When Two Consortia Are Equally Strong,

Why Does Only One Get Funded?

A 10–15 minute diagnostic for multinational research consortia

You’ve seen this happen before

Two proposals. Comparable teams. Strong alignment with the call.

One gets funded. The other doesn’t.

The evaluation feedback mentions relevance, impact, timing — but never explains clearly what tipped the balance.

This short diagnostic exists to answer that question.

The uncomfortable truth

In highly competitive funding calls, evaluators are not asking:

“Is this a good proposal?”

They are asking:

“Which proposal makes more sense now, given current (transition) pressures?”

Most strong consortia fail not because they lack excellence,but because their relevance is not legible in comparative terms.

What this diagnostic helps you see

In just 10–15 minutes, this PDF helps you identify whether your proposal or consortium:

• relies on assumed relevance instead of articulated urgency
• treats countries as interchangeable rather than complementary
• explains importance but not necessity now
• frames impact as outputs instead of system-level change

No templates.

No generic advice.

Just a clear lens into how evaluators actually compare proposals.

What you’ll get

• Short Diagnostic PDF

A focused set of questions designed to surface hidden weaknesses in strong proposals

• Reframing insight

A simple sentence that changes how you think about relevance and timing

This is not a full methodology.

It is a clarity tool.

Who this is for

• Research & Innovation Project Leads
• Coordinators of multinational consortia
• Senior researchers and professors
• Consultants working on EU, US, or international funding calls

Especially useful if you:

• work with international partners
• submit multiple proposals per year
• have experienced “good but unsuccessful” applications

Who this is NOT for

This is not for:

• work with international partners
• submit multiple proposals per year
• have experienced “good but unsuccessful” applications

This diagnostic respects your expertise.

What comes next (optional)

This diagnostic helps you identify where relevance breaks down.

If you want a structured way to fix it, the natural next step is:

The Consortium Relevance Playbook

A practical framework for designing, articulating, and stress-testing consortium relevance before submission.

Get the free diagnostic

👉 Download the Diagnostic PDF

(No spam. One clear idea. Immediate value.)