This step is about making inclusive gendered innovation (IGI) understandable and achievable for applicants. Once your call is published, applicants need to figure out what you expect and how to reflect IGI in their proposals. Without clear guidance, even well-intentioned applicants may struggle to see what IGI means in their field or how to respond meaningfully.
Our research shows that applicants come with very different levels of experience. Some have worked with inclusive methods for years. Others may be unsure how gender, user diversity, or co-creation relate to their topic. Good guidance makes space for that range. It sets a shared expectation and provides enough structure to help people engage, without being overly prescriptive.
This is especially important if IGI is a formal part of your evaluation. If applicants don’t understand what you’re asking for, or see the topic as vague or unrelated, they may skip it or fall back on generic statements. That makes meaningful evaluation hard and undermines the goal of inclusion.
What you provide at this step does not need to be long or complex. A paragraph in the call text, a short guidance note, or a linked checklist can go a long way. Many RFOs also include practical examples or refer applicants to external resources. These help make the idea of IGI more concrete, especially in scientific or technical fields.
Applicant support also goes beyond written guidance. Webinars, info sessions, and FAQ updates are useful tools to clarify expectations and answer questions as they arise. This not only improves proposal quality but also sends a signal that you are committed to supporting inclusion in practice, not just in policy.
Use this step to help applicants understand what IGI looks like in your context and how they can respond to it with relevance, confidence, and creativity.
- understand why applicant guidance is essential for enabling meaningful reflections on IGI
- can offer basic support materials such as short explanations, reference examples, or checklists to help applicants respond confidently
- know how to adjust existing materials to signal expectations clearly without creating unnecessary workload
- are aware of different ways to provide light-touch support, including FAQ entries, info sessions, or clarifications during Q&A
- are better equipped to make IGI visible and actionable without prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach
Supporting applicants on IGI is not always straightforward. Our research with RFOs shows common challenges at this stage:
- Applicants are unsure what IGI means in their field: Without examples or concrete guidance, applicants may skip the topic or fall back on vague language that is hard to evaluate.
- Guidance materials are too general or disconnected from the topic: When IGI is described in abstract terms, applicants struggle to apply it to their specific research context.
- Support is provided too late or not at all: If no guidance is available at the time of submission, applicants are left guessing what is expected and how it will be assessed.
- Some applicants feel excluded or underprepared: If IGI is included in the call but no entry points are offered, it can disadvantage those with less experience or fewer institutional resources.
- Internal capacity to provide support is limited: RFO staff may lack time, examples, or confidence to give consistent answers to applicant questions about inclusion.
- Set clear expectations from the start: Briefly explain in the call or guidance what IGI means and why it matters in this programme.
- Include IGI prompts in proposal templates: A short, well-placed question can help applicants reflect and gives reviewers something to assess.
- Offer field-relevant examples: Show how IGI might apply in your topic area. This helps applicants go beyond generic statements.
- Refer to existing resources: Link to checklists, toolkits, or example cases. Applicants often just need a starting point.
- Use light-touch formats for clarification: Info sessions, short videos, or FAQ entries can increase clarity without overloading staff or applicants.
- Coordinate responses internally: Make sure programme staff, help desks, and reviewers are aligned on how IGI is understood and supported.
Here you find more support
The following resources can help you support applicants in addressing IGI. They offer clear language, structured entry points, and practical tools that make inclusion more accessible.
Helping Applicants Understand What IGI Means
- Gendered Innovations 2 – European Commission: A core EU reference showing how inclusive analysis improves research outcomes. Includes examples in health, AI, energy, and mobility. Supports development of call content, review criteria, and guidance for applicants. This resource was developed by the European Commission.
- Checklist for Gender-Sensitive Research – EQUAL4EUROPE: A practical checklist for assessing gender relevance in research proposals. Helpful for designing application forms or guiding applicant reflection. This resource was developed by the EQUAL4EUROPE project.
- INSPIRE: Inclusive Gendered Innovation: This report offers a conceptual foundation for understanding Inclusive Gendered Innovation (IGI). It introduces key definitions, explains why IGI matters for R&I quality and relevance, and outlines how intersectionality can be integrated into innovation systems. The report is especially useful for funders looking to align programme objectives with broader societal needs and build a shared understanding of IGI across teams and stakeholders.
- Proposal Guidelines: IGI – J-PAL / Poverty Action Lab: Provides step-by-step instructions for applicants on how to design inclusive projects and reflect on user needs. Useful when you want to offer a structured entry point for IGI without prescribing a fixed model.
Creating Clear and Supportive Applicant Materials
These resources can be adapted for guidance notes, templates, or FAQs to help applicants understand and respond to IGI expectations.
- Best Practices in Equity and Inclusion – SSHRC Canada: Offers inclusive proposal language, examples of strong equity commitments, and evaluation tips. Helps you create clear and encouraging applicant guidance. Developed by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
- Framework for Integration and Evaluation of Sex and Gender - European Commission: Presents a structured model to support funders in embedding inclusive gender analysis in research content. Includes policy guidance and criteria for designing proposal templates and evaluation tools.
- Guide from the Spanish Institute for Women: Provides hands-on guidance for designing calls that reduce gender inequalities. Includes practical questions and examples that can be shared with applicants.
Learning from Experience:
These resources reflect how other funders have approached IGI and where applicants needed more clarity or support.
- Report from the FORGEN CoP workshop: Presents practical examples of how RFOs embed gender considerations into calls. Includes strategies like internal gender relevance checks, mandatory applicant questions, and reviewer guidance. Also highlights common challenges in communicating IGI.