Dear Applicants,

The National Research Foundation of Ukraine has completed the eligibility check of 238 grant applications submitted under the LUKE Joint Call.

During the preliminary stage of the eligibility check, a detailed review of the grant applications and accompanying documents was carried out to assess their compliance with the National Rules for the Ukrainian Funding Party. Following this review, 79 project groups were given an opportunity to clarify information contained in the documents submitted with their applications.

Analysis of the main reasons for rejection is indicative of several common shortcomings that prevented Ukrainian project groups from progressing to the next stages of the selection process. The most common shortcomings in the submitted documentation were:

• non-compliance of the research group composition with the requirements of the Call;
• improper preparation of financial documentation;
• submission of an incomplete set of mandatory documents.

The analysis of the most common shortcomings demonstrates that the successful preparation of a grant application requires careful familiarisation with the Call Terms and Conditions (National Rules for the Ukrainian Funding Party), due consideration of all eligibility criteria and requirements when forming the project group, consultation with the institution’s financial and administrative units, and close attention to details in order to avoid technical errors at the final stage of submission.

For this reason, the National Research Foundation of Ukraine consistently emphasises the importance of strengthening grant management culture, adopting best international and Ukrainian practices in grant writing, and establishing dedicated grant management units within higher education institutions and research organisations.

It is also worth noting that, for the LUKE Joint Call, the application preparation and submission period was longer than that provided in national Ukrainian calls for proposals. It lasted for more than two months. During this period, the National Contact Point for the LUKE Joint Call received more than 1,000 enquiries concerning the preparation of project documentation and the explanation of the Call requirements, all of which were addressed comprehensively. In addition, a webinar introducing the Call Terms and Conditions, information sessions, consultations, and a range of guidance materials were provided.

We hope that such activities and support instruments will continue to assist Ukrainian researchers in preparing high-quality proposals and contribute to the further development of an effective grant management culture.

The National Research Foundation of Ukraine encourages applicants to continue participating actively in information events aimed at sharing best practices of grant management, while also applying lessons learned and paying close attention to the preparation of project documentation for future funding opportunities.

We would like to sincerely thank all applicants for the LUKE Joint Call for their interest, trust, and active engagement in the Call. We wish all applicants every success in the subsequent stages of the assessment process and hope that the experience gained during the preparation of their proposals will prove valuable for future international funding opportunities.