Youth Engagement, Global Justice and Climate on the Agenda

Norad has completed the selection of applications for funding under the Information and Awareness-Raising grant scheme. 23 organisations are awarded funding for the 2026–2030 period, reflecting wide thematic and organisational diversity.

– We received a diverse set of applications. We have strong confidence that the selected organisations and their projects will contribute to critical reflection, engagement and fact-based public debate on development policy and global issues, not least among young people, says Norad Director General Gunn Jorid Roset.

Strong interest

The information support scheme targets Norwegian non-profit civil society organisations. Its objective is to strengthen public knowledge about global environmental and development issues, stimulate critical reflection and fact-based debate, and foster engagement for fair and sustainable development – particularly among young people and young adults.

Interest in the scheme has been high. Norad received 53 applications, with a total requested amount exceeding NOK 900 million. This is significantly higher than the funds available. All organisations holding information support agreements for the 2021–2025 period applied for substantial budget increases, often between 25 and 300 per cent compared to current agreements.

– The large number of applications shows that civil society is keen to invest in information work. At the same time, budget constraints have required us to make difficult priorities, says Roset.

Tough competition

Applications were assessed in competition with one another, and the allocations reflect an overall assessment of relevance, quality, implementation capacity and expected achievement of results, within the framework of the scheme’s objectives and the priorities set out in the call for proposals. Among the recipients are both organisations that have previously received funding and entirely new applicants.

– We are pleased to be able to continue well-documented initiatives while also bringing in new voices and perspectives. Preserving a diversity of themes, approaches and actors has been essential. The scheme is intended to include both small and large organisations and a variety of professional and methodological approaches, emphasises the Norad Director General.

 

The allocations span the following thematic priorities:

• Children’s and young people’s global engagement and learning

• Democracy and human rights in developing countries

• Global justice, solidarity and Norwegian development policy

• Climate, nature and environmental issues

• Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)

• Sustainable food systems and trade

• Economic justice

Recipients of the support:

Children’s and young people’s global engagement and learning

Operasjon Dagsverk, Save the Children Norway (Redd Barna) and the Norwegian Children and Youth Council (LNU) receive funding for projects that aim to increase young people’s understanding of global environmental and development issues, strengthen their belief in their ability to participate in social and political processes, and provide concrete arenas for participation. Through campaigns, school-based programmes and other structured learning arenas, the projects facilitate low-threshold participation, practical engagement and real influence.

Democracy and human rights in developing countries

Utsyn – Norwegian Forum for Foreign and Security Policy, YMCA-YWCA Global (KFUK-KFUM Global), the Norwegian Red Cross, the United Nations Association of Norway (FN-sambandet), Human Rights Human Wrongs (HRHW) and the Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH) receive funding for projects focusing on democracy and human rights in developing countries.

The projects address the consequences of war and conflict, democratic backsliding, and pressure on civil society and academic freedom. They will highlight the importance of a rules-based international order and place global power and rights issues in a Norwegian context through debates, education and public outreach.

Global justice, solidarity and Norwegian development policy

The Strømme Foundation, Norwegian Church Aid, ForUM, Litteraturhuset, the Joint Committee for Palestine (FUP) and the Latin America Groups in Norway (LAG) receive funding for projects that highlight perspectives from civil society, local communities and marginalised groups in the Global South. The projects aim to strengthen public understanding in Norway of how political decisions, economic power relations and international frameworks affect people’s living conditions and rights.

Climate, nature and environmental issues

WWF Norway and the Rainforest Foundation Norway (Regnskogfondet) receive funding for projects on how plastic pollution and deforestation disproportionately affect poor countries and Indigenous peoples. The projects will examine how Norwegian policy, consumption and international engagement on climate and nature influence global developments, providing the Norwegian public with a stronger basis for understanding and influencing relevant political processes.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)

Sex og Politikk receives funding for projects aimed at increasing public knowledge in Norway about global setbacks in sexual and reproductive health and rights, particularly in developing countries, and demonstrating how attacks on these rights are linked to democratic backsliding, increased polarisation and changes in international development policy.

Sustainable food systems and trade

Future in Our Hands (Framtiden i våre hender), Fairtrade Norway and FIVAS/FIAN Norway receive funding for projects focusing on sustainable food systems and trade. The projects will show how decisions, production methods and consumption patterns in the Global North affect living conditions, rights and natural resources in the Global South. Through research, visibility and communication, the projects aim to increase understanding of the links between trade policy, food security, climate and the environment, while engaging consumers, students and other target groups.

Economic justice

Tax Justice Norway and Debt Justice Norway receive funding for projects that draw attention to how global financial systems, tax avoidance and debt affect developing countries’ ability to finance welfare, reduce inequality and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The projects will make complex economic issues more accessible and contribute to better-informed public debate and decision-making.

Norad aims to enter into agreements with the selected organisations over the coming weeks.