Project description

Purpose and content

The project description should outline the  purpose, perspectives, background, methodology, and scope of your research. It should also explain: 

  • Why you are the right person to execute the project. 
  • Why the project should be undertaken now. 
  • Why your project is the best solution to the identified problem. 

Structure and requirements

Always follow the foundation’s guidelines for structuring the project description.

Be specific and realistic in your description.

Support the need for the project with data and documentation where possible.

If the foundation does not have specific requirements, you should structure the description as follows:

Title

Introduction (optional) 

  • What is the project’s problem statement?
  • Why does it need to be addressed now?
  • Formulate the problem or “gap” as briefly as possible to express the purpose in a meaningful way.

Objectives and hypotheses

  • What does the project aim to achieve (overall objectives)?
  • If the project consists of several subprojects, what is the objective of each subproject?
  • What is/are the hypothesis/hypotheses?

Perspectives

  • Why is the project important?
  • What results are expected upon completion?
  • How will the project change existing knowledge, practice, or policy?
  • What is the project’s (long-term) scientific and societal impact?

Background (state of the art) and need

  • What is the scientific and theoretical foundation of the project?
  • What is the current state of knowledge in the project’s research field?
  • What is not yet known or possible within the field, and how will the project fill gaps in existing research?

Activities and methodology

  • What activities are included in the project?
  • How will they be carried out?

Ethical aspects (optional)

  • What ethical issues does the project raise?
  • What ethical considerations will the project address?

Timeline

  • When will the project take place? Provide an overview of activities and deadlines, possibly in a Gantt chart.

Organization and collaboration

  • Where will the work be conducted?
  • Who are the project team members and collaborators?
  • What are their roles in the project, and what are their relevant competencies?
  • Do you/your team have access to the necessary infrastructure, etc.?

Tips and recommendations 💡

  • Write with your audience in mind — is it a mixed panel, or field experts? 
  • Ask yourself:
    • What does the reviewer already know?
    • What information do they need to evaluate your project fairly? 
  • Familiarize yourself with the review panel and the fund’s purpose and criteria.
  • Adapt the academic level and terminology accordingly.
  • Always follow the fund’s specific formatting and content requirements. 

Evaluation checklist ✅

  • Have you clearly described the purpose, background and methodology
  • Have you explained why you, why now, and why this project
  • Is the language tailored to the intended audience? 
  • Does the description align with the fund’s purpose and evaluation criteria
  • Have you included relevant documentation, data, and references