Support Programmes for NGOs
Autumn call for proposals within New Nordic Exchange Programme for cooperation between Nordic and Russian Non-governmental organisations
General Information
The new exchange programme is a sub-programme of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Knowledge Building and Networking programme in North West Russia.
The new exchange programme opens up a possibility for people socially and politically active in Russian voluntary non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to intensify cooperation with Nordic partners and apply for financial support from the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM).
The Nordic Ministers for Co-operation adopted guidelines for co-operation with North West Russia 2009-2013 on 13 November 2008. These guidelines constitute the framework for the Nordic Council of Ministers' co-operation with Russia.
In October 2006 the NCM launched a special NGO Programme for the Baltic Sea Region which funds multi-partner projects and cross-border co-operation between Nordic, Baltic, Polish, Belarusian and Russian NGOs.
The possibility to apply for financial support for joint Nordic-Russian activities within the new exchange programme is complementary to the existing NGO-programme with more flexibility. Both activities are supported by the NCM with a view to broaden and intensify co-operation between NGOs and to strengthen the civic community in the region.
The sub-programme is aimed at supporting the ongoing democracy development processes in Russia through enhancing networking between various Russian and Nordic non-governmental organizations.
The total annual budget of the programme for 2009 is 3.000.000 DKK.
The sub-programme for the year 2009 is administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers Information Office in St. Petersburg.
Programme Objectives
• Establishing and developing networks between partner organizations in the Nordic countries and North West Russia;
• Promoting exchange of knowledge, experiences and skills in socially active NGOs activities;
• Spreading information about the democratic process and values of Northern European countries, society and culture.
Two priorities of the new call for proposals of the Programme:
1) Social issues, like drug use, children at risk, etc.
2) Political issues (youth, democracy, civil society. etc.)
The new exchange programme is designed to provide seed money for new cooperation initiatives and to further develop existing partnerships. It may also support preparation of cooperation projects for participation in a call of applications in the mentioned NGO-programme. The overall aim is to enhance sustainable and long-term partnerships between Northwest Russian and
Nordic partner organizations.
Information for Applicants
Why participate in the new exchange programme?
• Possibility for Russian and Nordic organizations to develop international relations and establish lasting mutually beneficial contacts;
• Possibility to improve competences and knowledge through practical level exchange of experiences, knowledge and skills at minimal costs;
• Strengthening personal professional skills of participants in socially oriented activities;
• Being introduced to new social and political culture.
Priorities
• Priority will be given to cooperation activities including study tours for groups of 3-7 Russian participants visiting partner NGOs in more than one Nordic country;
• Priority will be given to cooperation activities with Nordic host NGOs with beginning relations to Russia;
• Priority will be given to cooperation activities including young people (up to 35 years old) actively involved in socially and politically oriented organisations, associations, groups, etc. in North West Russia.
Who Can Apply?
NGOs registered according to Russian legislation located in North West Russia including St.Petersburg, Leningrad oblast, Republic of Karelia, Archangelsk, Murmansk, Pskov and Kaliningrad regions may apply for funding.
NGOs are defined as non-profit civic organisations that are neither owned nor controlled by public authorities, nor by private companies, and which have an open, democratic structure.
Applying NGOs can include representatives and members from their partner NGOs in North West Russia in proposed study tours.
Partners from local authorities or other official institutions could also be part of a delegation if travelling together with NGO representatives.
Women and men are equally encouraged to participate in the new exchange programme.
Target Group
The target group is representatives and members of socially and politically active NGOs registered in the North West Russia including St. Petersburg, Leningrad oblast, Republic of Karelia, Archangelsk, Murmansk, Pskov and Kaliningrad regions.
Requirements for Russian participants:
• Relevant education or working experience;
• Good English or any Nordic language skills (at least one of the participants);
• At least one year of practical experience of NGO activities (all participants);
• Established contact with a Nordic host organization;
• Having a joint plan and follow-up strategy for the group trip of 3-7 persons;
• NGO registered in Russia as the lead partner and grant-receiver.
Grant Conditions
• The grant will be paid with 80% up front, and the rest when finalising documentation (reporting) is approved;
• The grant covers 80% of the costs, at least 20% should be co-financed by applicants;
• The grant can cover expenses on travel, accommodation, daily allowances, seminars and meeting materials and publications;
• Travel and accommodation should be as economical as possible;
• Salary during the study tours is to be covered by participants’ home organizations in Russia;
• The study tours should not last longer than two weeks (14 days) in total;
• The grant is valid during one year.
Budget
The grant can cover expences on travel, accommodation, daily allowances, seminars and meeting materials and publications, but the total amount granted for one participant can not exceed 20.000 DKK. At least 20% cofinancing should be provided by Russian NGOs.
Daily allowance depends on the destination. It can be covered by applicants as co-financing.
Nordic countries and autonomous territories,
Daily allowance according to the Russian legislation, USA dollars:
Finland and Aaland Islands
62
Sweden
65
Norway
79
Denmark, Faeroe Islands and Greenland
70
Iceland
70
Application and selection procedures:
Procedures
• Evaluation of applications takes up to one month after each deadline;
• Selection of grant-holders is done by the NCM Information Office in St. Petersburg;
• All applicants are notified by e-mail of the outcome of the selection;
• 80% of the grant transfer in DKK is done after the grant contracts signing;
• Internship period;
• Reports should be submitted not later than one month (30 days) after the trip, otherwise the released grant will be refunded to NCM;
• 20% of the grant transfer is paid within 10 days after the reception of the final report.
Documents for applying
• Filled in Application form (in English);
• Letter of interest from Russian home organisations;
• Letter of confirmation from Nordic host organisations;
- The following projects have been approved under the NGO-programme so far.
The deadline for Application forms submission:
15 October 2009
Documents for reporting
(should be submitted not later than one month after the trip)
- Content report (in English);
- Financial report;
- 3-5 pictures.
All the documents should be submitted by the deadline in hard copies to the following address: 236040, Kaliningrad, Chernyakhovskogo Str. 6, office 116. The application form and the content report form should also be sent by e-mail to Christina Parkhomenko cc@norden39.ru and Nataliya Khalyuk nh@norden39.ru, project coordinators and copied to Svetlana Goryunova sg@norden.ru
Any further questions are welcomed and should be sent to info@norden39.ru or addressed by the telephone +7 (4012) 72 81 72.
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Apply for funding
Programme for NGOs in the Baltic Sea Region
An annual budget of approximately DKK 5 million has been earmarked for the Nordic Council of Ministers' Funding Programme for NGOs in the Baltic Sea Region (the NGO programme). NGOs are invited to apply for funding from the programme for international co-operation projects.
Applicants should read the NGO programme before submitting a funding application.
Deadline and special requirements
NGO's are invited to apply for funding under the NGO Programme for project activities.
The new deadline for application is 14 April 2009.
The programme defines NGOs, or Non-Governmental Organisations, as non-profit, publicly anchored, civic organisations that are neither owned nor controlled by public authorities, nor by private companies, and which have an open and democratic structure.
To be eligible for funding, applicants must fulfil the eligibility criteria stipulated in the NGO programme (see below).
Projects under the auspices of the NGO programme must have - including the applicant - at least one partner in the Nordic Region, one partner from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or Poland and one partner from Northwest Russia or Belarus. In other words, at least three NGOs must be involved in a project for it to be eligible for funding. Proposals including more than three partners and partners from more than one Nordic country will be viewed favourably.
Applications must include details of the NGOs' own input towards launching and running the project. Proposals with a part of the budget financed by the applicant or a third party will be viewed favourably. Applicants in projects which are considered for funding will be contacted by the Nordic Council of Ministers for possible adjustments of the project.
It is expected that approved projects can be started no later than 3 months following the decision date.
The project must help expand the capacity of NGOs, especially in Northwest Russia and Belarus. The application must clearly show how the project will support NGOs in Northwest Russia and Belarus.
Project planning must take cognisance of the gender and quality perspective.
In order to generate synergy effects, the Nordic Council of Ministers will seek as far as possible to link up partnership projects in the same or similar subject areas.
The applicant must clearly describe the objectives of the project and how it is planned to achieve them. The objectives must correspond to those stipulated in:
Guidelines for NCM co-operation with Northwest Russia 2009-2013
The application must not be designed to help fund the regular activities, administration or projects of other organisations. Funding should be focused on launching new initiatives that should have the possibility to continue even after the specific project has come to an end.
The applicant must describe how achieved results will be used and how the project co-operation can be sustained also when funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers has ended.
Funding will not be given to infrastructure projects, e.g. for purchasing IT equipment or to cover construction costs.
Applicants must clearly state the duration of the project and whether the activities involved will last for more than one year. The Nordic Council of Ministers funds projects lasting one year and projects lasting for several years, however actual grants are only given for one year at a time.
All projects receiving funding must submit a final report to the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Projects stretching over more than one year must submit annual funding applications to the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Processing applications
For the application to be processed it will need to fulfil the eligibility criteria:
The eligibility criteria that must be fulfilled by all applicants:
- The application form and budget submitted electronically in due time and completed in accordance with instructions, with corresponding annexes and supporting documents attached.
- The objectives correspond to those stipulated in NCM guidelines for co-operation with Northwest Russia and the Baltic countries.
- The projects take cognisance of a gender equality perspective.
- Relevance for the civil society in Russia and Belarus.
- The applicant and relevant partners are NGOs, defined as non-profit, publicly anchored, civic organisations, that are neither owned nor controlled by public authorities, nor by private companies, and have an open and democratic structure.
- The proposal include at least one partner in the Nordic Region, one partner from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or Poland and one partner from Northwest Russia or Belarus.
An advisory group of Nordic representatives will assist the Council of Ministers in the review process. The selection will be based on a number of selection criteria used by the Nordic Council of Ministers to place proposals eligible for funding in order of preference, which in brief are:
Relevance to the NCM NGO programme and its specific priorities in line with these guidelines:
- Clear description of the problem to be addressed and its relevance to the programme.
Consistency of the proposal
- Coherence between the problem(s), objectives(s), activity(ies) and result(s).
- Quality of approach and sustainability.
Quality of approach and sustainability
- Coherence between the planned project results and proposed methodology.
- Clear division of tasks and responsibilities.
- Description of the actual sustainability of project results.
- Description of follow-up activities.
Applicant/partners
- Proposals including more than three partners and partners from more than one Nordic country.
- Coherence between the project objectives and partnerships.
- Level of involvement of all partners within the project and during the project design process.
- Level of co-financing.*
Quality of result
- Expected results are concrete with verifiable indicators attached.
- Cost-efficiency, including consideration related to overheads.
All applicants will be informed about the selection process.
Financial framework
Individual grants will vary in size according to the scope of the planned activity, number of partners, etc., but usually do not exceed 500 000 DKK annually.
Application form
Please use this updated Application form.
Appendices to the application form (detailed timetable, detailed budget, status/Final report (if the organisation has previously received funding from the NCM), and letters of commitment from partner organisations) must be submitted with the form but as separate files.
Please direct any queries to Fredric Larsson, Programme Coordinator, Nordic Council of Ministers by e-mail: ngo-program@norden.org or phone +45 3396 0327.
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* Co-funding may be given as a monetary contribution, either directly by the applicant or indirectly through a third party (organisation/partner/donor/authority) towards the project. To be considered as co-funding the contribution need to be directly linked to the budgetary framework provided and be an integral part of the application and the specific activities within this and provided before or during the implementation period. In-kind contributions, such as use of space, staff time or equipment, are not considered as co-funding.
Edited September, 2009
