Demján 1+1: 2.85x oversubscription – why did only 27% of interested applicants submit a proposal?

Only 27% of those interested in the grant actually submitted their application, which is thought-provoking.
For comparison, here’s an insightful chart on GINOP programs:

source: palyazat.gov.hu

The previously announced, similarly popular GINOP Plusz calls for proposals have received over 5,000 applications in some cases. This raises a legitimate question: what caused this significant dropout rate, given that 6,800 people pre-registered, indicating strong interest?

The answer likely lies in the scoring system. As we wrote in a previous post, there were two ways to earn points to win the grant: points based on the applicant’s circumstances and financial reports and points based on commitments and project complexity.

Why were so few applications submitted despite the high number of registrations?

Unlike in previous years, the application process was different, which affected submission rates. For this grant, an initial registration through the government portal (Ügyfélkapu) was sufficient, meaning anyone could register with just a few clicks and a few minutes of effort. At this stage, there was no need to involve a grant writer, so many people registered on their own and received a queue number.

It is likely that many applicants tried filling out the form themselves, but faced technical slowdowns that forced even experienced professionals to spend hours in front of their screens. Those working alone may not have had the time to dedicate entire days to the process.

The application software was dynamic, meaning it instantly displayed the applicant’s score as they entered information. Many likely failed to reach the minimum 50 points and abandoned the process.

However, the final submission process was smooth, as reflected in the statistics - those who completed their applications successfully submitted them.

What will happen in the coming weeks?

The evaluation process will begin, during which submitted documents, price quotes, and any missing information will be reviewed. At this stage, 5-15% of applications are typically disqualified due to compliance issues, affecting 100-200 applications. After this, the applications that meet the criteria will be ranked based on their scores.

Previously, we predicted that 72 points would be enough to secure a win. However, due to lower-than-expected oversubscription, a lower score may now be sufficient. We anticipate that a large number of applicants (30-40%) will score between 50 and 55 points. Based on currently available data, those who scored above 60-62 points have very strong chances of winning.