Why You Should Not Copy From Winning ERC Grant Proposals

So you have decided to apply for an ERC grant. Now begins the planning and drafting period. Since the ERC application has no formal structure, many researchers that wish to apply struggle with the best way to present their idea and to write the application. If you have past experience with writing research grants or articles, you may think to write in the same manner for the ERC application. But then there are those shiny winning proposals that could possibly offer some guiding tips. The ones that successfully passed all application criteria. Those which stood against some of the hardest reviewers and their questions. These winning proposals could possibly be your guiding light to your own winning proposal. Should you do it?  Will looking at winning proposals actually help to increase your chances at securing a winning proposal of your own?

We can entirely understand and encourage the mindset to get inspired by talking to ERC grantees or drawing ideas by looking at funded ERC projects. But, past experience with ERC grants has brought us to a very important conclusion:  one should be careful when trying to imitate a winning proposal. We want to share with you why this is not advised.