In which language should I write my application?

The application can be written in either English or a Scandinavian language (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish).

Can the project have started before applying for a grant, or must the project be new?

The project must be new, unless you received funding from the Nordic Arctic Co-operation Programme the previous year.

Are you required to use the templates provided, or can I use my own?

You are welcome to use your own templates as long as they contain all the needed information.

If I choose a personal application, does this mean that funding from the Programme comes as an individual grant to me and not through the University, even though I am affiliated?

Yes. Both organizations and individuals are allowed to apply for funding from the Nordic Arctic Co-operation Programme, and you can apply for and receive funding as an individual regardless of your affiliation.

Our project year starts late in the year. Is there any way to apply for funding after the February deadline?

Unfortunately, there is only one deadline per year. We strongly urge our applicants to check our website for updates and keep in touch with us if there are any questions. It is up to the applicant to make sure to submit the application on time with all the required attachments.

We are a large organization with many people involved in the project. Do we need to attach CVs of everyone involved?

If there is more than one person involved per institution, the easiest option would be to pick a contact person from each partnering institution and attach their CV.

Who makes the final funding decisions?

The applications are first assessed by a local evaluation group – see here for the full list of names. After that, the Arctic Expert Committee of the Nordic Council of Ministers will review the applications and the recommendations made by the evaluation group. The Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers will have to approve the Committee’s decision before we are able to contact the applicants.

When will we know if we have been granted funding?

The results are usually sent out in May. In 2022, we experienced delays due to the war in Ukraine – due to the complex evaluation process, world events sometimes affect the processing times.

What can you get funding for? Can you apply for funding for salaries and overhead costs? If so, is there a limit?

You can apply for funding for all project-related costs, but overheads are only covered in special occasions for projects in the Arctic Co-operation Programme. You can include salaries in your grant application, but they cannot exceed 50% of the funds provided.

The maximum grant is 500.000 DKK annually, so it is possible to receive up to 1.5 million for 2–3-year projects. However, the budget template covers the whole project period. So, should we do anything to highlight the annual budgets?

If you are planning to apply for funding for the same project more than once, our budget should cover both the annual costs (which you are currently applying for) and the total costs of the project.

What should we include in the budget?

The budget must contain all expenses related to the project and this shall be done in the most transparent manner possible. It is also good to keep in mind that it makes the assessment of the application simpler if the budget is clear and easy to review.

Do we need to have additional funding? If so, is there a minimum percentage of co-financing?

It is expected that additional or co-funding is sought out, but it is not an absolute requirement. It also depends on the type of project applying for financing. We would therefore like to assess whether self-financing is crucial for an individual project and assess the importance in each individual case. We would also like to have insight into other co-financing sources and which those might possibly be. It is therefore important to be clear in the application about how the project is to be financed.

Can co-financing be in-kind contributions in the form of researcher’s salaries, office space, etc.?

Yes.

Can you apply for funding from both NAPA programmes at the same time?

Yes, you can, and you’re welcome to, if your project fits the criteria of both programmes – we always recommend combining different means of funding.

Does contractor work (e.g. translations) count as salary or other costs?

Contractor work only counts as salary, if the contractor is listed as a project partner and therefore part of the working group. If the contractor is not listed as a project partner, the work can be included as an external service the project is buying instead of a working group member’s salary.

We have received funding from the Arctic Co-operation Programme. Are we allowed to transfer funds to our partners, including non-Nordic ones?

As long as the terms and conditions are followed, it is okay to transfer funds between partners as you see fit.  The leading partner has financial responsibility for the project and is responsible for ensuring that the rules are followed.

Do the finances have to be distributed very evenly across the partners in the project or is this up to the project partners to decide that?

The project partners can decide that amongst themselves.

Do we need to order a separate audit service for our projects if they are financed by the Nordic Arctic Co-operation Programme?

If your project is managed by a public institution and therefore subject to public audit, you do not need to order a separate audit service. If your project is not subject to public audit, you should order a separate audit service.

Does it count as three Nordic partners when one person is affiliated at two universities? E.g. one partner from Norway, and one having an affiliation with Ilisimatusarfik and a Danish university?

It is recommended to have individual partners from each country, and it will increase the project’s chance of being granted funding. However, the applications and their Arctic relevance are assessed individually, so this can technically be accepted, if the project otherwise lives up to the quality criteria.

Can one organization be the main applicant in one application, and a project partner in another application? Will it reduce the chances if the organization is participating in several applications?

You will not be automatically disqualified, but it really depends on how good the applications are in general and what you are trying to find funding for. We cannot say for certain that it does not affect your chances, but we cannot say it does, either – it all depends on the individual assessment of the projects.

Can non-Nordic countries be financed by the programme?

As long as the leading partner + 2 other partners are from a Nordic country, yes – see next question.

You say that you need at least 3 partners from the Nordic countries and additional partners can be from outside the area. Does that have to be within the EU or could it be from North America?

The leading partner plus 2 other partners need to be from a Nordic country, but there is no requirement for additional partners to be from within the EU. Instead, we hope that additional partners are from Arctic states (the Arctic Council member states), but the Arctic relevance of the projects and the project partners will be assessed individually by the evaluation board.

Can my project involve a Russian or Belarusian cooperation partner?

In terms of Russian or Belarusian institutions, this is not possible at the moment. However, your project can involve Russian or Belarusian nationals residing outside Russia or Belarus, as long as they are not affiliated with a Russian institution.

Can one of the leading partners be a Master’s student?

Yes – the Nordic Arctic Co-operation Programme is not only a research cooperation programme, and people from all occupations are welcome to apply!