Featured Podcast Episode: How to Fail a Proposal
Freelance EU grant consultant Marie Prouteau lifts the curtain on the emotional rollercoaster of proposal writing — and the traps even seasoned professionals still fall into.
Featured Podcast Episode: How to Fail a Proposal
At EMDESK Academy, we continue to share perspectives from leading voices in the EU funding community. This week, we spotlight a candid and entertaining episode from The Grant podcast — an independent initiative exploring the realities of EU R&I funding.
About the Episode
Episode #185 – How to Fail a Proposal (Part 1)
In this episode, host Niels Tudor-Vinther reconnects with Marie Prouteau, a freelance EU grant consultant with over 15 years of experience and a popular LinkedIn voice. Inspired by one of her most-shared posts — “How to Fail a Proposal” — the conversation dives into the highs, lows, and human side of grant writing.
Drawing on Marie’s own experiences, they explore:
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The typical phases of proposal development — from the initial buzz of signing a new client to the last-minute chaos before submission.
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The common traps that derail projects, such as endless acronym-driven titles, unclear partner responsibilities, and late-stage coordination breakdowns.
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The mental and physical toll on consultants — burnout, sleep deprivation, and the “post-submission crash.”
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How deadlines after holidays and poorly timed calls exacerbate stress for everyone involved.
Far from a dry technical guide, this is a lively exchange peppered with humour and hard truths. Marie shares anecdotes about working from a hut in Sri Lanka days before a deadline, navigating consortium politics, and managing her own perfectionism under pressure.
Why You Should Listen
If you’ve ever been part of an EU funding proposal — as a coordinator, partner, or consultant — this episode will feel instantly familiar. It’s part cautionary tale, part group therapy, and part celebration of the persistence it takes to keep going in the face of tight deadlines, shifting priorities, and the occasional acronym nightmare.
This podcast is published by The Grant and curated here to give you an unfiltered look at the proposal writing profession.
🎧 Tune in to hear why “How to Fail a Proposal” might be the most relatable — and reassuring — EU funding conversation you’ll hear this year.
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Read onThis is an excellent webinar. Really informative, well paced with key issues covered. Many thanks. I will recommend the recording to all our project participants.
"5 steps to take when you've received an H2020 grant - Expert Insights", October 29, 2020
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