Norec Work Exchange Grant: Call for proposals 2025 - 2026

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1. About the Grant

Norec supports global partnerships for sustainable development by funding work exchanges.

The grant scheme gives young professionals the chance to gain international experience and expertise about sustainable development.

  • Norec aims for a wide variety of work exchange projects, considering diversity in themes, competencies, locations, participants, and partnerships.

Norec supports the goals of Norwegian development policy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our development policy is designed to promote economic growth, democracy, human rights, good governance, and measures to help people escape poverty permanently.

The grant scheme is competitive; all completed applications are assessed based on the criteria outlined in this call for proposals and in comparison with other applications.

Meeting all formal and practical criteria does not guarantee funding under this grant scheme.

The application process consists of two phases:

Phase 1: Concept Development

First, applicants send a short description of their project idea to Norec. If approved, they will receive funding to meet in person and further develop their idea. Norec will provide advice and training on working effectively with an international partner and planning a successful work exchange project.

Phase 2: Project Implementation

After Phase 1, applicants can submit a full project application. If approved, the partners will receive funding to carry out the work exchange project.

2. Deadline and grant funds

Applications for Phase 1: Concept development (for new partnerships)

  • Deadline: 1 September 2025
  • Total funds available: 1,5 mill NOK*
  • Application processing: Applicants will receive a final decision within eight weeks. This decision will be either a rejection or an invitation to further develop the project idea. For applicants who are invited to further develop their project idea, the deadline for submitting a full project application will be in February 2026.
  • Expected work exchange start date: August/September 2026

*These are the total funds available for the current call for Concept development applications (phase 1). Funds available for work exchange projects (phase 2) will be announced in an updated call for proposals before the application deadline in early February 2026.

Existing partnerships

If you have an existing partnership and want to extend your project or apply for funding for a new project starting in August/September 2026, the application deadline is February 2026. An updated call for proposals will be published with more information about available funds and the exact deadline. You do not need to submit a Concept development application before submitting a work exchange application.

Existing partnerships wanting to include a new partner

If you want to include a new partner in your existing partnership, you can apply by 1 September 2025. You must first submit a Concept Development application outlining your project idea and complete Phase 1 of concept development.

3. Intended purpose of the grant

This grant aims to build mutual trust and strong global partnerships for sustainable development.

It focuses on enabling institutional development and innovative solutions driven by young professionals as holders of knowledge, skills and attitudes. It is based on Norec’s vision and theory of change. It reflects Norec’s two main principles:

  • Reciprocity: Everyone has valuable knowledge to share. All partners in a work exchange learn from each other and benefit from each other’s expertise.
  • Youth participation: Young people make up a large part of the world’s population but often lack opportunities and ability to influence decisions. Norec supports work exchanges for young people aged 18-35, helping them gain experience and contribute to their communities.

Specifically, Norec aims to:

  • Build knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote sustainable development
  • Improve organisational readiness to manage diversity and create inclusive workplaces
  • Strengthening strategic and institutional learning, innovation and development across the partnerships and within the organisations
  • Creating or supporting global networks, communities of practice, and partnerships
  • Support for mutual learning, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 17
  • Increasing ownership, knowledge, and awareness of projects among staff across partner organisations
  • Encourage innovative solutions and improve the quality of services provided by grant recipients
  • Promote positive impact for target groups and local communities

Important note

Norec-supported partnerships between Nepal and Bangladesh are currently experiencing difficulties in obtaining work permits and visas. This makes it difficult to carry out work exchanges. When assessing applications, Norec must consider whether the partners are likely to obtain the necessary permits or visas.

4. Who is eligible to apply?

Partnerships between the following types of organisations can apply for Norec grants:

  • Civil society organisations
  • Public institutions
  • Private sector companies
  • Multilateral and global organisations

Applicants must be legally registered entities within one of the specified categories. The application must include accurate and complete information about the type of organisation.

Eligibility requirements

  • Partnership approach: Applicants must apply as an international partnership and work together to develop the project.
  • Capacity requirements: Applicants must have the administrative and financial capacity needed to carry out the work exchange project. More specifically all partners must:
    • Have a board of Directors or Trustees (not applicable to all public sector institutions).
    • Have a physical office and be able to provide the participants with a relevant workspace to foster learning and exchange of knowledge among colleagues.
    • Have a digital accounting software. Excel as accounting system is not accepted.
    • Be able to receive funding from abroad.
    • Have consolidated annual audited financial statements. The audited period must not be older than 18 months. If you are exempt from being audited, you need to provide a justification and submit an unaudited financial statement.
    • Have minimum 3 full-time salaried employees working within programme, management and administration. Exceptions can be made if any of the partners only have two full-time salaried employees and adequately explains how they cover the 3rd full-time position.
  • Location: The partners are based in Norway or in one or more of the countries on Norec’s’ partner list
    • In exceptional circumstances, where Norec sees that the project aligns closely with Norec’s goals and has transformative potential, partnerships may include countries not on this list. However, projects must always be implemented in a country eligible for Norwegian development assistance (ODA countries).
  • Misconduct: None of the partners can have an ogoing case of investigation or allegation of wrongdoing with Norec.
  • Outstanding claims from Norec: The partners cannot have any outstanding reimbursement claims from Norec within the given deadline.
  • Duration of work exchange and age of participants: applicants must confirm that they intend to comply with Norec requirements regarding the duration of the work exchanges and age of staff going on exchange. The Norec grant primarily supports costs for the mutual work exchange of young professionals or volunteers aged 18 — 35. Exchanges must last from 6-18 months. Exceptions may apply and must be discussed in advance with Norec.
  • Legal compliance and responsible business practices: applicants must confirm that they comply with relevant national provisions of labour, health, safety and environmental legislation, as well as adhere to responsible business practices, if private companies.
  • Ethical principles: applicants must confirm that they meet Norec’s minimum ethical principles and have policies for preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) and anti-corruption*.

*If the Concept Development Application is approved, Norec will require partners to provide more information on the policies in above-mentioned areas in their Project Application.

Commitment to inclusion

Norec follows the principle of “Leave no one behind”.

Norec aims to support the inclusion of participants who may not typically engage in global partnerships for sustainable development.

Two types of organisations are especially encouraged to apply:

  • Organisations that are not traditional aid recipients but wish to expand their international engagement and collaboration.
  • Organisations that are made up of, or work with, marginalised or vulnerable groups
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5. How is the project appraised?

Norec starts by checking if the application meets the formal funding requirements. If it does, Norec will evaluate the application based on the assessment criteria in section 2 below.

Norec may also ask for additional information and documentation and conduct reference checks if needed.

Formal requirements

  • The applicant meets the funding requirements (see section 4. Who is eligible to apply?)
  • A complete application is submitted by the deadline.
  • The application is signed by a person with signatory rights
  • The project aligns with Norec’s intended purpose of the grant and addresses a specific need (see section 3. Intended purpose of the grant)
  • The project complies with the OECD/DAC criteria for Offical Development Assistance (ODA)

Assessment criteria

If the formal criteria are met, Norec then evaluates the project based on:

  • Capacity: the partners have good financial management and internal routines to implement a work exchange project.
  • 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 and learning: The project promotes the exchange of new, innovative knowledge, skills, and attitudes between partners. The project’s potential to inspire new approaches and broader impacts across organisations.
  • Additionality: The added value of Norec’s support to existing programmes
  • Partnership strength: The application shows each partner’s unique strengths, a strong and mutual partnership, joint ownership of the goals and result framework, and collaboration in the project description.
  • Integration with Organisational Strategies: The project aligns with the workplans and strategies of the organisations involved.
  • Clear results: The project has well-defined, realistic, and measurable goals, with baselines and indicators for tracking results.
  • Sustainability of results: the project has a clear strategy for how goals will be anchored with each partner and how results will be sustained after the project ends.
  • Expertise and Resources: partners have a good understanding of the areas for which expertise will be exchanged and have sufficient plans and resources to implement the project.
  • Support for exchange participants: There is a clear plan for mentoring and supporting participants before, during, and after the exchange.
  • Risk Management: The applicant has identified, analysed, and reduced key risks, including any that could negatively affect the four cross-cutting issues.
  • Cost-effectiveness: The budget demonstrates efficient use of funds.

Additional considerations: Norec also considers:

  • Alignment with the Norwegian Government’s strategies and relevance to partner countries.
  • The overall mix of projects in Norec’s portfolio.
  • Where relevant, attention to cross-cutting issues in Norwegian development policy; human rights, women’s rights and equality, climate change and the environment, and corruption and financial mismanagement.

Based on this appraisal, Norec decides whether to grant funding. If needed, specific follow-up measures to address any identified weaknesses may be included in the Collaboration Agreement.

Returning Applicants

For applicants who have received funding from Norec before, Norec will review:

  • Past performance on prior grants, including project results and results-based management
  • Risk and financial management
  • Support to exchange participants
  • Collaboration with partners
  • Ability to build on previously achieved results, innovate and develop the project

A project can receive funding for up to 10 years in total

When applying for a new project after reaching this limit, the partnership must either be in a new partnership/new partner composition or present new expected results/areas of expertise compared to previous projects.

6. What you can apply for

The Norec grant primarily supports costs for the mutual work exchange of young professionals or volunteers aged 18-35.

Phase 1: Concept Development

New partnerships can apply for funding to hold a partner meeting to further develop their project idea. You can apply for up to 150,000 NOK or the equivalent amount in USD based on the exchange rate at the time of application. Norec covers per diem, accommodation, necessary visas and vaccines, and travel costs.

Phase 2: Project Implementation

Partnerships that have completed Phase 1 or those that currently or recently received a project grant from Norec can apply for a work exchange project.

  • First-time applicants can apply for a two-year project.
  • Returning applicants can apply for a short-term project (1-3 years) or a long-term project (3-5 years).

Norec primarily provides funding to cover the direct costs of sending young professionals or volunteers aged 18-35 on international exchange.

This includes:

  • Salary for the exchange participants
  • Costs related to travel, insurance, taxes and housing.
  • Necessary equipment for the exchange participants to do their job
  • A small administrative grant for the partner organisations

Exchanges must last at least 6 months. Exceptions may apply.

7. The application process

This call for proposals is for new partnerships wanting to apply for a work exchange project starting in August/September 2025.

Applicants first submit a short concept note by 1 September 2025. Applicants will receive a final decision within eight weeks. Those who are approved will get funding to meet in person and improve their idea.

Applicants who complete the first phase (Concept Development Phase), can submit a full Project Application by early February 2026. Applicants will receive a final decision within ten weeks. If the project application is approved, Norec will send out an offer to the applicant with Norec’s terms and conditions.

Applications are evaluated based on the funding requirements and assessment criteria above. Norec may involve internal and external advisers in the assessment.

Applications will be processed in line with the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act.

For detailed information about the application requirements and guidelines, click here.

Go to application forms

Edited: 27.05.2025