EDG Project Structuring: Split vs Bundle — What Increases Approval Odds

One of the most overlooked decisions in EDG applications happens before writing even begins:

How you structure the project.

Should you submit:

• one large, comprehensive project
• or multiple smaller, focused ones?

This decision has a direct impact on how assessors evaluate risk, clarity, and feasibility.

Why This Matters

Many SMEs assume that bundling everything into one project is more efficient.

But from an evaluation standpoint, larger projects often introduce:

• higher perceived risk
• weaker clarity
• more complex justification

On the other hand, overly fragmented projects can appear:

• disconnected
• lacking strategic coherence

So structuring is not just administrative—it is strategic.

What Most Companies Get Wrong

Common structuring mistakes include:

• Bundling unrelated initiatives into one application
• Combining strategy, implementation, and execution into a single scope
• Splitting projects artificially without clear differentiation
• Overloading a single proposal with too many deliverables
• Structuring based on vendor packages rather than business logic

These approaches reduce clarity and increase evaluation risk.

What Assessors Actually Look For

When reviewing project structure, case officers assess:

1. Scope coherence
Does the project feel like a single, well-defined initiative?

2. Complexity vs clarity
Is the project manageable and understandable?

3. Risk containment
Can the project be executed successfully within its defined scope?

4. Logical sequencing
Are activities structured in a way that makes sense?

5. Justification of scope size
Is the scale appropriate for the company’s capability?

When to Bundle Projects

Bundling works better when:

• Activities are tightly interrelated
• Outcomes depend on combined execution
• The project tells a single, coherent story
• There is a clear transformation narrative

Example:
Strategy + system design + pilot implementation forming one transformation journey.

When to Split Projects

Splitting is better when:

• Activities are distinct or independent
• Each component has different objectives
• Risk can be reduced by staging execution
• The overall scope is too large to justify clearly

Example:
Strategy development first, followed by implementation in a separate phase.

Strategic Insight

A useful rule:

If your project feels difficult to explain simply, it is probably too large or poorly structured.

Assessors favour projects that are:

• clear
• focused
• logically sequenced
• realistically scoped

Not necessarily bigger.

Call us now

If you are unsure whether to split or bundle your EDG project, it is worth getting this right before submission.

We help companies structure projects in a way that improves clarity, reduces perceived risk, and aligns with how assessors evaluate applications.

https://www.grant-consulting.org/contact

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