In Estonia the legal form of a non-governmental organisation is usually a non-profit association or foundation.

Projects under the auspices of the NGO programme must have – including the applicant – at least one partner in the Nordic Region, one partner from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or Poland and one partner from Northwest Russia or Belarus. In other words, at least three NGOs must be involved in a project for it to be eligible for funding. Proposals including more than three partners and partners from more than one Nordic country will be viewed favourably. The project must help expand the capacity of NGOs, especially in Northwest Russia and Belarus. The application must clearly show how the project will support NGOs in Northwest Russia and Belarus.

Proposals with a part of the budget financed by the applicant or a third party will be viewed favourably. Amongst others the projects have to take cognisance of a gender equality and quality perspective.

More precisely, the eligibility criteria that must be fulfilled by all applicants:
• The application form and budget submitted electronically in due time and completed in accordance with instructions, with corresponding annexes and supporting documents attached.
• The objectives correspond to those stipulated in NCM guidelines for cooperation with Northwest Russia and the Baltic countries.
• The projects take cognisance of a gender equality perspective.
• Relevance for the civil society in Russia and Belarus.
• The applicant and relevant partners are NGOs, defined as non-profit, publicly anchored, civic organisations that are neither owned nor controlled by public authorities, nor by private companies, and have an open and democratic structure.
• The proposal include at least one partner in the Nordic Region, one partner from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or Poland and one partner from Northwest Russia or Belarus.

In order to generate mutually beneficial effects, the NCM will seek as far as possible to link up partnership projects in the same or similar subject areas.

The application must not be designed to help fund the regular activities, administration or projects of other organisations. Funding will not be given to infrastructure projects, e.g. for purchasing IT equipment or covering construction costs.

Funding should be focused on launching new initiatives that should have the possibility to continue even after the specific project has come to an end. The applicant must describe how achieved results will be used and how the project cooperation can be sustained also when funding from the NCM has ended. The NCM funds projects lasting one year and projects lasting for several years; however, actual grants are only given for one year at a time.

It is expected that approved projects can be started no later than three months following the decision date. In all public information it should be clearly stated that the project is, partly or wholly, financed by the NCM. All projects receiving funding must submit a final report to the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Applicants in projects which are considered for funding will be contacted by the Nordic Council of Ministers for possible adjustments of the project.

Please direct any queries to Fredric Larsson, Programme Coordinator, Nordic Council of Ministers by e-mail: frla(at)norden.org or phone +45 33 96 02 00.

Questions related to the application can be also directed to the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia, Merle Kuusk, phone: +372 627 31 05, e-mail: merle.kuusk(at)norden.ee.

Deadline for applications in 2012 is April 27.