Partner Search for a Consortium

Most collaborative EU calls require a consortium from several countries, so partners are sought before anyone sits down to write the proposal. Start several months ahead of the deadline: strong consortia form early, and a few weeks before submission there are hardly any open roles left in them.

Where to look

• Partner Search on the Funding & Tenders Portal. A search across registered organisations by keyword, geography and funding type. An organisation profile shows the list of its funded projects. On the page of every open or forthcoming topic you can publish your own partnership offer or request and browse those of others. For this the organisation needs a PIC.
• National Contact Points (NCPs). The NCP network is set up and funded by the participating countries themselves. The tasks of the Ukrainian NCPs include help with choosing a call, advice on procedures and assistance in finding partners. The list of NCPs by area and a page with partner search announcements are maintained by the Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine.
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN). A database of cooperation profiles, one type of which is the Research & Development Request, that is, requests for partners for research projects. The network has contact points in Ukraine.
• Brokerage events and info days. They are organised around specific calls. The format is short pre-booked meetings with potential partners.
• CORDIS. The database of projects under the EU framework programmes. It shows who has already won in your field, in what role and with whom.
• COST. Networking projects that fund meetings and exchanges rather than research. Ukraine is a COST Full Member, and taking part in such a network is often the first step towards a joint proposal.

Why joining is easier than building your own consortium

The coordinator is responsible for the whole proposal, for communication with the funder and for distributing the funds. Without a track record in similar projects it is hard to persuade strong partners to work under your lead. The role of a partner with a clearly defined task is more realistic: you gain experience, a project history in your portal profile and contacts for the next proposals.

Organisation profile and partnership offer

The profile is one page: who you are, what exactly you can do, what infrastructure, data or access to target groups you have, which projects you have taken part in, who the contact person is. A letter to a coordinator must be tied to a specific topic: give its identifier, propose the task or the part of a work package you are ready to take on, and explain what the consortium lacks without you. A generic letter along the lines of "we are looking for partners to cooperate" usually goes unanswered.

How to check a potential partner

• Look at its projects in CORDIS and in its portal profile: topics, roles, whether it has been a coordinator.
• Ask who is writing the proposal, what the preparation schedule is and what share of the budget is planned for you.
• From the first conversation, find out the terms of the consortium agreement, especially on intellectual property.
• Be wary when you are invited in the final week "for geography" with no task and no budget, or asked to pay for being included in a consortium.

Common mistakes

Looking for partners after the call opens rather than before. Sending the same letter to dozens of organisations. Having no PIC and no completed profile at the moment of the request. Agreeing to take part without tasks and a budget fixed in writing. Promising in the proposal a contribution the organisation cannot deliver.