As outlined through the above sections, priorPrior contact with the advisor and detailed discussions on the topic are crucial before an application to a funding body. A potential advisor will personally work with their preferred applicant in preparing the funding proposal for the position.
As mentioned in the paragraph on qualifications, the candidate is expected to have the knowledge of, and experience with using, the state-of-the-art approaches from the area of research of their potential PhD. Therefore, for contacting potential advisors, I would strongly suggest highlighting specific mutual research interests and your specific and relevant experience, rather than just indicating a general interest in the potential advisor or their research.