Support for the Establishment and Management of National and International Networks
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Purpose
The purpose of support for networks is to strengthen collaboration on research and/or innovation between research organisations nationally and internationally, and between research organisations and other relevant stakeholders (companies, public entities or other organisations). Funding is to cover the applicant’s costs relating to the establishment and operation of national networks or international networks involving Norwegian coordination. Funding may also cover the costs of participation by Norwegian organisations in international networks, and participation in and organisation of Norwegian stakeholders’ activities targeted towards strategically important platforms.
About the call for proposals
- establishment and operation of national networks;
- establishment and operation of international networks involving Norwegian coordination;
- Norwegian participation in international networks;
- organisation of Norwegian stakeholders’ activities targeted towards strategically important platforms.
Who is eligible to apply?
The call is open to approved Norwegian research organisations, companies, public sector entities, non-governmental organisations and associations.
Who can participate in the project?
Requirements relating to the Project Owner
Requirements relating to the project manager
Partners
What can you seek funding for?
Under each topic below there are requirements and guidelines on what you can apply for funding for.
Calculating support
Funding may be sought to cover budgeted project costs, not to exceed the maximum amount for the relevant thematic area.
Conditions for funding
A prerequisite for funding is that applicants comply with the Research Council’s General Terms and Conditions for R&D Projects.
Support from the Research Council to a research organisation is to be reserved for the organisation’s non-economic activity, and as such therefore does not constitute state aid. The Research Council requires a clear separation of accounts for the organisation’s economic and non-economic activities.
According to the state aid rules, support to an undertaking constitutes state aid. An “undertaking” in this context is defined as any actor that carries out an economic activity consisting of offering products or services on a given market. When an undertaking receives support to cover a portion of its project costs as the Project Owner, this support must be awarded as de minimis aid, pursuant to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013 of 18 December 2013. This means that enterprises applying for support must fill in a “Declaration form for de minimis aid”. (The form is found at the end of this call.)
Reporting and disbursement of funding
Relevant thematic areas for this call
This call is open to all the thematic areas below. Under each topic below there are requirements and guidelines on what you can apply for funding for. Please remember to select the topics most relevant to your project in the grant application form.
Climate and polar research
This part of the call has currently run out of funding.
We support the establishment of new, or participation in existing, international networks.
For polar research, we also support national networks for young researchers.
We give priority to projects relating to the following research objectives:
- climate and environment
- biodiversity
- pollution
- ocean
- the polar regions
- outdoor recreation
- cultural heritage and cultural environment
The application must describe
- the network’s international connections and impact
- how the network can benefit other Norwegian research groups in addition to the organisation itself
- what role the project manager/organisation wishes to play in the network
- why it is important to the organisation to participate in the network.
For polar research networks for young researchers (under 40 years of age), the network's national connection and significance must be described in the application.
Funding is also available for positions in international research networks. In such case, you must, in addition to the points above, provide a brief description of how the position may be of interest to the research organisation that is applying, and to other Norwegian research groups, and in what way other groups can or will be involved in the work. We can cover travel and accommodation expenses in connection with position.
What can you seek funding for?
- funding scale: NOK 250,000–1,000,000
- duration: 6–29 months
- we do not grant funding for travel and accommodation for participants and the costs of publications or material
- we do not cover costs for R&D activities
- only approved Norwegian research organisations may apply
- seminars/workshops may be included as an activity in the network, but cannot be the main purpose of the network
Contact
Cross-cutting topics
This part of the call has currently run out of funding.
The nature crisis and the climate crisis are connected. We cannot solve the one without solving the other. If we only focus on the climate part of our challenges, we risk, directly or indirectly, doing further harm to nature.
Several R&I activities, in Norway and in Horizon Europe, are currently targeting the green shift. However, many of the projects resulting from these initiatives have shortcomings regarding nature and biodiversity perspectives. We want to support networks where nature and biodiversity scientists, private companies and other actors collaborate for green transition projects. New, and existing networks in need of reinforcement, may apply.
We prioritize networks that connect R&I activities for the green shift with:
- Biodiversity and climate change
- Biodiversity and nature
Applicants must describe
- the composition of the network
- how the network will increase the focus on nature and biodiversity perspectives in the green shift
- the role of the project manager
- how participating in the network will strengthen the participants' ability to include nature, climate change and biodiversity perspectives in projects for the green shift
What can you apply for?
- NOK 500 000–1 000 000
- Duration: 12–24 months
- Every network must include at least two partners that are not research organizations (private companies, clusters, public bodies, civil organizations etc.).
- The knowledge and the competence developed in the network shall not be seen as contract research for individual companies.
- Direct costs for network administration, such as materials, rental of premises, procurement of services, seminars/workshops, travel costs.
- The wages and personal costs, including social costs, of the network coordinator. In addition, 25 percent of indirect costs can be covered.
- The funding can cover maximum 70 percent of the administration and coordination costs.
- Only researchers from approved Norwegian research organizations can apply and be project manager.
Contact
Practical information
Requirements for this application type
Please note that it is not possible to revise and resubmit grant applications multiple times for calls for proposals with open-ended submission deadlines. It is therefore important that your application is fully completed before you submit it.
Applications must fulfil the following requirements:
- The applicant/Project Owner must come from an eligible category of institution.
- The grant application must lie within the scope/satisfy the objectives of this call.
- The funding amount sought and the expenses to be covered and any own funding must be in keeping with the framework of the call.
- The budget must be formulated correctly to clearly indicate what the funding will cover.
- The application form must be fully completed.
- The required attachments must be included using the designated templates.
- The project description must provide answers to the items set out in the text of the call.
- Grant applications and all attachments may be submitted in Norwegian or English.
- All attachments must be uploaded in PDF format.
Mandatory attachments
- a project description, using the designated template found at the end of this call;
- for companies defined as “undertakings” in the state aid rules: signed “Declaration form for de minimis aid”, using the designated template found at the end of this call.
Grant applications that do not satisfy the above requirements will be rejected.
Optional attachments
- A CV for the coordinator/project manager using the designated template found at the end of this call;
- CVs for key project participants in the network, if required under the relevant thematic area, using the designated template found at the end of this call;
- any other attachments required under the relevant thematic area.
Links to websites and documents, as well as other attachments than those specified above, will not be included in the application review process. There is no technical validation of the content of the attachments you upload, so please make sure that you upload the correct file for the selected type of attachment.
Assessment criteria
Grant applications will be assessed by the Research Council administration in relation to the following criteria:
Excellence
• The extent to which the concept is sound, credible and novel.
Solidity
• The extent to which the project objectives are clear and relevant.
• The quality of the proposed deliverables from the project.
Impact
• The extent to which the expected effects are specified.
• The extent to which expected impacts on the system and societal levels are specified.
Knowledge sharing and exploitation
• The quality of the proposed communication and dissemination activities.
• The extent to which it is credible that the proposed outputs will contribute to the specified effects and impact.
Implementation
• The extent to which the Project Manager and project group are qualified and have the necessary expertise and are positioned to implement the project.
• The extent to which management structures and procedures are appropriate.
Plans and management
• The extent to which the work plan is clear and understandable, and the time table realistic
• The extent to which objectives and measures are coherent.
• The extent to which the project has the support of the leadership of the Project Owner and any partners, and the allocation of roles in the project is clear.
• The extent to which the budget is realistic and appropriate, and resources are allocated so that each of the partners can fulfil their role.
• The extent to which potential risks have been discussed.
Administrative procedures
Grant applications will be assessed by the Research Council administration.
Notification of the outcome from the Research Council will normally be provided within one month after receipt of the application, unless otherwise specified under the relevant thematic area. For certain activities, grant applications are collected and assessed at set dates throughout the year.
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Messages at time of print 6 June 2023, 07:04 CEST