Responses to Request for Clarifications: Strengthening Information Integrity and Media Resilience in Moldova
Q: Does our profile — a public operator, non for profit, with established local partners but without permanent legal presence in Moldova — satisfy the eligibility requirement under Section 2 of the call ('non-profit/civil society organisations with physical presence or established partners in the Republic of Moldova')?
A: Applicants must be registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) or civil society organisation (CSO), depending on the legal terms in the country of registration. Public agencies/companies without NGO status are not eligible under this call. Legal presence in Moldova is not a requirement.
Q: Are consortium members/collaborating partners (subgrantees) expected to enter exclusive partnerships with the Lead applicant? Are editorially independent media and/or CSOs allowed to join different consortia?
A: In accordance with the call for proposal’s section 4, applicants may submit only one application and/or participate in one consortium. This means that editorially independent media and/or CSOs may only join one joint application/consortium.
Q: Can you please explain in detail what you mean with “Theory of Change”, and provide some examples/guidelines of what you expect?
A: Guidance on this is provided in the Grants Handbook section 4.1: 4. Application | Norad.no
Q: Could you please provide some information/explanation on the OECD/DAC criteria for ODA (Official Development Assistance)?
A: Please consult Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 1.1. on the landing page of the call.
Q: Can you please provide a template for a MERL plan?
A: Norad does not require a specific template for knowledge plans / MERL plans. Please consult the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 4.9 on the landing page of this call.
Q: We understand that several applicants may submit a joint application, but that only one applicant may apply on behalf of the collaborating partners, i.e. as the lead of a consortium. The call specifies that if the application is successful, this applicant will be the administratively and financially responsible grant recipient, while the other collaborating partners will become sub-grantees. Our question: Are consortium members governed by the same conditions as the 'small-scale' grants referenced in the call — meaning that their involvement would also be defined by a sub-grant agreement of up to EUR 100,000 per year, with a duration of up to 36 months? Or, as cooperating partners, are they subject to different rules?
A: Cooperating partners that are specified in the application and whose costs are specified under “DIRECT PROJECT COSTS (HQ/Regional/Country Office/applicant consortium partners)” in the budget template, are not subject to any restrictions regarding agreement size and duration. We have updated the text of the call for proposals to clarify this. Please see the updated excerpt from the call for proposals:
“Applicants that collaborate on an initiative may submit a joint application. Only one applicant may apply on behalf of such collaborating partners i.e. consortium. If the application is successful, this applicant will be the administratively and financially responsible grant recipient while the other collaborating partners will become sub-grantees. Update 09 April 2026: For such collaborating partners, the limit of maximum EUR 100 000 and a maximum duration of 36 months for small-scale grant agreements stipulated in section 1. do not apply.”
Q: The eligibility criteria states "Non-profit/civil society organisations with physical presence or established partners in the Republic of Moldova." Could you please define what is meant by "NGO with established partners"? Can an INGO registered in the EU but working with local Moldovan partners be eligible to apply as part of a consortium?
A: The eligibility criterion means that applicants must be NGOs that have a concrete link to Moldova, either through a physical presence in the country or through cooperation with local Moldovan partners. An international NGO registered in the EU or elsewhere without physical presence in Moldova but working with local Moldovan partners is therefore eligible to apply, either as part of a consortium or as a single applicant, provided that the project foresees substantial support to local actors. Existing partnerships with Moldovan independent media and/or CSOs from previous collaboration or projects will be considered an asset.
Q: Could you please confirm whether a non-profit NGO that is legally registered in the Republic of Moldova is eligible to apply as lead applicant, even if it has no connection to Norway?
A: Affiliation to Norway is not relevant for this call. Moldovan NGOs are eligible to apply as single applicants or lead applicants in a joint application, provided that the allocation criteria stated in section 3 of the call text are fulfilled.
Q: Section 4.4 (Budget) of the Grants Handbook states that “applicants must provide minimum 10% in own contribution, unless otherwise specified in the call for proposals ”. The above-mentioned call for proposals does not specify a co-financing requirement, however, advises potential applicants to consult Norad’s Grants Handbook for more information on the main expectations that apply to project and programme grants. We would like to inquire whether this Call for Proposals requires applicants to submit budgets that include at least 10% co-financing.
A: No co-financing is required under this Call for Proposals.