Call-fit review
Review your idea against the call's objectives, eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria, and identify gaps before drafting.
EU Funding Advisory
EU proposal writing and review services
EU proposal writing and review for Horizon Europe, Erasmus+ and other programmes. Discuss support for your draft and application with Zeus Consulting.
Share your project idea, target call and deadline, if known. Proposal support will already be selected in the enquiry form.
What proposal support includes
Proposal preparation
Structure the narrative, work plan, partner contributions and budget around the application requirements.
Submission support
Review required documents, consistency and completeness, and support preparation for submission through the relevant portal.
A verified historical example: ASPIC
FP6 · 2004–2007 · 002307
CORDIS lists the earlier ZEUS CONSULTING S.A. of Patras, Greece, as a consortium participant in ASPIC.
Research into argumentation-based knowledge systems: a common framework, software components and a platform for integrating reasoning services with existing systems.
CORDIS confirms the participation and the consortium's objectives. It does not identify ZEUS's individual work packages or separately attribute the project's results to ZEUS.
View official CORDIS record30+
Years of EU funding expertise
100+
Successful EU projects delivered
8
EU programmes covered
200+
Partner organisations in our network
Proposal review & improvement
Expert review of your draft
Already have a draft? We assess it against the call's evaluation criteria and identify where your arguments need greater clarity or stronger evidence.
Request a proposal reviewWhat you receive
- 01
Review against criteria
We assess your draft against the published evaluation criteria.
- 02
Annotated rewrite
We rewrite selected passages and explain each change.
- 03
Prioritized improvements
You receive a clear list of what to improve first.
See a before-and-after example
Educational example only. This is not a funded proposal or evidence of an achieved result.
Before
Our project will have a big impact on the sector and help many people across Europe.
After
The project aims to train 40 vocational trainers across three regions (an illustrative target that requires justification with baseline data). Skills assessments before and after training would measure progress. Openly available learning materials would be shared with regional training providers.
What improved
- Defined target group. The vague reference to “many people” is replaced by a specific group and a defined geographical scope.
- Measurable target. The training target can be measured, but still needs supporting evidence.
- Clear route to impact. The draft explains how progress would be measured and how the learning materials would be shared.
All targets in this example are hypothetical. They must be justified for the actual project and do not guarantee results or funding.
Our Approach
More than writing — a full strategic advisory service
EU grant proposal writing is not a copywriting task. Competitive proposals require deep programme knowledge, alignment with evaluator criteria, rigorous budget construction, and credible consortium assembly. A well-written narrative on an ill-aligned concept will not succeed.
Zeus Consulting brings 30+ years of EU funding expertise. We work with universities, municipalities, SMEs, NGOs, and research centres across Europe — managing the full proposal lifecycle from the first eligibility call to portal submission.
- Proposal writing for all EU programmes (Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, INTERREG, ESF+, Digital Europe, LIFE)
- Consortium partner identification and brokerage
- Budget construction and financial compliance
- Independent quality review before submission
- Post-award project management and reporting
Why proposals fail — and how we prevent it
Common failure
Misalignment with call objectives
→ We build proposals backwards from the call text
Common failure
Vague impact narrative
→ Quantified outcomes, specific target groups, credible exploitation plans
Common failure
Weak consortium
→ Strategic partner matching from our 200+ organisation network
Common failure
Budget inconsistencies
→ Line-by-line justification built for audit resilience
Common failure
Last-minute preparation
→ We engage 4–8 months before deadline for optimal results
How We Work
Our 6-Step Proposal Development Process
01
Strategic Assessment
We analyse your organisation's profile, objectives, and capacity against open calls to identify the best-fit funding opportunity.
02
Consortium Building
Where required, we identify, screen, and secure the right partners from our network of 200+ European organisations.
03
Concept Note & Structure
Our writers create a concise concept note aligned with call objectives and evaluation criteria before full writing begins.
04
Full Proposal Writing
We write Part A and Part B, focusing on impact, innovation, methodology, work packages, timeline, and risks.
05
Budget Development
Detailed, justified partner budgets for staff, travel, equipment, subcontracting, and overheads.
06
Quality Review & Submission
Independent review, revision cycle, and final portal submission before the deadline.
Programme Coverage
EU Programmes We Write For
Horizon Europe
Varies by callRIA, IA, CSA, ERC, MSCA, EIC Accelerator
Erasmus+
Varies by callKA1, KA2, KA3, Capacity Building
INTERREG
Varies by callCross-border, transnational, interregional
ESF+ / ERDF
Varies by callStructural funds, regional programmes
Digital Europe
Varies by callAI, cloud, cybersecurity, digital skills
LIFE
Varies by callClimate action, environment, clean energy
When should you engage us?
For complex proposals (Horizon Europe RIA/IA, EIC Accelerator), we recommend engaging 4–8 months before the deadline. This allows time for strategic positioning, partner search, concept development, and multiple review cycles. Simpler proposals (Erasmus+, LIFE) can be developed in 2–4 months.
Proposal quality
Strategic positioning and independent review
30+ countries
consortium partner network
Common Questions
Grant Writing — Frequently Asked Questions
What does an EU grant writer do?
An EU grant writer develops the technical and strategic content of a European Commission funding application: call analysis, positioning against evaluation criteria, Part A and Part B, work plan, deliverables, milestones, and budget. For Horizon Europe, the writer also coordinates consortium input, review cycles, and portal submission. Zeus Consulting's Athens-based team has worked across major EU programmes since 1992.
How long does it take to write a Horizon Europe proposal?
A competitive Horizon Europe RIA or IA typically requires 4–6 months from concept to portal submission, including positioning, consortium building, writing, budgeting, review, and submission. Erasmus+ and LIFE proposals usually take 2–4 months. Engage us as early as possible, ideally when you identify a suitable call.
What is the success rate for EU funding proposals?
Rates vary by programme and action type. The EU-wide average for Horizon Europe competitive calls is approximately 12–14%. Our proposal support focuses on alignment with evaluator criteria, strategic consortia, and rigorous independent review. Our free AI Proposal Evaluator and Eligibility Assessment provide a useful first assessment.
Do you write EU proposals for organisations outside Greece?
Yes. From Athens, we work with universities, research centres, SMEs, municipalities, and NGOs across EU Member States and associated countries. Most EU programmes require consortia spanning at least three countries. We have supported lead applicants from Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Germany, Spain, and beyond.
Our experts
The expertise behind this service.
ZEUS Consulting brings the following documented expertise to this area of work. Follow a profile to see relevant programmes, roles and insights.
Senior Expert
Aristotelis Livanios
Banking and financial-services insight for digital-finance and public-sector proposals.
View profileSenior Expert
Gregory S. Digsby
Cybersecurity architecture and AI-security input for technically credible EU proposals.
View profile
Senior Expert
Thomas Wu
Industrial, investment and exploitation expertise for innovation proposals and market uptake.
View profileReady to start your EU proposal?
Share your project idea, target call and deadline, if known. Proposal support will already be selected in the enquiry form.
Your enquiry is saved for our advisors to review and assess the appropriate next steps. No fixed response time is promised.