How to apply for SkatteFUNN?

How to apply

You create an application from the call.

You must have a user profile before you can apply. You create this by logging into My page. Inside the application form, you will find help texts that provide guidance on how to complete the application.

Describe the project well

It is important that you describe the research and development (R&D) activities clearly. We need to understand what is new knowledge and new skills (video in Norwegian) and/or what are new goods, services or the production process (video in Norwegian) you want to improve.

A SkatteFUNN project must be targeted and limited (video in Norwegian). Therefore, it is important that you only describe one project per application. If you describe several different projects in one application, there is a risk that the application will not be considered to be targeted and limited.

The upper limits for the cost basis for the tax deduction of NOK 25 million per income year apply per company per year. See more information under collaborative projects.

Tips for writing the application

In the application form, we will ask you to describe the project so that we can see if it is a research or development project. You will receive good guidance during the application form. Before you start the application form, you must be prepared to describe:

• what's new in the project
• which R&D challenge (problem) you want to solve
• which method you will use
• how many work packages you should include in the budget and what you should do in the different work packages (video in Norwegian)  
• which activities and expenses you are applying for a tax deduction for. Not all activities can receive support, see activities that cannot receive support.

It is a good idea to write the application yourself

Most people who apply for SkatteFUNN write the application themselves. There are good reasons for this. Companies know the market and their field best themselves. You know how what is to be developed differs from solutions that already exist in the market and the challenges that must be solved to reach the goal. Many companies find filling out the application form useful for planning the project.

SkatteFUNN's user surveys show that companies typically spend a total of 20 hours on the SkatteFUNN application. Those who design the application themselves state on average that they spend slightly fewer hours than those who buy consultancy help. The grant rate is approximately the same.

Submit your application before 1 September

You can submit SkatteFUNN applications all year round, but the application must be processed before the new year in order to be entitled to a tax deduction in the current year. If you submit your SkatteFUNN application before 1 September, we guarantee that your application will be processed during the current year.

We process applications received after 1 September in chronological order. If we have capacity, we will also be able to process applications that come in after 1 September, but we cannot guarantee that. Applications that are not processed by the end of the year will be transferred and processed the following year, and will not receive a tax deduction for the first year. In practice, this means that applications for one-year projects that are submitted after the guarantee deadline and that we do not have time to process will be withdrawn.

Collaborative projects between companies

If two or more companies collaborate on a SkatteFUNN project, they must each submit an application in which they describe their contribution to the project.

In the case of collaborative projects, the framework for the deduction basis is NOK 25 million per year for the companies. This means that the framework applies to the collaboration project as a whole per year.

Need help getting started?

The Research Council has tools and advisers that can help you. We can help you with both general and technical questions. Unfortunately, we cannot make a pre-assessment of a written draft of the application and appeal. If we consider that you do not describe the R&D content of the project well enough in the application, we may ask for more information before making a final assessment. 

Use the links below if you need help.

• Project canvas is a tool that helps you assess whether you have a research and development (R&D) project. SkatteFUNN provides support for R&D projects.
• The Research Council's regional representatives live and work in the regions. They know the business community well and who know who you can discuss ideas with.
• SkatteFUNN's advisers for the different industries can, among other things, answer field/industry-related questions.

If you choose to purchase services for writing an application to SkatteFUNN, you should be aware that the company is fully and completely legally responsible for the content of the application. It is therefore important that the company is well acquainted with and quality assures the project plan, budget and other information before submitting the application.