The Grant

Hosted by Niels Tudor-Vinther

Business Entrepreneurship

Website RSS feed

Episodes

248

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Getting EU funding for your research project idea is great, but the process from project idea to submission of the full proposal is rough and tough. 20.000 proposals are submitted every year and every single one of these preparations goes through many challenges. Most of these challenges have the same overall characteristics, that can be minimized or eliminated by being aware of them already when starting the proposal process. This podcast is for proposals preparers looking for tips, tricks, advice or just an audible pad on the shoulder to deal with the unavoidable tough work

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 2026Episode 2291 hr 18 min

#229 Building Your Funding Team

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

June 8, 2026Episode 22832 min

#228 Explain Science (1): EV Batteries and Life Cycle Assessment

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

June 3, 202630 min

The Grant Collaboration - RM Framework Series (7): The Spanish Pilot

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

June 1, 2026Episode 2271 hr 29 min

#227 Talent Attraction to Rural Regions and EU Funding

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

May 27, 202631 min

The Grant Collaboration: PNO Innovation Series (2) - Coordinating Innovation in Bioeconomy: How Expertise Creates Stronger EU projects

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

May 25, 2026Episode 22654 min

#226 Four Years of The Grant - What It Taught Me

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

May 18, 2026Episode 22551 min

#225 Research Management - The Hidden Work

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

May 13, 202632 min

The Grant Collaboration - FUNDamentally SCIENCE: Novel MSCA PF Training Model w/Rita Gil Mata

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

May 12, 202632 min

The Grant Collaboration - The ENCO Series (3): Measuring What Matters: Sustainability, Value and Long-Term Impact

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

May 11, 2026Episode 2241 hr 1 min

#224 Navigating Many Funding Schemes

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