A record number of organisations, companies, and institutions have applied for Norec funding for global partnerships in this year’s call for proposals for feasibility study.

“We received a total of 80 applications. 58 of these are from organisations, and the rest are from companies and institutions,” says Sille Lukowski, head of section – NGOs.

The application process for new partnerships with Norec is divided into two stages:

In the first stage, they can apply for funding for a preliminary study, called feasibility study. This is a phase where they can develop the idea of the expertise they want to work with in the partnership.

If support for the preliminary study is granted, they can then apply for funding for a collaboration agreement in the next round. This agreement is more comprehensive and detailed. The preliminary study must be completed and approved before the partners can apply for a collaboration agreement.

Har shifted from two deadlines to one

Previously, Norec had two deadlines for feasibility studies, one in February and one in August. This year, Norec has shifted to a single deadline, which was 15 August.

“We are very pleased with the number of applicants. It shows that there is a need for the funding and that people are curious about both us and our funding model. The value om international collaboration and partnership is increasingly being recognised,” says Lukowski.

The applications come from partners in countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

“Many of the applications are from actors in our partner countries. But this time, we also see interest from countries we don’t usually receive applications from. It’s interesting to see new countries on the list,” says Lukowski.

Efforts yielding results

There are several reasons why the number of applicants remains very high.

“We have made extra efforts to engage with relevant stakeholders, and we see that we have reached more actors and platforms,” says Tehetena Woldemariam, head of section – public institutions and private sector.

Compared to previous years, the ratio of applicants from non-governmental organisations (NGO), and public institutions and private sector (NOS) is consistent.

Shift in project themes

New this year is a change in the themes of the projects. Increasingly more applicants have taken note of the Norwegian government’s prioritised areas for development cooperation.

“There is a clear shift towards climate, environment, and food security. In the NGO section alone, we see that half of the projects focus on this theme,” says Lukowski.

The fund available for preliminary studies is around one million Norwegian kroner, and the applications will be processed by 4 October.

“The important thing now is to assess the potential for successful collaboration and effective projects. Furthermore, we look at the potential for them to apply for a collaboration agreement, a so-called CA application, that can be approved,” says Lukowski.

The deadline for CA applications is 15 January. The allocation of funds is expected in the second half of 2025.