Applying for public funding

Writing a good application is a craft you can learn. Most rejections are not caused by bad ideas, but by applications that fail to answer what the case officer is actually asking. This lesson gathers the principles that recur across Innovation Norway, the Research Council and regional schemes.

What is actually assessed

Although the criteria vary, some themes recur in almost all public assessments:

• Innovation level: How new is this? Do you solve a real problem in a way that stands out from what already exists?
• Market and potential: Are there customers, is the market big enough, and can this grow — preferably internationally?
• Ability to execute: Does the team have what it takes to succeed, and is the plan realistic?
• Societal value: Does the project contribute to something beyond its own bottom line — jobs, sustainability, new knowledge?

If you read a call carefully, you almost always see these again in some form. Use them as a checklist when you write.

Writing a convincing project description

A good project description is concrete, honest and easy to follow. Some principles that raise the quality:

• Start with the problem, not the solution. Show that you understand the need before you describe what you will build.
• Be specific. We will use AI to revolutionise the industry says nothing. Describe exactly what you will develop, for whom, and why it is hard.
• Be clear about what is uncertain. Especially in R&D applications, it is a plus to show that you understand the risk and have a plan to handle it.
• Set concrete, measurable milestones. A case officer should be able to picture what happens, and how you will know it succeeded.
• Write so an outsider understands. Avoid jargon. The person reading the application is often competent, but not an expert in your particular field.

Common mistakes

Some pitfalls recur, and they are easy to avoid once you know them:

• Applying to the wrong scheme or wrong phase. Asking for a large commercialisation amount for an unvalidated idea leads to rejection.
• Overselling. Unrealistic market figures and promises to become market leader in three years weaken your credibility.
• Being vague about your own role. The case officer wants to know what you specifically will do, not just what the industry needs.
• Underestimating the documentation. A budget and plan that do not add up reveal a project that has not been thought through.
• Applying at the last minute. A rushed application is visible from a mile away.

Co-financing, reporting and follow-up

Almost all public schemes require co-financing — that you provide a share yourself, either in money or in the form of your own work. Think through how you cover your part before you apply.

If you receive an award, obligations come with it. You usually have to report on progress and use of funds, and the money is often paid in arrears or in line with milestones reached — not as a lump sum up front. Delivering tidy reports on time builds trust, and makes your next application easier. Treat the relationship with the support system as a long-term one, not a one-off transaction. Remember too that the case officer can often be contacted before you apply: a short conversation about whether the project fits the scheme can save you a wasted effort and make the application itself more accurate.

An example

A founder in Tromsø is rejected on her first application. The feedback is that the innovation level is unclear. Instead of giving up, she rewrites the description: she starts with the concrete problem her customers have, explains precisely what is technically new, and adds three measurable milestones. The second time she is approved. The idea itself was the same — it was the application that got better.

Do this now

Take your project and draft a project description of no more than one page, structured around the four assessment criteria: innovation level, market, ability to execute and societal value. Then ask someone who does not know the project to read it. If they can retell what you will do and why it is new, you are well on your way. Current requirements and forms can be found at each scheme, for example innovasjonnorge.no.