The 2nd round of the application programme, Prosperous Future, is open from 19 December 2023 until 29 February 2024. The programme supports Nordic organisations’ cooperation for a green, democratic, and resilient region with civil society in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and partners from civil society organizations with relation to Ukraine as well as independent partners with relation to Belarus and Russia.
1. Background
Since 2006, the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) has carried out grant programmes with the aim of supporting cooperation between civil society in the Nordic countries and organizations in the Baltic Sea Region, including Ukraine, Belarus and Russia on issues of mutual interest.
With Prosperous Future, the NCM aims to continue to enable and strengthen the people-to-people cooperation in the region by supporting civil society and democratic development towards sustainable and resilient societies in line with The Nordic Council of Ministers’ vision and strategic priorities.
2. Purpose of the programme
Supported projects may span a wide variety of themes under Vision 2030, including education and culture.
Furthermore, the strategic priorities of Vision 2030 and the 12 Vision goals are enforced by the three horizontal perspectives: Sustainable development, Gender equality, and Children and Youth. Please read our policy here: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2020-719/
The project activities must be connected to at least one and a description should be included in the application.
3. General requirements
To fulfill Our Vision 2030, The Nordic Council of Ministers has established a set of strategic priorities. This means that all undertakings should fulfil at least one of the following priorities:
- A green region – together, we will promote a green transition of our societies and work towards carbon neutrality and a sustainable circular and bio-based economy.
- A competitive region – together, we will promote green growth in the region based on knowledge, innovation, mobility, and digital integration.
- A socially sustainable region – together, we will promote an inclusive, equal, and interconnected region with shared values and strengthened cultural exchange and welfare.
Moreover, each project should incorporate at least one and maximum 2 of the 12 vision goals connected to the strategic priorities:
A green Nordic region
- Carbon neutrality
- Biodiversity
- Circular Economy
- Sustainable Consumption
- International Cooperation
A competitive Nordic region
- Innovation
- Labour markets
- Digitalisation
A socially sustainable Nordic region
- Health and Welfare
- Inclusive Transition
- Civil Society
- Cohesion
Read more about Our Vision 2030 here:
Supported projects may span a wide variety of themes, including education and culture.
Furthermore, the strategic priorities of Vision 2030 and the 12 Vision goals are enforced by focusing on three cross-cutting thematic areas. The project activities must be connected to at least one and a description should be included in the application:
- Sustainable development
- Gender equality
- Children and Youth.
4. Applicants (eligibility)
4.1. Eligible Partners
Group 1: Civil society organisations from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Aaland Islands
Group 2: Civil society organisations from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland
Group 3: Independent partners from civil society with relation to Ukraine as well as Belarus, and Russia
4.2. Eligible partner structure
Minimum one partner from a Nordic country (group 1), and
Lead partner must be from group 1, or group 2, and
As a minimum, there must be partners from three different countries, and the partners must be from at least two of the above mentioned groups.
Priority is given to high quality projects with at least one partner from each of the three groups of countries.
Moreover, partners must be independent civil society organisations.
Partners from other countries than the above mentioned can be part of a project, however, their expenses cannot be covered by the NCM grant.
Project location: Projects cannot take place physically in Russia.
4.3. How much can be applied for?
A minimum amount of 300.000 DKK and a maximum amount of 500.000 DKK per project can be applied for.
The total budget for the Prosperous Future programme is 8.000.000 DKK.
4.4. Timeline for project activities
It is expected that projects can begin 1 June 2024 and last until 30 September 2025.
5. Evaluation criteria
Implementation, including
- Coherence of the project in relation to the objectives of the programme
- Project feasibility (Are results realistic? Coherence of activity plan - is there coherence between objective, activities, results, and timeline?)
- Innovative nature of the project (does the project include new approaches, and new and relevant topics/questions)
Strategic focus, including
- Support of Our Vision 2030 and strategic priorities: a green, a competitive, a socially sustainable region
- Focus on the cross-cutting thematic areas: Sustainable development, Gender equality, and Children and Youth
- Results in Nordic added value and synergies (Does the project foster long-term cooperation, use specific Nordic competencies, or ensures transfer knowledge between the Nordic countries, the Baltics, and the Adjacent Areas?)
Quality of partnerships, including
- Are partners from all three groups included?
- Capabilities of Lead and other partners
Financial sustainability, including
- Budget (Is the budget realistic, cost efficient, transparent and is co-funding/self-funding included?)
Effective communication effort, including
- Does the project have an effective communication plan?
Furthermore, thematic and geographical diversity will also be taken into account in the overall selection of the projects to receive a grant.
6. Attachments/mandatory forms
The application should include the following attachments and be completed by using the mandatory forms for the project description and budget form. Guidance to filling in the forms are included:
- Project description (English version) (template below)
- Budget form (English version) (template below)
- Work/Activity Plan with a timeline in English (template below)
- Letter of commitment in English from all partner organisations. Letters must demonstrate commitment of partners to supply resources to ensure successful implementation by outlining the specific roles, responsibilities and contributions of each project partner.
- CVs for project management
- Communications plan (template below).
Project Description
This programme has special requirements for partnership structure and participation that differ from the general NCM rules on participation. Therefore, please closely read the requirements described in these guidelines. Consequently, when filling in the obligatory project description template, in section 2.9 of the template, instead of describing the project activities and timeline, please use the mandatory form (Excel) Work-Activity Plan below and make a reference hereto in section 2.9.
Moreover, section 3.3, does not apply to this programme. Instead, please use the dedicated fields in the Application Form, in which you are required to describe the partnership structure and the role of each partner participating in the project. In section 3.3, you should make a reference to the Application Form.
Budget
- Eligible costs in the project includes for example: travel and subsistence expenses, meeting expenses, incl. venue, communication, fees to experts and salary to project staff.
- The Budget must be stated in Danish kroner (DKK).
- It is required to include a minimum of 6% and a maximum of 10% of the total budget to cover unforeseen expenses.
- If overhead is included, a maximum of 7% of the total budget is allowed.
- If the project is co-funded, please indicate the split in the budget form. Self- and co-funding is an advantage but no prerequisite. Please only include official monetary contributions. In kind contributions should be mentioned in the narrative text only.
- Please use the budget notes in the form to explain the budget lines. For example, if you have expenses paying a salary to a project manager or staff, or fees to consultants, please indicate how many “man hours” or “Full Time Equivalents (FTEs)” are included.
- An audit of the project is required for this programme (Exception for organisations audited by the national auditor’s office). Costs for independent audit should be included in the budget and in the complete financial statements in connection with the final reporting.
- Please note that there are 3 sheets in the template and you have to fill in sheet 1 “Total budget” and sheet 2 “Budget notes”. Sheet 3 “Budget overview” should not be changed. It is an automatically generated overview of the total project budget (sheet 1). You may have to click on the little arrow at the bottom of the page and scroll to the left.
Further information and links to mandatory documents can be found here:
7. How to apply
Applications, reports and other relevant documents are to be submitted online using the electronic application system at www.ncmprosperousfuturegrants.org before the deadline.
- To apply, the lead partner must submit a joint application for all involved partners. The Lead partner will be responsible for the transfer of funds to its project partners and for delivering the joint financial and narrative reports as required by the NCM.
- The application form can be found by clicking on the “Apply” button on the front page here.
- Please make sure to use and upload all the mandatory forms and documents.
- The Secretariat will, where relevant, make assessments of partners.
Application deadline
- The call for applications opened 19 December 2023.
- The application deadline is 29 February 2024.
Process
- When the application is submitted, the NCM Secretariat (NCMS) ensures that the application meets the eligibility criteria and assessment of the applications. Based on the assessment of the Secretariat, the final prioritisation of applications is decided by an Advisory Group, consisting of advisors from the ministries of foreign affairs of the Nordic countries. Hereafter, the NCM Secretary General will make the decision regarding the projects to receive a grant.
- The NCMS determines the final amount of the grant. It is expected that results will be made available to the applicants by the end of April 2023.
- Please note that decisions are not subject to any appeals.
- A list of granted projects will be made available on the website.
8. Contact
Questions regarding the application can be directed to