up to 3 billion NOK a year
Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative, NICFI, is financed from the Norwegian aid budget and managed by the Ministry of Climate and Environment. The main objective of the grant scheme is that reduced and reversed loss of tropical forests contributes to a stable climate, protects biodiversity, and enhances sustainable development.
The main objective has two sub-goals; (i) contribute to sustainable land use and (ii) contribute to reduced pressure on forests from global markets.
Projects funded under the scheme shall contribute to reaching one or more of the outcomes set out in the initiative's results framework (see Appendix 1 in the Grant scheme rules):
- Approved and implemented policies for sustainable forest and land use in tropical forest countries and jurisdictions
- Improved rights and livelihoods for indigenous peoples and local communities in tropical forest countries
- Effective international incentive structures for reduced deforestation in tropical forest countries
- Increased transparency in land management, land use, value chains and financing
- Commodity markets stimulate deforestation-free production in tropical forest countries
- Financial markets stimulate deforestation-free commodity production in tropical forest countries
- Reduced forest crime
Norwegian government
NORAD has contracted independent evaluators to provide real-time evaluation services to NICFI from 2010 to date. The approach involves a range of evaluation activities to be periodically repeated during the life of the Initiative, as well as stand-alone evaluations of specific thematic or geographic areas. It allows NICFI to draw early lessons and allow corrections to be made in ‘real time’.
In 2014 a strategic evaluation of NICFI was carried out by Johathan Lash (World Resources Institute) and Georges Dyer (Hampshire College and Principal, Greenland Enterprises). The purpose of the evaluation was to provide a high-level strategic review of NICFI, highlighting strengths and weaknesses in the past, key elements of its current status, and possible threats and opportunities in the future. It is separate from, but complementary to, the real-time evaluation program conducted through NORAD.
The core team of NICFI is based in Oslo within the Ministry of Climate and Environment, formally organised as a division of the Ministry. However, the team also includes special envoys for climate change and forest based at embassies in a number of key partner countries.
NICFI cooperates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant ministries, and draws on climate- and forest-related expertise from multilateral organizations, NGOs and research institutions.
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) manages funds for civil society support and scientific institutions.
Actors who contribute to reaching the goals can receive grants, such as:
- Authorities
- Organizations
- Public and private institutions
- Financial Institutions
- International, national, and local expert communities
- Alliances and networks
To know more about criteria for funding, please, visit the following:
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Grant Scheme Rules:
- Guidelines/template for Funding Application
The Ministry of Climate and Environment is responsible for the Climate and Forest Initiative, but both Norad and several embassies have delegated responsibilities for different parts of the portfolio.
Those who fulfil the conditions for applying for grants can send an application to the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norad or an embassy managing a part of the grant. Norad manages grants to civil society organisations. They also publish all evaluations of NICFI.
Countries eligible to receive development assistance in accordance to OECD's DAC list
Those who fulfill the conditions for applying for grants can send an application to the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norad or an embassy managing a part of the grant. See also Norads homepage for more information.