Norad's strategic partnership with civil society organisations

Norad is introducing a cooperation model for partnerships with large and strategically important civil society organizations (plus partner), which fulfills certain requirements for, among other things, strategic organization and professional expertise, implementation capacity and good control systems. The challenges we face in reaching the sustainability goals by 2030 require us to think anew together with our partners and that we use aid as strategically as possible. A more trust-based form of cooperation with partners could contribute to raising the quality of aid.

The plus partner model will help to increase the quality and efficiency of aid. Resources in Norad and at plus partners are to be freed up and used for strategic dialogue and a strengthened focus on knowledge and learning about what gives the best aid effect, innovative thinking and testing of new approaches. The model will contribute to a more flexible approach to challenges linked to the nexus (transitions between humanitarian and long-term aid) where relevant.

The collaboration model must: 

1. make management more efficient in Norad and at the partners
2. make aid more knowledge-based, flexible and innovative
3. differentiate management by giving large and solid partners more confidence in the implementation of measures (based on prior, thorough assessments) 

The model for strategic partnerships with civil society organizations is a formal application-based approval, applicable to the grant schemes that Norad manages, aimed at international and Norwegian civil society organisations.

Plusspartners must document that their competence, capacity, experience and systems are of such a quality that they qualify for a more general follow-up than other grant recipients.

Approval as a plus partner is formalized through a single decision which gives access to appeal. If a plus partner application is refused, and the refusal is upheld, the application can be made again after 12 months after receiving the final refusal.

Plus partners, rights and obligations

Approval as a plus partner does not in itself give a right to the granting of grants. Plus partners must apply for grants when grant funds are announced in competition with others. Assessments in application processing will, as usual, be governed by the requirements in the call text, portfolio considerations and theories of change, etc.

Organizations do not have a right to be approved plus partner status even if they meet a minimum level of quality according to the criteria. Norad reserves the right to approve those organizations that appear to be strategic partners in relation to Norwegian development policy priorities.

Partners whose application for plus partner status has been approved are given the following follow-up at Norad:

Simplified application for grants for Norad's calls for civil society organisations, in the areas where pluspartner's thematic expertise has been assessed and approved .

By simplified application it is understood that plus partners mainly only supply a short/general description of measures (what, where and with whom) and target group. It must include problem analysis, a brief description of the current situation, overall theory of change and goal formulations at different levels (for deliverables/output, categories or examples are sufficient). Overall risk analysis (not down to country level). It is not mandatory to submit a logframe. Budget is delivered at an overall level (sector/theme, country, head office/local level). Norad must have documented other relevant information at system level through the previous plus partner assessment. Norad assesses information about the measure in the application together with the information from the plus partner assessment in the application processing.

In applications for grants that involve particular risk and/or complexity, Norad may, if necessary, request more information.

Note that the simplified application process applies to topics that have been part of the plus partner assessment. Plus partners can apply for any calls they wish, in the same way as everyone else, but the right to a simplified application process is linked to a prior assessment and approval of the organisation's competence and capacity on the topic for which funds are being applied for.

Flexible financing within approved grants. The budget is agreed at the overall level, which provides a great degree of flexibility with the possibility to reallocate up to 20% between thematic budget lines and up to 30% between budget lines for countries before it is necessary to request approval of budget changes.

Plus partners can choose to allocate parts of the budget, up to 20% of the total grant amount, as free program funds used for goal achievement across the agreed target areas (theme/sector/outcome). This means (as an example) that if you have agreed on three thematic target areas, education, health, SRHR, then the free program funds must be used to achieve results within these three target areas. This should contribute to the organization being given opportunities to set its own priorities and turn around quickly. Plus partners must report on the use of the budget line so that it becomes possible to assess whether it provides added value (gives the organization the opportunity to adapt to context, opportunities and innovation).

See here for budget template for plus partners: Link to budget template

Results must be agreed at a higher level . This means that the problem analysis, the theory of change and the goal formulations must focus on the overall and overall effects that the measure seeks to achieve. Results reporting to Norad must be superior and reflect where in the program cycle you are. This means gradually less focus on activities and project deliverables in narrative reporting, and an increased focus on analysis of the programme's contribution to changes at outcome level. Contributions to change at the impact level must be substantiated where possible.

Scheme for performance management: Norad wants a greater focus on flexibility, use of partners' own systems, learning and adaptive management during the project cycle. Norad will not require a specific format or method for performance management, but the partner's method and routines for performance management and monitoring must be assessed in the plus partner assessment.

Right to a more comprehensive follow-up . By superior, it is understood that the focus must be on learning, major changes and strategic dialogue. For plus partners, plans and budgets will cover the entire agreement period and there is therefore normally no need to request approval of annual plans and budgets.

The total budget framework and a tentative annual distribution are agreed upon, depending on the Storting's appropriations. Any need to adjust the agreed annual distribution must be approved by Norad.

Large budget lines provide good flexibility to handle reprioritization between budget lines without requesting approval of revised budgets. Performance information is an important part of the strategic dialogue between Norad and plus partners, and thematic and portfolio meetings, field visits, use of evaluations and reviews are other important arenas for conveying and discussing performance information.

Financial reporting is prioritized given the overall agreed budgets. Requirement for an audit will follow from the conclusions from the plus partner assessment of existing systems. The grants are to be revised, but Norad will as far as possible adapt to the organisation's systems and help avoid duplication of work.

Plus partners are given certain duties:

• Duty to inform Norad of changes of significant importance for the plus partner approval. Significant changes can, for example, be changes in guidelines/policies that have been assessed in connection with the plus partner assessment, new strategy, or the loss of an approval that Norad has used as part of the documentation in the plus partner assessment.
• Duty to contribute to Norad's need for statistical reporting. As before, statistics must be delivered to Norad. But given a simplified budget structure, for most people it will also mean a simplification in the collection of statistics.
• Duty to arrange for Norad to carry out an inspection. Inspections are normally carried out as random samples during the contract period. The random samples will concern compliance with the criteria.
• Obligation to contribute information about program activities as part of the strategic dialogue.

Control is ensured by closer dialogue, random sampling and the plus partner's duty to inform Norad if there are major changes related to systems that were assessed when the plus partner approval was granted.

More time for strategic dialogue and results follow-up

Frameworks for interaction between Norad and the plus partner must be developed in dialogue and be based on real needs in terms of meeting places for strategic dialogue, professional exchanges, field visits, planning and reporting etc. over a year. Both the annual cycle and reporting can look different depending on where in the support period you are and what needs the partner and Norad have.

The plus partner organizations will be key contributors to goal achievement and strategic thinking related to thematic priorities. At the same time, there must also be room for interdisciplinary dialogue that goes beyond the individual sector and for dialogue that is about strengthening civil society. Joint arenas for dialogue and learning for plus partners and Norad are to be established.

Competence and knowledge

The dialogue between Norad and pluspartner will develop expertise and knowledge about the types of aid efforts and working methods that produce the best results and under what conditions.

Evaluations and reviews must be used actively and strategically in the follow-up of grants. An increased focus is sought on learning through the use of evaluations, both in individual projects and across these, and the use of this knowledge for prioritizing and developing new projects/programmes/portfolios. There must be a mutual dialogue to prioritize evaluations where it is considered most important and partners will have greater freedom to choose the type, theme and time for the evaluations to take place. 

Innovation

The plus partner model must provide room for innovation. New, useful, utilized: Innovation or innovation involves doing something new or doing something in new ways (change); it must be useful to achieve a better aid effect; and it must be realizable. Innovation requires a willingness to test new ideas, occasionally find that they don't work, and learn from it. With the plus partner model, Norad wants to provide flexibility to prioritize such processes, and to have an open dialogue about what is achieved and learned.

Topic for strategic dialogue

At all times current political guidelines will be central to the dialogue. It could be, for example, how best to work with innovation, nexus, or with human rights-based and equality in development cooperation. Locally led development is another current topic that is high on the agenda.  

The right and duty to strategic dialogue does not give pluspartner any right to influence its priorities. In line with general requirements for investigation and sound factual basis, Norad will obtain insight from various sources as a basis for designing new schemes, thematic priorities and announcements. Strategic dialogue should not be about concrete announcements. Regulations and announcements will under any circumstances be determined based on a basis that ensures that various interests and professional considerations are taken care of.