperate with the client and suppliers

In investment projects, the adviser often has to work not only with the client, but also with the accounting department, technology suppliers, designers, cost estimators, the technical department or the people responsible for finance.

Good cooperation requires a clear division of tasks. The client should provide data, documents and business decisions, while the adviser should translate this information into the requirements of the grant programme.

10. Support after the application is submitted

Professional cooperation does not always end on the day the documentation is sent. In many cases, after the application is submitted, the institution may raise questions, request additional information or require clarification of selected elements of the project.

A good adviser should clearly specify whether their service also includes:

• handling formal requests for additional information,
• preparing explanations,
• contact with the institution,
• support after the project has been selected,
• assistance with signing the agreement,
• advice on project implementation and settlement.

This way, the client knows what support they can count on at the subsequent stages.

Are you looking for a grant for your company, organisation or institution?

At DOTACJE ONLINE, projects are handled by people with documented competence and practical experience in obtaining funding,

We help with analysing available programmes, assessing project eligibility and preparing grant applications. The full scope of cooperation is described in our grant advisory services, and current calls can be checked in the free grant search engine.

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