1. About the grant scheme

Norec supports global partnerships for sustainable development. Through our grant management, Norec aims to build reciprocity and trust in these partnerships. Our focus is to enable institutional development and innovative solutions driven by young professionals as holders of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

This grant scheme is aimed at Norwegian political parties and youth parties. Measures to promote democracy via political organisations represent a limited, but important contribution to democratisation in developing countries. Norwegian political parties can play a role through their international networks, engagement, and expertise in democratisation and building party organisations.

Grants under this scheme will be awarded in accordance with the criteria set out in the regulatory framework and the present call for proposals.

The grant scheme is competition based. Complete applications are processed and approved or rejected on the basis of the guidelines and criteria set out in this call for proposals. Applications are also assessed in comparison to other applications.

No applicant is entitled to a grant under this scheme, even if they meet all the formal and practical criteria.

2. Application deadlines and grant funds

• Deadline: 1 August, 2025
• Total annual allocation available: NOK 8 million
• Application processing finalised: 15 October, 2025
• Expected start date:1 January 2026
• Expected end date: 31 December, 2027

• Regulatory framework – Promotion of democracy via political parties
• Budget item – 170.70

3. Intended purpose of the grant

The intent of the grant scheme for promotion of democracy via political parties is to contribute to:

• Political parties in ODA-approved developing countries have strengthened abilities and capacity to promote democracy

Specifically, Norec aims to support:

• Increased representativeness in political parties or party systems, with the emphasis on youth and women.
• Concrete improvement in parties’ or party systems’ capacity to enact their democratic roles.
• Enhanced collaboration between parties, primarily through measures to promote reconciliation, consensus and coalition-building.

Target group

The target group for the call for proposals is:

• Political parties and party systems in ODA-approved developing countries.

4. Who is eligible to apply?

• Norwegian political parties and youth parties.

Eligibility criteria

Applicant:

• The applicant must be a legal person. Accurate and complete information on the organisational structure must be provided.
• The applicant must have its own articles of association and an accountable board.
• The applicant’s board must be administratively separate from the organisation’s day-to-day operations in order to guarantee its function as an independent control body.
• The applicant must have the necessary specialist and administrative capacity and expertise to implement the measures. Results of previous efforts within the scope of the scheme are relevant.
• The applicant must have the necessary financial capacity to implement the project.
• The applicant must have established effective communication with, and support from the collaboration partner(s). All partners must jointly develop the project.
• The applicant must demonstrate good understanding of the subject areas in focus and must have a realistic results framework for the project.
• The applicant must have good routines for risk management, internal control, and reporting to prevent, detect, and handle financial irregularities
• The applicant must confirm that the entity’s ethical guidelines satisfy the minimum requirements set out in Norec’s ethical principles,  hereunder a sufficient SEAH (sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment) policy.
• The applicant must confirm that it carries out adequate safety assessments for the entity’s employees when they are travelling and/or working abroad, and provides necessary training, guidelines, insurance and equipment.
• If the applicant is a local branch or division of an organisation, the application shall be submitted by the umbrella organisation.

Local partner:

• The applicant must be a legal person. Accurate and complete information on the organisational structure must be provided.
• The applicant’s board must be administratively separate from the organisation’s day-to-day operations in order to guarantee its function as an independent control body.
• The local partner must have good routines for risk management, internal control, and reporting to prevent, detect, and handle financial irregularities.
• The local partner must confirm that the entity’s ethical guidelines satisfy the minimum requirements set out in Norec’s ethical principles,  hereunder a sufficient SEAH (sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment) policy.
• The local partner must have adequate capacity to implement the project.
• The local partner must have the necessary expertise and competence to implement the project.

Norec adheres to the principle of “Leave no one behind”. Beyond the overall priorities and eligibility of Norec’s grant scheme as described above and below, Norec will strive to facilitate the inclusion of actors and participants who otherwise may not engage in global partnerships for sustainable development.

5. How is a project appraised?

Norec will always begin the appraisal process by assessing whether the formal criteria have been met.

Formal criteria:

• The project complies with the OECD/DAC criteria for ODA support;
• The project is in line with the objectives of Norec’s grant scheme and must seek to meet a specifically defined need;
• The applicant fulfils the eligibility criteria listed above.
• A complete application is submitted within the deadline.

Assessment criteria

If the formal criteria are met, Norec will assess to which extent the project demonstrates:

• Clear learning goals: The partners have well-defined learning goals and their own areas of expertise that complement each other and ensure mutual learning and competence development. Innovation in adopting new methods, creating added value, and finding new solutions in democracy work are valued.
• Clear results: The project has well-defined, realistic, and measurable goals, with baselines and indicators to monitor results. The needs analysis and project idea align with defined areas of expertise and learning goals.
• Strength of the partnership: The application shows each partner’s unique strengths, potential for a strong and mutual partnership, shared ownership of goals and the results framework, as well as collaboration and trust in project development.
• Strategic anchoring: The project aligns with the strategies and organizational priorities of the involved applicants.
• Relevance and alignment: The project aligns with the respective partner countries’ national development policies and priorities. Norec will assess the overall composition of partnerships in the portfolio. In this, Norec will assess, the extent to which the project adds a new dimension and learning potential to the portfolio.
• Cross-cutting considerations: Considerations for human rights, gender equality, anti-corruption, and climate and environment are cross-cutting for all Norwegian development management. These considerations must be evident across all phases of the project cycle, from design through implementation to reporting and evaluation.
• Cost-effectiveness and responsible management: The budget shows efficient use of funds. Due diligence of partners are conducted, including reference checks where relevant.
• Risk management: The applicant has identified, analyzed, and mitigated key risks, including those that may negatively impact the four cross-cutting issues. The applicant must also confirm that practical and safety arrangements are in place, such as visas/permits/insurance, training, and ethical guidelines (including SEAH).
• Sustainability and Exit strategy: The project partners must have a clear exit strategy for how learning goals and results will be anchored with each partner to ensure continuous learning and use of competence after the project period is completed.

In the case of applicants who have previously received grants under this grant scheme, experience relating to previous awards, including reporting, financial management and performance assessment, will form part of the assessment.

Parties and youth parties are encouraged to collaborate on common applications where expedient.

6. Project activities eligible for funding

Grants are available for the following:

• Activities that help to promote the development of well-functioning democratic parties and party systems in ODA-approved developing countries.
• Activities that involve collaboration between Norwegian political parties and political parties or organisations with particular expertise in democracy or political parties that contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 16 and 17 in ODA-approved developing countries.

Grants will not be provided for:

• Self-promotion, fund-raising campaigns, commercial activities or electioneering in Norway or internationally.

The grant can only cover actual costs. The applicant cannot gain profit from the grant.

Moreover, indirect costs related to the activities shall be capped at seven per cent of the total direct costs.

Feasibility studies are not normally eligible for support.

7. Project application requirements and templates

• Applicants must use Norec’s application templates to submit their application. Application templates are available at norec.no. Application forms shall be submitted in English.
• All relevant documentation shall be submitted to norec@norec.no by the application deadline
• Annexes forming part of the application may be uploaded in the following formats: .docx, .xlsx and .pdf
• Mandatory annexes include:
  • Budget
  • Results framework
  • Latest audited annual financial statement
  • Declaration on travel safety
  • Certificate of registration for local partners

New applicants must also submit current articles of association.

Other information

The minimum amount that may be applied for is NOK 500,000. Projects may run for up to two years with the option to extend in connection with future calls for proposals under the scheme.

If the application covers several measures or projects, the applicant must attach an overall plan stating the reasons for thematic and geographical priorities.

Measures that are supported through this scheme must comply with the rules of the EEA Agreement on state aid, cf. The State Aid Procedure Act.

Funding is contingent on annual appropriations from the central government budget.

The Ministry of Foreign Affair’s budget item 170.70, civil society, is exempt from the requirement concerning geographical concentration. Nonetheless, we encourage applicants to concentrate on measures involving countries and thematic areas where efforts are likely to generate the best results.

If registration of local civil society partners entails risk, the requirement for local registration may be waived. Exemptions from disclosure of project partners pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act must be justified in a separate annex to the application. If you have questions on this, please contact the responsible section of Norec.

The next call for proposals under this grant scheme is scheduled for 2027, for projects to start up in 2028.

Contact

Questions about the call of proposals for 2023/2024 can be directed to the Department of Programs at norec@norec.no.