What is Substantive Evaluation?

Substantive evaluation represents one of the key phases in grant application administration. It takes place following the formal check and eligibility check, serving to expertly assess project quality and relevance. Unlike preliminary reviews that focus mainly on completeness and formal correctness, substantive evaluation examines whether the project truly fulfills the call's objectives and delivers the expected benefits.

1. Course of Substantive Evaluation

Every application that successfully passes formal control moves on to substantive evaluation. This process is carried out by two independent expert evaluators who prepare individual assessments. 
If their conclusions regarding exclusion criteria differ (for instance, if one recommends support while the other does not), a third evaluator—an arbitrator—is called upon. The arbitrator performs an arbitration evaluation, the result of which is final. 
However, if both initial evaluators agree, the arbitrator does not review these criteria.

2. Substantive Evaluation Criteria

Substantive evaluation consists of two main parts:

• Exclusion criteria (YES/NO) – the applicant must fulfill every single one to advance to the next stage.
• Scoring criteria (if defined) – these can influence the final project ranking, particularly when funding allocation is insufficient.

Failure to meet even a single exclusion criterion leads to automatic rejection of the grant application.

Typical exclusion criteria include:

• fulfillment of technical and economic parameters of the project,
• compliance with maximum limits on eligible costs,
• adherence to specific conditions of the call,
• assessment of project alignment with EU environmental and climate targets (DNSH principle, EU Taxonomy),
• ensuring long-term sustainability and project efficiency.

3. Outcome of Substantive Evaluation

The result of this stage is a comprehensive assessment recommending or not recommending the project for funding. If an application fails to meet the necessary criteria, it is excluded from further processing. 
Applicants nevertheless retain the right to file a Request for Review if they disagree with the evaluation result.

If demand for funding in a given call exceeds available allocation, submission timing decides—earlier submitted projects are prioritized.

4. Practical Significance for Applicants

• Substantive evaluation is decisive for project success—a formally correct application alone is not sufficient.
• High-quality preparation of energy audits, economic assessments, and other attachments significantly influences the result.
• The project must be not only technically feasible, but also meaningful and sustainable in terms of economic and environmental impact.
• Consulting experts during the project preparation phase is highly recommended to guarantee all criteria are satisfied.

Substantive evaluation is an expert and decisive stage in grant application assessment. It verifies whether a project fulfills exclusion and substantive criteria, is feasible, efficient, and aligned with call goals and European legislation. Success in this phase determines whether the project receives funding.