Funding for projects and networks
Nordplus grants should be seen as a contribution towards the actual costs of activities in the project. The Nordplus Horizontal programme provides grants for four types of costs:
- Project management
- Travel and subsistence
- Project and network activities
- Extraordinary project activities (including special needs)
Grants for project management as well as travel and subsistence are based on fixed unit costs, whereas grants for project activities and extraordinary project activities are based on actual costs.
Applications to Nordplus Horizontal must include a budget with an overview of the total estimated costs for the activities. Applicants should use the budget template that can be found in the application form. The template can also be found here.
Nordplus Horizontal does not define a maximum allocation limit, preferring instead to let the applicants themselves define their need for funding for any given project. However, applicants must note that Nordplus Horizontal has a limited budget and that approximately EUR 1 million is awarded in total annually. For that reason, careful consideration is given to whether the amount applied for is proportionate to the description of the individual project, its activities and results. The Nordplus Horizontal administration may reduce allocation to a project approved for a grant if the need for the grant is not clearly described or justified in the project description.
Support for project management and administrative expenses
The purpose of the grant is to cover the administrative costs and expenses. Administrative expenses may be any type of costs of coordinating and participating in a project, such as work hours, accounting, reporting, meetings, etc.
The grant is a lump sum and thus independent of project duration, type and content. The grant is triggered automatically per participating organisation, up till seven. The coordinating institution is awarded a higher rate since greater administrative costs are foreseen when coordinating a project. Neither coordinators nor partners need to provide supporting documentation of administrative expenses.
| RATE PER PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT | |
| Coordinator | 4000 € |
| Partner (up till 6) | 2000 € |
- Support for travel and subsistence
For projects and networks, travel and subsistence (lodging/board), are based on fixed unit costs, and these will be approved as long as the expenses are related to project- or network activities. The support includes travel and subsistence for staff of participating institutions for meetings between project partners to plan, follow-up or coordinate the project. Other forms of meetings, e.g. network meetings, conferences, seminars, courses etc. are also covered by this unit cost.
| UNIT COSTS, TRAVEL AND SUBSISTENCE PER PROJECT PARTICIPANT | |
| To and from Greenland | 1.600 € |
| To and from the Faroe Islands and Iceland | 960 € |
| Between Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Åland | 630 € |
| *Domestic, more than 250 km (one way) | 175 € |
| **Domestic travel and subsistence, national meetings, more than 250 km (one way) | 475 € |
*The unit cost for domestic travelling is an addition to the unit costs for transnational travel. Grants for domestic travel can be applied for when the distance between the participant’s hometown and the nearest international airport, train or bus station in their home country is more than 250 km one way.
**Unit cost for domestic travel and subsistence can also be applied for by participants from partner institution(s) in the same country as the hosting institution, if the distance is more than 250 km one way.
- Support for project and network activities
Expenses for project activities are based on real costs. Here you can apply for direct costs in relation to the activities that are to be carried out within the context of the Nordplus Horizontal project, and can include actual costs for arranging workshops, seminars and conferences, studies and analyses, production, translation, publication and distribution. Note that the support for Project Activities should not include work hours, that should be applied for under Extraordinary Project Activities and motivated accordingly in the application.
- Support for extraordinary project activities and special needs
There is a possibility of applying for extra grant, beyond the project management support, to cover expenses connected to particularly research-based or labour-intensive projects, including development work of any kind directly related to the project’s objectives. It should be argued and justified that the project management support is not sufficient for carrying out the project. Other reasons for applying for extraordinary project activities can be found but should be motivated accordingly in the application.
Costs involving participants with special needs may be met by a grant of up to 100%. In the event of disabled participants requiring additional help and support, the network/project may apply for further funds after the ordinary application deadline. The application should be addressed directly to the main administrator of Nordplus Horizontal. A medical certificate is usually required. Additional funds may be provided to cover the cost of a companion, interpreter or similar.
This rule only applies to participants in activities that have already been given a grant.
Ineligible costs
Please note that the following costs may not be covered by Nordplus:
– Overheads, i.e. general unspecified costs not directly connected to the Nordplus project
– Purchasing of office equipment (such as IT equipment and inventory)
– Costs for non-Nordic and non-Baltic participants
– Costs for activities outside the Nordic and Baltic countries
Irregular use of funds
If the funds are not used as implied in the contract and/or final reports are not submitted as agreed upon in the contract, the main administrator can decide to hold back or to withdraw funds.
Payments and audits
Applicants may receive full funding (the sum applied for), partial funding (only some of the activities applied for are funded, or the budget has been reduced due to ineligible costs or inaccurate calculations), or the entire application may be rejected. All applicants receive detailed information on the grant they have been awarded. If funding has been granted for part of the application only, the applicant will receive information about this and the reasons for the reduction.
The grant is paid to the project or network coordinator responsible for the funds throughout the contract period. The project/network determines how resources are to be distributed among the partners. The approved contributions are paid in two separate instalments: 80% after the contract has been signed and the remainder (20%) after the final report has been approved. For applications granted 15,000 euro or less, 100% of the funds are paid after the contract has been signed.
The grant must be recorded in accordance with national and internal regulations as a separate cost item in the institution or organisation’s account so that all payments are visible in the event of an audit.
Budget model
Here is a Budget Model (2024) for the Horizontal programme.