Guidelines for grant funds Dialogue project “Capital for Development”

1. The purpose of the grant funds

The purpose of the grant funds is to encourage activities designed to promote discussion, knowledge and a common understanding of capital flows into and out of developing countries, and of the impact of such flows on development and the fight against poverty. Projects should include different actors and decision-makers dealing with issues of current concern and who can help in the shaping of a comprehensive and coherent policy in the area of capital and development. Projects may be carried out under the auspices of individual actors, or they may be based on cooperation between several actors. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities may participate as partners. Applications will be processed on an ongoing basis, with a final deadline of 1 June 2011.

The funds are primarily intended for Norwegian applicants. This does not rule out non-Norwegian applicants and projects abroad receiving funding, but a prerequisite for this is that the project promotes activities or discussion in Norway. Norwegian applicants may have foreign cooperation partners. To be eligible for grant funds, projects must fall under the OECD DAC guidelines for ODA-approved projects.

Applications will be given priority within the framework of the funds available.

The maximum amount of funding that may be applied for under this scheme is NOK 100 000 (per project application).

2. Framework for the grant funds

2.1. Projects:

Funding will be given to projects that advance knowledge and provide information, such as meetings, debates, conferences, seminars, lectures, exhibitions, educational programmes, other kinds of projects and network-building efforts, the preparation of reports, investigative journalism, campaigns, audiovisual productions, printed materials, websites, articles and news stories. Funding may also be given for secretariat functions where these are essential for carrying out activities in accordance with the objectives of the grant funds.

2.2. Actors:

The grant scheme will give NGOs, networks, companies, research institutions, private sector organisations and the social partners, the media, political parties, ministries and other authorities the opportunity to apply for funds for various events, initiatives, studies and investigative journalism.

Projects may be carried out under the auspices of individual actors, or they may be based on cooperation between several actors. As far as possible, relevant Norwegian authorities should be involved in the projects, for instance as participants in discussion panels or as co-organisers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other authorities may be brought in as partners, in which case this is to be stated on the application form, under point 3.1, cooperation partner.

Priority will be given to cooperation projects.

2.3. Focus areas:

There are six focus areas for the grant scheme, where the aim is to develop a comprehensive and coherent policy in the area of capital and development, and identify the impact of capital flows into and out of developing countries on development and the fight against poverty.

Objectives have been defined for each focus area, and priority will be given to applications that target these objectives. The focus areas and objectives are listed below in order of priority:

1) Fight illicit capital flows. Objective: Clarify whether Norway should work for a convention against illicit capital flows and gain international support for such a convention, and if so how. Objective: Initiate discussion of whether or not country-by-country reporting should be included in companies’ corporate social responsibility.

2) Promote innovative financing. Objective: In international forums, propose a currency transaction levy in order to raise revenue for global public goods, and work to increase support for such a levy.

3) Increase the tax base in poor countries. Objective: In bilateral and multinational contexts, put forward concrete proposals as to how poor countries can increase their tax revenues.

4) Seek to promote international rules for responsible lending, and for defining and cancelling illegitimate debt. Objective: Complete the framework for Norway’s review of its loans to developing countries.

5) Increase investment in poor countries. Objective: Devise projects that can help to increase public and private investment in poor countries.

6) Increase development-friendly trade with poor countries. Objective: Propose concrete projects that can increase Norway’s trade with poor countries in real terms.

3. Limitations on funding

Projects that have received funding from the Refleks project’s grant scheme “Global changes, Norwegian interests and foreign policy in a new era” (“Globale endringer, norske interesser og utenrikspolitikken i en ny tid”) cannot count on receiving funding.

4. Applications

• If the project is initiated by a local group or a branch of an organisation, the main organisation should be specified as the sender.
• When funding is sought for several projects, separate applications must be submitted for each project.
• The attached application form for the grant funds is to be used.

When the applications are evaluated, importance will be attached to the following:

• Issues of current concern that relate to ongoing processes and involve a number of relevant actors, including decision-makers.
• That the project has relevance beyond its “own” circles. For instance, applicants who only intend to provide information about their own organisation’s activities will not fulfil the criteria for funding.

5. Reporting and accounting obligations

A report on implementation of the project and project accounts are to be submitted within three months of project completion. The report should include an evaluation of the project by the grant recipient, and show how the project was carried out, the attention or support it received, and its impact. It should also describe any plans for follow-up efforts. Material that has been produced in connection with the project (such as invitations, brochures, minutes of meetings, press coverage, input into processes, etc.) should be included. Certified accounts, set out in accordance with the budget given in the application, are also to be submitted.

6. Submitting applications

Applications are to be sent both by post (signed by the project manager/person responsible for the project) and by email to:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Multilateral Bank and Finance Section
PO Box 8114 Dep
0032 Oslo
Email: hag@mfa.no
Telephone: (+47) 22 24 36 49

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2010