Documents Required in a Bid – Step 6

Step 6: Documents Required in a Bid

As part of our grants writing service, we always keep track of all Documents Required in a Bid, so you don’t have to. Familiarity with every required file well in advance of the deadline is crucial for writing a winning bid. This ensures you avoid last-minute scrambles to produce unexpected appendices, a missed opportunity to convey vital technical and commercial details.

In the final stages of writing a winning bid, even the most technically sound and commercially aligned application can fail if the Documents Required in a Bid are incomplete, inconsistent, or misaligned. Funders such as Innovate UK, Horizon Europe, and the EIC Accelerator expect supporting documents that reinforce your proposal’s credibility, coherence, and readiness.

Most Innovate UK and other funding body applications request 2 to 4 key Documents Required in a Bid, including a Gantt chart, risk register, and financial tables. Some are mandatory, others optional — but completing them all maximises your potential impact. Appendices also allow you to present complex information visually, through charts, illustrations, graphs, and photos that bring your innovation story to life.

Why Documents Matter When Writing a Winning Bid

Strong supporting documentation enhances your score across all sections of a bid. These files allow you to:

• Demonstrate credibility through clear, evidence-based planning

• Show alignment between your work plan, budget, and delivery model

• Provide assurance to reviewers on feasibility, team capability, and value for money

Well-prepared appendices and supplemental forms also give you space to present additional technical detail, visual material, and structured plans that do not fit into the main wordcount.