Real-Time Evaluation of Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative: Lessons Learned from Support to Civil Society Organisations

The Norwegian Government launched its International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) in December 2007, pledging up to 3 billion Norwegian kroner (USD 0.5 billion) per year to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD). NICFI supports readiness efforts, methodology development, and pilot projects in a number of countries. While themajority of NICFI financial support is channelled through multilateral entities, approximately USD 110 million has been provided through NICFI’s Civil SocietySupport Scheme (CSSS) to 40 civil society organizations and research institutions with projects at international, national or sub-national level between 2009 and 2012. The CSSS is managed by the Civil Society Department of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).