Open Call opportunity for embassies and diplomatic missions of Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Åland (outside of the Nordic region) to support cooperation, promoting Nordic interest and supporting the realization of Nordic Council of Ministers Our Vision 2030 in the world.
1. General information
The Nordic Council of Ministers offers financial support for cooperation between Nordic embassies and diplomatic missions outside of the Nordic region through our Nordic Embassy Cooperation Programme (NEP Programme).
Nordic cooperation between Nordic embassies and diplomatic missions outside of the Nordic region is an important resource to promote and inform about Nordic values, solutions, thoughts, and competences in the world.
2. Purpose of the programme
The purpose of the programme is to support and inspire Nordic embassies and diplomatic missions across the world to implement Nordic initiatives to promote knowledge about Nordic cooperation with a special focus on topics that supports the realization of The Nordic Council of Ministers Our vision 2030. Our Vision 2030 objective is that the Nordic region will become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world in 2030. Projects should include activities to serve this puropse.
3. Priorities
To fulfil 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 aspects:
- A green Nordic 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 Nordic region - together, we will promote green growth in the region based on knowledge, innovation, mobility, and digital integration.
- A socially sustainable Nordic region - together, we will promote an inclusive, equal, and interconnected region with shared values and strengthened cultural exchange and welfare.
4. Projects should take into consideration interdisciplinary perspectives and involvement of civil society
Applicants should elaborate how the following interdisciplinary perspectives: sustainable development, gender equality, children’s rights and youth perspective and involvement of civil society are implemented and/or mainstreamed in the project. For inspiration please see the following links:
Children’s rights and youth perspective
Cooperation with civil society
5. Applicants (eligibility)
The programme is open for applications from the embassies and diplomatic missions of Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Åland in countries outside of the Nordic region. Furthermore national cultural institutes, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the host country, other organizations of the local/host country and other partners alike are encouraged to participate jointly with Nordic embassies or diplomatic missions. Please note that the project lead partner (applying institution) has to be a Nordic embassy or diplomatic mission outside the Nordic region.The minimum amount of participants in the project is three - one lead partner (applying institution) and two partners.
All documents (application, report and other relevant documents that will be added to the application) should be submitted in English.
6. Requirements for applying
- Nordic countries outside of the Nordic region are included:
- All projects must involve at least three of the following countries: Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Åland. However, one of the Nordic countries may be replaced by one non-Nordic country.
- Only Nordic embassies and/or diplomatic missions outside the Nordic region may apply.
- Alternatively one Nordic embassy, one Nordic diplomatic mission and one or multiple partner organizations from the host country may also qualify.
We hereby bring out some examples for the applicants to get inspiration of what combination of participation is also possible:
- two Nordic embassies and one diplomatic mission outside the Nordic region;
- two Nordic embassies outside the Nordic region and one Non-Nordic embassy or diplomatic mission;
- two Nordic embassies outside the Nordic region and one partner organization (or more) from the host/local country;
- one Nordic embassy outside the Nordic region, one Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the host country and one Nordic Cultural institute or organization of the host/local country.
NB! The project lead partner (applying institution) has to be a Nordic embassy or Nordic diplomatic mission outside the Nordic region. Involvement is defined as helping to run or implement the project. Involvement of other Nordic and/or local partner is regarded as a particular positive asset.
- The project is aligned with the Nordic Council of Minister’s Our vision 2030
Projects financed with Nordic funds must be linked to the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Our Vision 2030. Vision 2030 is the strategic vision for Nordic cooperation, with the objective that Nordic Region will be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by the year 2030. This means that in order to apply for the grant call your project must incorporate one or more of the following aspects in its preparation, objectivity and activities:
- A competitive Nordic Region: Together we will promote green growth in the Nordic Region based on knowledge, innovation, mobility, and digital integration.
- A green Nordic Region: Together we will promote the green transition of our societies and work towards carbon neutrality and a sustainable, circular, and bio-based economy.
- A socially sustainable Nordic Region: Together we will promote an inclusive, gender-equal, and cohesive region with shared values, increased cultural exchanges, and enhanced welfare provisions.
- The project helps to add Nordic value
Nordic value is defined as:
- the project being a collaborative effort between the Nordic countries
- the outcomes benefit the Nordic countries
Activites carried out before approval of a project are not reimbursed.
7. Criteria for support
Decisions on grants are based:
1) the quality of the application and
2) the following criterias:
- The application has been submitted in due time and in accordance with the requirements in the application form and the guidelines.
- The applicant fulfils the requirements for eligibility (section 5 above).
- The activity fulfils at least one of the Nordic Council of Ministers Our Vision 2030 12 objectives. Fulfilment of multiple Our Vision 2030 objectives (incorporating two or more objectives e.g. one objective from a green Nordic region and a one objective from competitive Nordic region etc.) is considered positive in the evaluation.
- The activity takes into consideration interdisciplinary perspectives (sustainable development, gender equality, children and young people´s rights) and involvement of civil society.
- Priority will be given to applications where the leading applicant or partners in the project have not previously recieved grants from Nordic Council of Ministers or other funding bodies.
- Co-funding and Self-funding of certain costs will be considered positive in the evaluation.
- Involvement of more than three Nordic embassies or diplomatic missions in the project is considered positive in the evaluation.
- Involvement of multiple Nordic and/or local partners/organizations in the project is considered positive in the evaluation.
8. Outcome of the application
Decisions can be expected within 8 weeks after the deadline of the application. All applicants will be informed about the outcome of the selection process. The decisions cannot be subject to appeal.
9. Financial framework
The official currency of the Program is Euro (EUR). A total of approximately 536 000 EUR annually has been earmarked for the Nordic Embassy Cooperation Programme. Funding opportunities for eligible applicants are divided into two categories:
- Financial support for smaller projects with a budget no greater than 5000 EUR.
- Financial support for medium to large projects with a budget of at least 5000 EUR up to a maximum of 45 000 EUR.
Financial support for small projects is granted to support branding activities (e.g. Business promotion, Nordic food, film or music festivals, podcast series etc.) with the purpose of informing about the Nordic region, Nordic solutions, and the Nordic cooperation in the host country.
Financial support for medium to large projects is granted to support united Nordic activities and arrangements working with the agenda of as well as promoting the Nordic Council of Ministers Our vision 2030. Such projects could consist of a single large event or a series of activities (e.g. Promotion of gender equality in the host country, Sustainable development of architectural solutions between host country and other countries etc.).
NB! Please note that if you have unused funds received from Nordic Council of Ministers, the surplus will need to be returned to Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia after completed project.
9.1. Eligible costs
Eligible costs of the Nordic Embassy Cooperation Programme are considered:
- Project implementation expenses:
- Fees to experts, salaries to project staff
- Travel expenses (accomodation, daily allowance, travel insurance)
- Subsistence expenses (catering, meals, staging, etc. which are associated with seminars, conferences, etc.)
- Meeting expenses
- Other expenses related to project implementation
- Project communication expenses:
- Print, layout, website
- Information about the project (reaching relevant stakeholders and relevant target groups, -audience)
- Communication of results (publications etc.)
- Other expenses related to communication
9.2. Non-eligible costs
Non-eligible costs of the Nordic Embassy Cooperation programme are considered:
- Equipment, regular activities and administrative costs of the applicant
- Other costs which are not in harmony with the objectives of the programme
- Activities carried out before the decision on funding from the programme
9.3. Payment procedures
85% of the allocated grant is paid as advance payment. The remaining part (15%) is paid after a report (content and financial) has been submitted and approved by Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia.
10. Application rounds
Each year there will be two rounds of applications. The first grant call will be announced in Q1 and the second grant call will be announced in Q3. All the openings of the grant calls will be announced on the home page of the Nordic Council of Ministers www.norden.org and the home page of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia www.norden.ee. We advise applicants to subscribe to NEP-Grants newsletter to get notified about new application rounds.
Please note that we cannot accept spontaneous applications.
11. Duration of activity / Project period
Applicants must clearly state the duration of the project. The grant must be used and all the activities of the project must be completed within 24 months from the announcement of the grant call.
12. How to apply
Applications, reports and other relevant documents are to be submitted on-line using the electronic application and reporting system at www.nepgrants.org before the deadline.
13. Reporting requirements
A report is to be submitted on-line using the electronic application and reporting system at www.nepgrants.org no later than 30 days after the end date of the project.
The report consists of a content report and a financial report. Please see the report form example (PDF) in Application, Report Example section.
The content report is based on the headings and information you provided in your application when you applied for funding. You must include a summary of the project results as well as any changes and results for each main goal in the project description. In the financial report, you must follow up on the budget that you submitted at the start of the project.
Copies of receipts and/or tickets (scanned) should be added in the financial report in a list. Please give numbers to each receipt and/or ticket with an explanation in English and with the corresponding sum in currency of payment and EUR. Originals of receipts and/or tickets should be kept by the applying organisation for 5 years.
The reports should be written in English.
14. Project results
All publications, announcements, etc. which at any given time derive from the funding awarded from the Nordic Embassy Cooperation Programme must carry the Nordic Council of Ministers' logo.
Logo of the Nordic Council of Ministers
The grant recipient must refer to the Nordic Council of Ministers when informing about the programme in communication activities.
Publications, including reports, websites, and other information material, produced under this project shall contain the following disclaimer: This publication has been produced with the financial support from the Nordic Council of Ministers. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the coordinators of this project and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
15. Auditing
As Nordic embassies and/or diplomatic missions are part of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the respective country, these are subject to the national audits. Thus, for Nordic embassies and/or diplomatic missions there is generally no requirement for specific auditing.
16. Questions
Questions related to the application can be found in the FAQ section. In case of other questions please contact directly Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia adviser Merilin Kolk, Mob: +372 5855 1207, e-mail address: