2. Funding Priorities

Norwegian development aid is anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals, the objectives of the Paris Agreement for climate change, and respect for human rights. The Government has adopted action plans for several thematic areas of relevance for development aid, humanitarian aid, climate and the environment, which provide strategic direction. For example:

• A Just World is an Equal World: The action plan for women’s rights and gender equality
• A Society For All – The government’s strategy for the equality of persons with disabilities for the period 2020–2030
• Norway’s National Action Plan: Women, Peace and Security (2023-2030)
• Climate Change, Hunger and Vulnerability: Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction and the Fight Against Hunger
• Norway’s Humanitarian Strategy
• Opportunities for All: Human Rights in Norway’s Foreign Policy and Development Cooperation

The main objective of Norway’s aid is to fight inequality and contribute to economic development and welfare in developing countries. This is done through a coherent approach between humanitarian assistance and longer-term development cooperation as well as engagement towards peace and reconciliation.

All Norway's humanitarian efforts are based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality, and grant recipients are expected to adhere to these. For further information, see the Guidance note on ensuring respect for the humanitarian principles.

Norway’s support to gender equality is firmly established in a commitment that at least half of all bilateral aid shall have gender equality as the main or a key objective. 

Norwegian aid must be human rights-based

This requirement is clearly expressed in the annual budget propositions to the parliament (Stortinget) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Norway’s Whitepaper 10 (2014-2015): Opportunities for All: Human Rights in Norway’s Foreign Policy and Development Cooperation establishes priorities for Norway’s work for human rights in foreign and development policy.

The human rights-based approach (HRBA) is normatively based on international human rights standards and principles, and operationally directed to promoting and protecting human rights. Central principles include non-discrimination, participation and accountability. HRBA seeks to analyse inequalities which lie at the heart of development problems and redress discriminatory practices and unjust distributions of power that impede development progress and often result in groups of people being left behind. It involves empowering individuals and communities to claim their rights, strengthening duty-bearers to meet their human rights obligations, and fostering active participation in decision-making processes. Integral to HRBA is the active incorporation of human rights across all stages of project planning, implementation, and evaluation within development interventions. 

Norwegian aid must be knowledge-based 

According to Norad’s new mandate adopted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Environment in August 2024, Norad must ensure that development cooperation is knowledge-based and cost-effective. Norad is responsible for providing and developing a solid knowledge base for Norwegian development policy. 

Norad therefore generally expects applicants to document their overall knowledge base and explicitly describe the knowledge that underlies their theory of change. Moreover, partners should define their own knowledge needs, determine the type of knowledge framework they require for their efforts, and decide how to manage the information they obtain from this. The scope and ambitions of the applicant's strategic knowledge management work should be proportional to the size of the projects. The grant recipient's utilisation of knowledge and evidence will be part of Norad’s appraisal process for projects. 

Greater investments in knowledge development will lead to valuable learning, increased effectiveness and impact. Strengthened knowledge acquisition will also enable Norad to better report on the outcomes of Norwegian aid.

Norad’s Support to Civil Society – Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles apply to all of Norad’s support to civil society. They focus on the role of civil society in relation to democratisation, human rights and poverty reduction. The Guiding Principles reflect the underlying principle of “leaving no one behind” as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals, acknowledge the increased pressure against civic space and the need to transfer power in developing countries. Furthermore, they reflect the localisation agenda. The Guiding Principles form a cohesive framework for Norad’s partnerships with civil society, by providing guidance and direction for the overall planning of the support to civil society as well as a backdrop for dialogue.

Norad's environmental policy and action plan

Norad aims to integrate environmental and climate considerations into all development cooperation, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. This involves minimising the negative environmental impact of aid and supporting green development actors and international environmental goals.

Human rights, gender equality, anti-corruption and climate and environment are Norway’s four cross-cutting issues.

Norad’s funding decisions are always based on the following documents (only available in Norwegian):

• The annual National Budget (Prop. 1S) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Environment
• Annual Appropriation Letters (Tildelingsbrev) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Environment to Norad
• Thematic Grant Scheme Rules (Ordningsregelverk)

All Calls for proposals and other announcements of funding (henceforth “Calls for proposals”) are based on the above.