Mandatory Project Outlines for Defense capability, Security and Preparedness:
Download templates
Important dates
05 Jun 2026
Deadline for submitting an outline
21 Aug 2026
Expected response to the application
Important dates
Purpose
By submitting an outline, you become eligible to apply for the Centre for defence capability, security and preparedness call for proposals. The purpose is to mobilise project ideas and stimulate collaboration to develop competitive applications for centres. It is mandatory to submit an outline in order to apply for the main call, and applications for the main call must be based on one or more of the submitted outlines. The purpose of the main call is to establish five to nine centres for defence capability, security and preparedness.
About the call for proposals
The Research Council is announcing up to NOK 450 million for five to nine centres of varying sizes, ranging from NOK 40 to 100 million. The centres have a duration of up to five years and will start in 2027.
The call is divided into two parts: a mandatory outline call (this call) and a main call with a tentative deadline of November 2026. Applications for the main call that are not based on one or more submitted outlines will be rejected.
The outline round is an open invitation to innovative centre ideas and will help promote coordination and cooperation between actors who wish to submit an application.
The main call for proposals will be published as a preliminary version with limited information. More details about frameworks, conditions, guidelines, requirements and templates will come before the summer of 2026.
The goals of the centres
The main objective is for the research performed in the centres to contribute to solving challenges and strengthening knowledge and innovation in line with the main priorities of the national security strategy (in Norwegian): strengthening defence capability, making society more resilient and strengthening Norway's economic security.
One of the centres should deal with societal security and emergency preparedness. The main objective of this centre is to strengthen research and innovation for the prevention and management of various crises and incidents that threaten fundamental values, functions and infrastructure in society, and that endanger life and health. The centre for societal security and emergency preparedness will be funded with NOK 50 million.
Another goal for the centres is to make greater use of the expertise in the civilian research and innovation system in defence, security and emergency preparedness, and to develop and use the opportunities that lie in civil-military research cooperation. For the centre, which deals with societal security and emergency preparedness, it is a goal that research organisations and actors outside the research sector work together to develop new knowledge to meet important societal challenges.
The centres will act as a unifying force for national research and contribute to establishing long-term research activity in collaboration with industry and users from the defence sector, other parts of the public sector, the business sector and other societal actors.
The call is available in both Norwegian and English. The text of the Norwegian call for proposals is legally binding.
Who is eligible to apply?
Approved Norwegian research organisations, companies and public agencies can submit outlines.
Only approved Norwegian research organisations are eligible to apply for the main call. See the list of approved research organisations.
Who can participate in the project?
Research organisations, the industrial sector, the public sector and other organisations can participate in the outlines/centres. More details will be given in the main call.
What can you seek funding for?
The call for proposals does not include any funding.
Relevant thematic areas for this call
Defense Capability, Security and Preparedness
Practical information
Requirements for this funding scheme
The outline must be written in Norwegian or English (but note that the main application must be written in English).
An outline can only be submitted once. It is not possible to edit submitted outlines. Therefore, do not press the "submit" button until the outline is finished and ready to be submitted. When you submit the outline, you will immediately receive an automatic confirmation that the outline has been received. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submission has been verified.
The outline must be created and submitted via My RCN Web. A separate template must be used for the outline. You can download this at the bottom of the call.
The outline description and contact information are uploaded as one PDF file. The document should not exceed five pages and it is not possible to upload more than this.
Administrative procedures
All the outlines will be assessed administratively by the Research Council. This is a simple assessment that checks whether the template has been used and whether all the points have been answered. Outlines that do not follow the template or that have not responded to all the points will not be eligible to submit an application in response to the main call.
What happens to the outlines?
All approved outlines will receive short, written feedback from the Research Council on the content of the oultine. The feedback will be a general assessment of potential and whether the outline satisfies the formal requirements for a centre for defence, security and emergency preparedness, and whether it falls within the purpose and framework of the call. A professional assessment will not be given, but if relevant, you will also be able to receive a recommendation for cooperation or to consider other schemes and instruments.
We will publish the title, project owner, contact person, actors and summary of each outline. This will give applicants and stakeholders an overview of submitted outlines, who is behind it and possibly who to contact for possible collaboration. The Research Council will initiate various meeting places that give the actors the opportunity to discuss and collaborate on applications.