Don’t wait for the call to be announced to get started. Anyone who moves at the last minute for EU FUNDING PROGRAMS ends up last – or worse, left out.

The score is not a lottery. It’s the result of strategy, preparation, and knowledge. And yes, there are many who score 75/100 and think they were treated unfairly. They weren’t. They just didn’t prepare.

If you want to get EU FUNDING and secure it, you must aim for 90+, even if the cut-off is set at 80. Why? Because the game has changed. Calls are more competitive, the budget runs out quickly, and the evaluation process doesn’t forgive.

What are the rules of the game?

• There are “basic” and “non-basic” criteria. If you don’t meet the basics, you don’t move to the next level. If you do well in the non-basic ones, you simply shape your score.
• “First In – First Out” is real. Yes, there are programs where whoever applies first gets approved. If you’re late, even if you’re perfect, there’s simply no money left.
• Your business plan matters. A lot. Not just in content, but in consistency, structure, and “cohesion.” If you look amateurish, the evaluation penalizes you.
• The supporting documents are deadly. If something is missing or not in the correct format, you can lose points or be rejected. These aren’t details, they’re criteria.

How do you reach 90/100?

• Learn the criteria inside out. Not just you – your team too. It’s no secret. It’s in the official documentation. But no one bothers to “work” on them properly.
• Work on your proposal as if you were taking a national exam. Not sloppily. Not “copy-paste.” With a clear strategy. With logic that leads to recognizable value.
• Prepare your folder before the platform even opens. If you wait to start after it opens, you’re already behind. The smartest ones have everything ready months in advance. That’s called an advantage.
• Ask for a score prediction before submitting. Yes, it can be done. And no, not everyone does it. We at AFS do. And that’s how we get 90s and 95s.
• Don’t do everything alone. It’s not a personal project. It’s an investment. And every investment needs a team. If you have the right people by your side, you’ll enter with confidence. Not with… rejection.

What’s the takeaway?

That EU FUNDING is not about luck. It’s an art. And if you don’t prepare, you have no chance. The dream becomes a score only if you work on it seriously, early, and with the right partners.

At AFS, we don’t just write proposals. We build scores. Out of 100, we aim for 90. And we achieve it.

Because otherwise…

Elina Karamanou
CEO | Co-Founder | Business Consultant at AFS