The Grant

Episodet

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  #234 EU Funding for Culture and Creativity 20.07.2026 1h 28min

  EU Funding in Culture and CreativityWith Paolo Montemurro from Matera HubCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Paolo Montemurro from Materahub to open up the European funding landscape for culture and creativity. This is a conversation I’ve wanted to do for a long time, because if you cover EU funding broadly, the cultural and creative sectors are too important to leave untouched. Paolo explains why the European Union invests in culture and creativity not only because of their economic contribution, but also because of their role in democracy, social inclusion, European values, mobility and innovation. We talk about how this recognition has grown over time and why the creative and cultural sectors now sit much more clearly inside the wider European policy and funding architecture. We then move through the actual opportunities. We start with Creative Europe as the main go-to programme, but also look at Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, Interreg and other relevant corners of the funding landscape. Paolo shares how Matera Hub has worked across these schemes since 2011, using culture and creativity as both a sector in its own right and as a methodology that can connect to entrepreneurship, skills, cultural heritage, innovation, audience development and social transformation. It’s an introduction episode, but a rich one — especially for anyone in the cultural and creative sectors trying to understand where to start and how broad the European opportunity space really is. Time codes:01:47 Guest introduction and fly in 05:11 Why Does the EU Invest in Culture and Creativity?18:57 The Funding Landscape50:28 Looking Ahead56:50 Materahub's Experience Across Programmes01:15:21 Reflections and advice01:19:15 The Toughest Challenge
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  The Grant Collaboration - RM Framework Series (8): The Hungary Pilot 15.07.2026 30min

  RM Framework (7) – The Hungary Pilot at Corvinus UniversityAccredited RM training, formal education and the limits of standardisationCheck out the episode websiteIn the seventh episode of the RM Framework Series, I’m joined by Associate Professor Éva Pinter and Éva Kőváriné Ignáth from Corvinus University of Budapest to explore the Hungarian pilot. Corvinus brings a very specific and valuable perspective to the project because it already runs a formally accredited postgraduate programme: the Research and Innovation Manager and Economist Executive Degree Programme. The programme runs over two full semesters, leads to a state-recognised diploma, and was developed in close cooperation with Hungary’s National Research, Development and Innovation Office. Unlike shorter professional workshops, this is a full higher education qualification for experienced professionals from universities, research institutes, public agencies and companies — as well as people transitioning into research management.That makes Corvinus a particularly interesting pilot case. Éva Pinter explains the pilot tests where the RM Framework handbook and quality label work well, and where they need more flexibility for multi-semester, ECTS-based degree programmes. Éva Kőváriné Ignáth adds the course-level perspective, drawing on shorter BA and MA courses developed through earlier European projects and now used to introduce students to research management and EU research funding. Together, the episode becomes a practical discussion about formal education, competence frameworks, quality labels, microcredentials and what it really means to build a European standard for research management training across very different national systems.Time codes:02:22 Guest introduction and fly in04:18 How You Train Research Managers Today 10:51 Working with the Pilot – Constraints and Reality23:36 Expectations & Final Reflections
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  #233 Interreg - An Introduction 13.07.2026 1h 27min

  Interreg – An IntroductionWith Viktoria Nilsson from Lund MunicipalityCheck out the episode website for linksIn this episode I introduce the Interreg funding scheme together with Viktoria Nilsson from Lund Municipality. Interreg is one of the EU’s oldest territorial cooperation programmes, and its core idea is both simple and important: many societal challenges are shared across borders, so neighboring regions should work on them together. We talk about why Interreg exists, how it sits inside EU cohesion policy, and why it has become such a central instrument for cross-border collaboration in areas like innovation, green transition, sustainable transport and labour mobility. We also make the episode practical. Viktoria explains how a typical Interreg project is structured, what kinds of partners usually take part, how funding rates and project types work, what the secretariat does during the application phase, and what applicants should keep in mind around communication, indicators, end users and long-term impact. It’s the first episode in what I hope will become a broader Interreg series, and it is meant as a clear and usable entry point for anyone who wants to understand the scheme better.Time codes:01:31 Guest introduction and fly in08:36 EU motivation for the funding scheme19:16 Structure of funding scheme36:00 Target group stakeholders39:47 How to apply01:01:04 Evaluation01:05:06 When funding is received01:09:23 Do's and don't's01:16:44 The toughest challenge
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  #232 How Regions Build the Foundation for EU Funding 06.07.2026 1h 18min

  How Regions Build the Foundations for EU FundingWith Alina Totti from Provincie Noord-BrabantCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Alina Totti from Provincie Noord-Brabant to talk about how regions build the foundations that eventually lead to EU funding. Noord-Brabant is one of Europe’s most innovative regions, with strong advanced manufacturing traditions and a global industrial profile. But what interested me in this conversation is not only the region’s success. It is the work underneath that success: building relationships with other regions, understanding what Brussels is doing, shaping a regional story around innovation, and creating the long-term trust that makes later project collaboration possible. We go into smart specialisation, the Vanguard Initiative, the importance of interregional networks, and how stepping-stone instruments can help SMEs move toward bigger European calls. Alina explains very clearly that proposals do not start when the call opens. They start much earlier — when regions know who they are, what they are good at, who they should work with, and how they want to position themselves in Europe. It is a really strong episode for anyone working in regional development, innovation ecosystems or the strategic side of EU funding.Time codes: 01:39 Guest introduction and fly in06:21 What Provincie Noord-Brabant is13:36 The Vanguard Initiative and Smart Specialisation35:05 The Importance of Relationships51:14 Long-Term Lobbying and Why the Region Invests in It01:08:33 Reflections and advice01:10:45 The toughest challenge
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  #231 The Widening Series (4) - Status on Widening in FP10 29.06.2026 45min

  With Thomas Brent from Science BusinessCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Thomas Brent from Science Business for a practical status update on Widening in FP10. We go back to the roots of the debate: why Widening was created in the first place, how it was meant to help countries with weaker research capacity connect more effectively into the framework programme, and why some people have long argued that it does not fit neatly inside an excellence-based funding system. Thomas explains why that debate is now less dominant than before and why, despite some remaining criticism, Widening now looks likely to remain part of the next framework programme. From there we dig into what is actually on the table in the FP10 discussions. We talk about the proposed increase in the Widening budget, the idea of placing Widening in a new fourth pillar, the possible creation of “transition countries”, and the controversial conditionality around public investment in research and development. We also touch on the current state of the negotiations, the role of member states, and why the coming months should give a clearer picture of where the political compromises are heading. It’s a useful episode for anyone trying to follow the Widening file without getting lost in Brussels process language.Time codes:01:46 Guest introduction and fly in 04:06 The Original Debate – Excellence vs Development11:34 The FP10 Proposal – Splitting the Widening Countries23:58 The Conditionality Debate31:33 Where the Political Negotiation Stands Now38:04 Reflections and What Comes Next
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  #230 WIN4SMES Live from Hamburg - COVEs in Real Life 22.06.2026 1h 5min

  A documentary-style episode from Hamburg on vocational excellence, inclusion and SMEsCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I try something new: a documentary-style montage recorded live during a WIN4SMES event in Hamburg. Instead of one long sit-down conversation, this episode moves through soundscapes, field notes, participant voices and short interviews to give a more immediate sense of what an Erasmus+ Centre of Vocational Excellence project looks like on the ground. WIN4SMES focuses on workplace innovation in SMEs, and the project’s different national pilots are working on themes such as inclusion, entrepreneurship, newcomers and skills development. Across the episode, I speak with the coordinator team about the training programme, hear from participants working with agile methods, design thinking and AI in vocational education, and zoom in on two of the particularly strong COVEs from the project. One from Hungary uses an entrepreneurship camp to support highly talented young people in developing business ideas. Another from Lithuania works with hotels and restaurants to create real job pathways for young people with disabilities. The result is a more atmospheric and people-centered episode about how vocational excellence is actually built in practice — not only in policy papers, but in classrooms, workshops, company relationships and human lives. Time codes:00:00 Airport opening 01:25 Arriving and introducing the training programme w/Anna Maria Czarny06:43 Meeting the training classes11:40 The Partner Dinner w/Maëla Barcon15:34 Introducing day 219:13 The Hungary COVE - Supporting Entrepreneurship w/Tamas Rettich28:20 The Lithuanian COVE - Young People with Disabilities w/Egle Lizaityte48:16 WIN4SMES - Status and where it is moving w/Max Hogeforster01:01:55 Farewell and outro
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  #229 Building Your Funding Team 15.06.2026 1h 18min

  Building Your Funding Team – Skills, Structure & SurvivalWith Stephanie Harfensteller and David ChristensenCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Stephanie Harfensteller and David Christensen to talk about one of the most difficult and under-discussed challenges in EU funding: how to build a funding team that actually works. Stephanie has been building up an EU funding function at FIR since 2019, while David has been doing something similar inside BOFA on Bornholm. From very different organisational settings, they describe a remarkably similar reality: a strong funding unit is not just a service desk for forms and deadlines. It needs to support proposal development, project execution and long-term networking and positioning — and in smaller organisations, the same people often need to move across all of those roles. From there we dig into the real difficulties: how to identify the right skills, how to recruit people when profiles are hard to find, how to train juniors without losing all the knowledge when they move on, and how to create some form of knowledge management when most of the most important know-how still sits in people’s heads. We also talk about management commitment, public perception, long-term vision, the pain of falling proposal success rates, and the need to balance patience with pressure. It’s a very honest conversation for anyone trying to professionalise funding work inside an organisation without the luxury of a large specialist department. Time codes:01:48 Guest introduction and fly in 07:01 What Is a Good Funding Support Unit?18:08 The Skills Question28:28 Building the Team in Reality40:05 Keeping Knowledge in the Organisation50:45 Working Under Organisational Constraints01:06:07 Reflections and advice01:10:24 The toughest challenge
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  #228 Explain Science (1): EV Batteries and Life Cycle Assessment 08.06.2026 32min

  Explain Science (1) – NoVOC, Batteries & Life Cycle AssessmentWith Kristin Fransson from RISECheck out the episode website with links to webinar, scientific paper, the NoVOC project etc.In the first episode of Explain Science, I’m joined by Kristin Fransson from RISE to talk about the NoVOC project and the science of life cycle assessment in battery innovation. Kristin explains that NoVOC is working on one very practical challenge: reducing the hazardous solvents used in battery manufacturing and exploring alternative dry and wet production methods that could make battery production more sustainable. From there, we use the project as an entry point into a much bigger discussion about how Europe develops cleaner battery technologies and why environmental thinking has to be built into research projects from the start.We then unpack what life cycle assessment actually means. Kristin explains how LCA looks across a product’s full life cycle, why it matters for battery research, and why it is so difficult to get right when projects are still working at lab or pilot scale. We talk about methodological choices, data collection, scale-up, recycling assumptions and the challenge of making sure that an innovation that looks promising in one corner does not create problems somewhere else. It’s a very accessible first episode for anyone curious about batteries, sustainability and what science communication can look like when EU-funded research is explained properly.Time codes02:40 A word from the collaboration partner 03:55 Guest introduction and fly in 08:17 What is Life Cycle Assessment?11:46 Why does this matter for Europe?18:28 Why is battery LCA difficult?27:19 Closing and event promotion
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  The Grant Collaboration - RM Framework Series (7): The Spanish Pilot 03.06.2026 30min

  Research management training, competence mapping and the quality labelCheck out the episode websiteIn the 7th episode of the RM Framework Series, I’m joined by Cristina Borrás Sardà and Cristina Bosch Pla from Generalitat de Catalunya / AGAUR to talk about the Spain pilot in the RM Framework project. We start with the training scheme they already run in Catalonia: a structured programme developed with universities and built around two microcredentials, one focused on pre-award and one on post-award. It covers everything from the EU funding system, consortium building and impact to grant agreement management, financial reporting and lump sum implementation — and is designed as a practical, modular and highly interactive offer for early-career research managers. From there we move into the pilot itself. Cristina and Cristina explain how the RM Framework handbook and RMcomp helped them map their existing training more clearly against competencies, identify where learning outcomes were already strong, and spot areas where the programme could become more explicit and coherent. We also talk about the value of in-person delivery, peer interaction, mentoring and the growing need for a European reference point that can support quality, mobility and career development across the research management profession. Time codes: 02:14 Guest introduction and fly in05:08 RM Training Good Practices 12:57 Experiences from the Pilot Testing Phase19:13 Why the RM Framework Matters at EU Level24:07 Expectations & Final Reflections
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  #227 Talent Attraction to Rural Regions and EU Funding 01.06.2026 1h 29min

  Talent Attraction and EU Funding – A Regional Development Lens w/Maria Haglund and Nikolaj LubanskiCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Maria Haglund and Nikolaj Lubanski to talk about how talent attraction can be supported through EU funding. Maria brings the perspective of a smaller region on the west coast of Finland, where the challenge is not only retaining university students but also attracting the skilled and blue-collar workforce needed by the regional economy. Nikolaj brings more than a decade of experience from Greater Copenhagen, where EU funding has helped build national and cross-border collaboration around international talent attraction, digital campaigns and long-term regional positioning. Together, they open up a very practical conversation about why funding matters in this area — and why it is about much more than just “getting money.”We then move into the how. What kinds of EU instruments actually make sense for talent attraction? How do you build a partnership that is based on trust rather than opportunism? What should a smaller region consider before stepping into its first bigger EU project? And how do you measure impact in a field where results can be diffuse and long-term? We talk about social funds, regional funds, Interreg, project structure, partnership agreements, cross-border cooperation with Umeå, and the importance of having both a strong idea and a realistic path to implementation. It’s a very useful episode for anyone working in regional development, international talent, place branding or skills policy.Time codes:01:55 Guest introduction and fly in05:55 The Motivation – Why Look at EU Funding? 21:20 Before You Apply – What Organisations Need to Consider First44:10 Building Partnerships and Entering the EU Ecosystem58:00 The Application Process – What Actually Happens?01:17:14 Reflections and Advice01:22:07 The toughest challenge
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  The Grant Collaboration: PNO Innovation Series (2) - Coordinating Innovation in Bioeconomy: How Expertise Creates Stronger EU projects 27.05.2026 31min

  Coordinating Innovation in Bioeconomy – Beyond Project Management with Anna Franciosini from PNO Innovation ItalyCheck out the episode websiteIn this second episode of the PNO Innovation Series, produced in paid collaboration with PNO Innovation, I’m joined by Anna Franciosini to talk about coordination in bioeconomy and agri-food innovation projects. Anna explains why project coordination is not just administration, reporting and timelines. In a field like bioeconomy, coordination also means understanding the sector, the policy context, the innovation bottlenecks and the different actors across the value chain — and then translating all of that into a project vision that makes sense for both the consortium and the European Commission. We use the C4B project as a concrete case. The project focuses on circular bio-based business models and on creating fairer value distribution for primary producers and other actors in the bioeconomy. From there, we talk about stakeholder alignment, replication, cascade funding, open calls and why coordination is such a strategic function when projects aim to create real change in complex innovation ecosystems. Anna also shows how PNO’s cross-border teams work together in practice, combining sector expertise, communication, digital tools and innovation support across the life of the project. Time codes:01:47 Guest introduction fly in03:27 Why PNO Is More Than a Coordinator14:42 Case Example – The C4B Project21:29 From Project to Market Impact27:24 Reflections and Advice
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  #226 Four Years of The Grant - What It Taught Me 25.05.2026 54min

  Four Years of The Grant – Reflections on EU FundingA solo anniversary episode on pressure, change, community and what I’ve learnedCheck out the episode websiteIn this four-year anniversary episode, I take a step back from the usual guest format and reflect on what The Grant has shown me about the EU funding world. Over more than 200 episodes, I’ve spoken with grant consultants, research managers, researchers, NGOs, innovation actors and policy people from all over Europe and some of the same themes keep returning. Solitude. Hidden work. Stress. Rejection. Deadline pressure. Burnout. The emotional cost of a sector that often presents itself as technical and rational, but is in reality full of deeply human effort and vulnerability. In this episode, I talk openly about those patterns and about why I have insisted on making space for them in the podcast. I also reflect on what has changed in the ecosystem during these four years: the rise of AI and its impact on proposal pressure, the growing professionalisation of the sector, the shift in funding priorities around security and dual-use, and the continued inequality in access to strong funding networks and support structures. At the same time, I share what I think strong organisations do differently: they work strategically, they understand their role, they build long-term partnerships, and they take care of the people carrying the funding work. This is an anniversary episode, but also a positioning episode: a reminder of what The Grant is for, and why I intend to keep building this space for the full reality of EU funding. Time codes:02:12 Introduction04:03 Why This Episode Now08:31 What Surprised Me Most15:21 The Ecosystem Has Changed27:42 What Strong Organisations do differently31:51 Things People Still Don’t Talk Honestly About42:05 What Changed My Own Thinking47:40 Closing remarks
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  #225 Research Management - The Hidden Work 18.05.2026 51min

  The Hidden Work of Research Managers w/Isabel from RISE ProcessumCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Isabel Burdallo from RISE Processum to talk about the hidden work of research managers. We start from a simple but important gap: what many people think research management is, and what it actually is in practice. From the outside, the role is often reduced to administration, paperwork, budgets and compliance. Isabel explains why that is only part of the picture. In reality, research management is also about translation: translating research ideas into fundable structures, funding rules into workable decisions, and institutional constraints into something project teams can live with. From there we go deeper into the invisible tasks that make projects hold together. Isabel shares how this role often means stepping into complex situations, spotting risks early, smoothing communication between very different people, and handling the kinds of coordination, timing and compliance issues that nobody notices when they go well. We also talk about why this work is still so often misunderstood inside research organisations, how the role differs across countries and institutions, and why research managers need to make themselves more visible — not out of ego, but because the profession deserves clearer recognition for the value it creates. Time codes:02:03 Guest introduction and fly in05:45 What People Think vs Reality12:52 The Hidden Tasks – What Actually Happens Behind the Scenes25:21 Why It’s Invisible and the Human Side36:47 Navigating and Owning the Role42:28 Advice44:08 The toughest challenge
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  The Grant Collaboration - FUNDamentally SCIENCE: Novel MSCA PF Training Model w/Rita Gil Mata 13.05.2026 32min

  A Novel MSCA PF Training Model – The MSCA Catalyst Approach w/Rita Gil Mata from FUNDamentally SCIENCECheck out the episode websiteIn this new episode of The Grant Collaboration, produced in paid collaboration with FUNDamentally SCIENCE, I’m joined by Rita Gil Mata to talk about a structural problem in MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships: Europe has talent, but too often the preparation system around applicants is not strong enough. Rita brings more than 20 years of experience supporting researchers in European funding, and she explains why the sharp rise in MSCA PF submissions and the drop in success rates should be read as a warning sign. In her view, the issue is not a lack of excellent researchers, but the fact that applicants, supervisors and institutions are often not prepared in a sufficiently aligned and strategic way. That is exactly why she created the MSCA Catalyst training model. We unpack how it works in practice: a structured applicant training built around the real template, supervisor mentoring so the academic side is fully engaged, and expert review for the strongest proposals selected by the institution. What I like in this conversation is that it goes beyond “another training offer” and instead treats MSCA preparation as an ecosystem challenge. If Europe wants to keep strong young research talent in the system, then programmes like this matter — not only for better proposals, but for the long-term health of the research landscape itself.Time codes:02:05 Guest introduction and fly in05:44 Motivation - A Spark to Build Something New10:31 Why Traditional Support Is Not Enough 16:48 The Training Concept 25: 47 Why This Matters
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  The Grant Collaboration - The ENCO Series (3): Measuring What Matters: Sustainability, Value and Long-Term Impact 12.05.2026 32min

  Life Cycle Assessment in EU Projects – Sustainability by Design w/Mirko Busto from ENCO ConsultingCheck out the episode websiteIn this final episode of The ENCO Series produced in paid collaboration with ENCO Consulting, I’m joined by Mirko Busto to talk about life cycle assessment and why it has become such an important part of EU-funded research and innovation. Mirko explains that sustainability is not something you can judge from one isolated number or one nice-looking innovation claim. A solution may reduce emissions in one place while creating problems somewhere else. That is why life cycle thinking matters: it forces you to look at the whole picture — from materials and manufacturing to use, disposal and possible recycling — and ask whether the innovation really improves the system overall. We also go into the practical side of the work. Mirko explains the three connected methodologies used in sustainability assessment: life cycle assessment, life cycle costing and social life cycle assessment. We talk about how they enter both proposal writing and project implementation, why data collection and benchmarking are so difficult in innovative projects, and how these methods help technical teams avoid hidden trade-offs. Using the SEEDS project as a case, Mirko shows how this plays out in practice when comparing agricultural systems in different MENA contexts and trying to assess future sustainability under climate and resource pressure. Time codes:01:56 Guest introduction and fly in 04:05 Why sustainability assessment matters 08:12 Sustainability methodologies in EU projects10:48 Integrating sustainability in innovation projects17:14 Practical challenges25:12 Success Story – The SEEDS project
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  #224 Navigating Many Funding Schemes 11.05.2026 1h 1min

  Strategy, partnerships and proposal work with limited resourcesCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Alessio Caracci from Unknown Group to talk about what it really means to work across multiple funding schemes at the same time. Alessio’s role touches different parts of the organisation — the university, the campus and startup-related activities — so he has to navigate very different programme logics, target groups and funding opportunities. We talk about how that changes the work compared with specialising in a single scheme, and why the first task is not writing proposals but building a strong map of what is relevant, what is strategic and what the organisation actually wants to become in the next few years.From there we move into the practical side: how a small team can survive this complexity, why trusted external partners matter so much, and how long-term collaboration makes proposal work faster and more realistic under pressure. Alessio explains how Unknown works through a mix of self-led initiatives, alliances, consultants and ecosystem relationships, and how this lets them stay involved in different programmes without pretending they can do everything alone. We also talk about deadline clustering, the danger of tunnel vision, and why the most important discipline is often not chasing more opportunities but staying close to your organisation’s real mission and strengths.Time codes:01:55 Guest introduction and fly in 12:21 Working Across Many Programmes21:09 Managing Complexity – Systems, Shortcuts and Survival38:51 Partnerships and Collaboration as Strategy49:44 Reflections and advice 54:21 The toughest challenge
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  #223 Beyond Traditional Dissemination 04.05.2026 1h 4min

  How EU projects can move from visibility to real use and impactCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode of The Grant, I’m joined by Borut Razbornik for a conversation about dissemination in EU projects — and why the traditional approach often does not work.We talk about the difference between simply making a project visible and actually getting people to use, adopt or engage with the results. Too often, dissemination becomes a matter of quantity: posting on websites, sharing on social media, counting impressions and promoting outputs one by one. Borut argues that this misses the real point. Dissemination should be about impact, usefulness and action.The episode then moves into Borut’s marketing perspective. We discuss attention as a scarce resource, why generic project messages fail, and why dissemination needs to speak directly to the needs of a target group. Borut also introduces his “flagship strategy”: identifying the most useful project result and building a focused dissemination pathway around it, instead of scattering attention across too many isolated outputs.We also cover LinkedIn, stakeholder engagement, project constraints, partner dynamics, creative thinking and why dissemination should be embedded in implementation from the start.A practical episode for anyone working with EU project communication, dissemination, exploitation or impact.Time codes:01:47 Guest introduction and fly in 06:09 The Problem: Dissemination That Doesn’t Work16:06 Understanding Attention – A Marketing Perspective26:05 A Different Approach – The Flagship Strategy41:42 Embedding Dissemination in the Work Itself48:12 Working Within Constraints57:06 Reflections and Advice58:47 The toughest challenge
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  The Grant Collaboration - ENCO Series (2): Maximising Impact Through Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation 28.04.2026 35min

  How ENCO works with visibility, stakeholder engagement and market uptakeCheck out the episode websiteIn this second of the ENCO Series, produced in paid collaboration with ENCO Consulting, I’m joined by Rosanna Buonfiglio and Marco de la Feld to talk about one of the most important but often blurred areas in EU projects: communication, dissemination and exploitation. We unpack the differences between the three and why it matters to keep them distinct. Communication is about making the project visible and understandable. Dissemination is about making sure the right people can actually access and use the results. Exploitation is about what happens when you want those results to go further into strategy, market positioning, business models and real uptake. We then move into how ENCO works with these areas in practice. Rosanna explains how communication and dissemination strategies are built from the proposal stage by identifying audiences, messages and the right channels, while Marco shows how exploitation connects project results to business plans, competitor analysis, IPR strategy and post-project development. Using the SYMBA project as a case, they show how these three dimensions can reinforce each other when they are designed together from the start. It’s a practical episode for anyone writing proposals, managing EU projects or trying to make sure that project results do not just sit on a website after the funding ends.Time codes:02:05 Guest introduction06:26 Why communication matters10:37 Communication, dissemination and exploitation14:16 ENCO’s approach to C&D&E strategy23:54 Delivering communication in practice - the SYMBA case32:28 Outro
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  #222 Young Professionals in EU Funding 27.04.2026 1h 11min

  Young Professionals in EU Funding – Careers, Challenges & Growth w/Oliver Cressall from VenturenomixCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Oliver Cressall from Venturenomix to talk about young professionals in EU funding. Oliver shares what it feels like to enter the field from the proposal support side — helping with consortium building, partner coordination and the administrative backbone of bids — while still learning the language, structures and unwritten rules of the system. We talk about the invisible barriers juniors face: feeling “not experienced enough”, struggling with jargon, and assuming that everyone else in the room understands far more than they do. We then move into the bigger picture: where young people can actually enter this world, what they are looking for when they do, and what too many employers still get wrong. Oliver speaks very clearly about meaningful work, climate motivation, flexibility, mobility, autonomy and the need for managers who support rather than exploit young staff. We also talk about LinkedIn pressure, the lack of safe spaces to share doubts, and why this sector needs to take junior well-being and development much more seriously if it wants to keep good people. Time codes:02:12 Guest introduction and fly in09:05 The invisible barrier: “I’m not experienced enough”22:25 Entry points into EU funding: more paths than you think33:38 What young professionals are really looking for44:37 Safe spaces and communities: why they matter59:43 Advice to young professionals – and to the system01:05:31 The toughest challenge
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  #221 Better Proposals - Impact, Training & Research Communication 20.04.2026 1h 7min

  Better Grant Proposals – Impact, Training & Research CommunicationCheck out the episode websiteIn this episode I’m joined by Elaine Massung, founder of Academic Smartcuts, to talk about how researchers can write better grant proposals and communicate their ideas more effectively. Elaine has worked as a researcher, postdoc, funding agency professional at EPSRC and now as an independent trainer. That gives her a very practical view of where proposals go wrong: researchers often do not give themselves enough time, do not read the guidance carefully enough, start with a solution before defining the problem, or fail to explain their work in language reviewers can actually use. We also dig into impact — one of the most repeated but still weakest parts of many proposals. Elaine and I talk about why “publish in high-impact journals, attend conferences and host a workshop” is not enough, and how researchers can think more creatively about visibility and use: trade magazines, teaching materials, podcasts, blogs, stakeholder meetings, existing networks and other channels that actually fit the project. We also discuss proposal audits, training, time pressure, networking challenges and why getting help early is not weakness — it is often what makes the proposal stronger.Time codes:01:47 Guest introduction and fly in 06:20 The Core Insight: Everyone Makes the Same Mistakes14:51 Teaching Researchers to Think Differently 24:57 The Impact Problem 44:27 New Ways of Creating Visibility 53:24 Reflections and advice 56:42 The toughest challenge