One of the two main goals of the EEA and Norway Grants is to increase cooperation and relations between the beneficiary and donor countries. Partnerships between entities from the beneficiary countries and their counterparts in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are therefore a fundamental part of the Grants.
Participating in partnerships is a rewarding and exciting experience with many benefits:
International experience and network
Access to knowledge, experience and facilities
Innovative approaches
Increased visibility
Stepping stone for the future
Who can become partners?
A wide range of entities can participate as donor project partners under the EEA and Norway Grants. Generally, any public or private entity, commercial or non-commercial as well as non-governmental entities, registered as legal entities in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway can become a donor project partner. Examples of relevant partners include national directorates, universities, municipalities, hospitals, theatre companies, non-governmental entities and businesses. Each project can have several partners involved.
In some programmes, natural persons who are legal residents in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway are also eligible donor project partners. This includes programmes in the fields of education and culture, as well as scholarship components under any programme.
Eligibility criteria will differ between programmes and funds, and they may be more restricted in some programmes/funds. Make sure you read the call for proposals carefully or ask the programme/fund operator before applying, to make sure you are an eligible partner.
How to find partners?
The Donor Programme Partners or in the case of the Active Citizens Fund, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Icelandic Human Rights Centre can assist you in finding a partner. They will have an overview of upcoming information meetings, partnership events, seed/travel funds and calls for proposals coming up in their field. In cooperation with the programme/fund operators, the Donor Programme Partners and the Helsinki Committee regularly arrange matchmaking events which may be of interest.
You can also explore existing databases of potential partners, concept ideas and best practices in which you can enter your information as well as express your interest in cooperation:
In Norway:
In Iceland:
- Database for finding partners from Iceland
- To find Icelandic partners for business and innovation projects, contact Business Iceland
- Civil society
The donor state embassies (for example in Norway and Iceland) are also deeply engaged in the EEA and Norway Grants and will be able to assist you in finding the right partner.
Visit the partnership guide for more detailed information on how to establish partnerships.
Covid-19: Information to project promoters and partners
The global health crisis that is affecting Europe is impacting the EEA and Norway Grants. The COVID-19 and the measures implemented across Europe to halt the spread of the virus are impacting both the projects funded by the Grants and the people involved in the project implementation.
Prolongation of projects
The EEA and Norway Grants acknowledge that many project promoters and partners are in a challenging situation and may need to postpone or cancel activities. Changes in the project implementation period must be consulted with the Programme/Fund Operator. We encourage all projects to consider alternative solutions to implementing the activity, such as online platforms, before cancelling.
Eligibility of expenditures linked to non-execution of activities due to Corona virus
Expenditure for an activity that cannot be executed due to unforeseeable circumstances and exceptional situations caused by the Corona virus developments which are beyond the control of the beneficiary, may still be eligible, if the related costs could not have been avoided or recovered by any form of insurance. Please consult the Programme/Fund Operator for more information if your project has been affected by the situation.
Find out how to facilitate bilateral matchmaking online here.
Visit our data and results portal to explore the results of previous partnerships