Call for proposals for project cooperation in ODA-approved OSCE countries 2013

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Section for Russia, Eurasia and Regional Cooperation hereby announces funds for project cooperation in ODA-approved OSCE countries in Eurasia (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus) for 2013. The funds are allocated over the Ministry’s budget (Proposition No. 1 (2012–2013) to the Storting), budget item 164/73.

Note: Please read this call for proposals and the guidelines for the grant scheme carefully before submitting an application. All applications must be in line with the grant scheme objectives, the guidelines published on www.regjeringen.no/ud and the priorities described.

The main objective of the grant scheme is to promote democratic and social development in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus (Eurasia except Russia). The aim is to contribute to democratic development which enables the countries to manage their own challenges. The funds are used strategically, with a focus on several year- projects, larger programmes and frameagreements.

Priority sectors for the grant scheme:

• Promote good governance through capacity-building and institution-building
• Strengthen human rights and civil society, and the development of democracy
• Promote environmental sustainability
• Promote sustainable economic development
• Strengthen cooperation within education

Within these sectors contributions to promotion of European integration, regional cooperation and the countries’ fulfillment of their obligations under international conventions are viewed as added values. Also contributions to the prevention of ethnic conflict, the reduction of human trafficking and trafficking in weapons, drugs and nuclear weapons, and to the strengthening of women’s rights are added values.

Part of the grant scheme is used to support regional projects, covering more than one country, which can help to promote the objective of the grant scheme. The rest of the grant scheme is used to support projects in the individual countries.

Applications within the following sectors are accepted in 2013:

Regional projects: 1) Good governance and institution-building, 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society, 3) Energy, climate change and the environment and 4) Sustainable economic development. Projects involving contributions to promotion of European integration and regional cooperation, to prevention of ethnic conflict and to reduction of human trafficking and trafficking in weapons, drugs and nuclear weapons will be given priority.

Ukraine: 1) Good governance and institution-building and 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society.

Belarus: Primarily 1) Human rights/democracy and civil society and, if available funding, 2) Energy, climate change and the environment.

Moldova: Applications will not be accepted in 2013, as the entire budget is allocated to on-going projects.

Georgia: 1) Good governance and institution-building and 2) Energy, climate change and the environment (especially capacity building in hydropower and energy efficiency). The Ministry is funding several on-going projects within the sector of Human rights/democracy and civil society, and applications in this sector will therefore have a lower priority in 2013.

Azerbaijan: 1) Good governance and institution-building, 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society (funding will primarily be channeled through multilateral organisations) and 3) Energy, climate change and the environment (especially capacity building and strengthening of civil society).

Armenia: 1) Good governance and institution-building, 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society and 3) Energy, climate change and the environment. Only very few new projects will be funded in 2013, as large parts of the budget is allocated to on-going projects.

Kazakhstan: 1) Good governance and institution-building, 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society and 3) Energy, climate change and the environment (especially capacity building and renewable energy).

Kyrgyzstan: 1) Good governance and institution-building, 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society and 3) Energy, climate change and the environment (especially capacity building in the hydropower sector).

Tajikistan: 1) Good governance and institution-building (especially related to border management), 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society and 3) Energy, climate change and the environment (especially capacity building in the hydropower sector).

Turkmenistan: 1) Good governance and institution-building (especially in the energy sector), 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society (funding will primarily be channeled through multilateral organisations) and 3) Energy, climate change and the environment.

Uzbekistan: 1) Good governance and institution-building; 2) Human rights/democracy and civil society (funding will primarily be channeled through multilateral organisations). Only very few new projects will be funded in 2013, as large parts of the budget is allocated to on-going projects.

Priority will be given to applications for multi-year projects.

Please also note the following:

• The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education (SIU) manages project funding for cooperation in the field of higher education on behalf of the Ministry. SIU has its own system for dealing with applications and its own 2013 deadlines. Please see the SIU website for more information (www.siu.no).
• Applications for small-scale projects (of around NOK 100 000) are to be submitted to the various Norwegian embassies’ small grants funds. For more information, please contact the relevant embassy: 
    o The Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine (for projects in Ukraine and Belarus)
    o The Norwegian Embassy in Romania (for projects in Moldova)
    o The Norwegian Embassy in Russia (for projects in Armenia)
    o The Norwegian Embassy in Kazakhstan (for projects in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). 
• The Norwegian Children and Youth Council (LNU) manages project funding for cooperation in the area of children/young people on behalf of the Ministry, under the grant scheme Democracy Funds. LNU has its own system for dealing with applications and its own deadline for 2013. Please see the LNU website for more information (www.lnu.no).
• Political parties are asked to apply for funding under the grant scheme for Norwegian political parties’ contribution to democratic development in developing countries. This grant scheme is managed by Norad (www.norad.no).
• Youth wings of Norwegian political parties are referred to the LNU grant scheme Democracy Funds described above.

It is not possible to apply for funding for the same project from more than one of these grant schemes.

Applications

Deadline for 2012: 15 January 2013.

Applications, using the Ministry’s application form, must be sent electronically to post@mfa.no  with a copy to CIS-projects@mfa.no.  

Please state clearly:

1) That the application is for the grant scheme 164.73; and

2) The country/countries for which project funding is being sought.

If you have any other questions, please contact:
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Section for Russia, Eurasia and Regional Cooperation
PO Box 8114, Dep.
N-0032 Oslo
Email: s-rer@mfa.no