The Barents Secretariat
GUIDELINES AND TERMS
FOR GRANTS
FROM THE BARENTS SECRETARIAT
www.barsek.no
CONTENTS
information about the barents cooperation and the barents secretariat 2
objectives 3
who grants the funds? 3
who can apply? 3
GEOGRaphic concentration 3
AREAS OF PRIORITY 3
WHAT KINDS OF INITIATIVES CAN GET SUPPORT? 3
INITIATIVES THAT DO NOT QUALIFY 4
GENERAL CRITERIA THAT ARE EMPHASISED DURING CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS 4
THE APPLICATION PROCESS 5
SMALLER PROJECTS 5
PAYMENTS – ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS – INSIGHT 5
PRESS RELEASE 6
RECIPIENT’S SPECIAL OBLIGATIONS 6
OTHER PROVISIONS 6
information about the barents cooperation and THE BARENTS SECRETARIAT
The Barents Cooperation was organised on 11 January 1993. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs from the member countries Norway, Sweden, Russia and Finland, and representatives from the regional level signed the Organisation Agreements for the Barents Council (minister level) and the Regional Council (regional level). The Barents Region includes Arkhangelsk and Murmansk Oblasts, the Republic of Karelia, the Republic of Komi and the Nenets Autonomous Area in Russia, the counties of Lappland, Norra Österbotten and Kainuu in Finland, the counties of Norrbotten and Västerbotten in Sweden, and the counties of Troms, Nordland and Finnmark in Norway.
The Barents Secretariat in Kirkenes opened in October 1993. Effective 1 January 1999, the Secretariat is organised as an inter-municipal company, owned by the three northernmost Norwegian counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. The company’s Board has three members, one from each of the three counties. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development each have an observer in the Board.
OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of the Barents Cooperation is to stimulate regional collaboration within selected areas of priority to create a common identity and contribute towards a better economic and social development.
Five criteria will govern the arrangement and implementation of the projects that receive support from the Barents Secretariat:
1. Environmental considerations: To sustain a good environment while simultaneously creating employment opportunities through a cautious utilisation of the natural resources.
2. Equal opportunities perspective: Community development based on men’s and women’s equal rights, diverse qualifications, needs and experiences.
3. Youth perspective: Community development where the special needs of youth are given attention.
4. Democracy development: To stimulate a strengthened democracy development through realisation of the projects.
5. Employment perspective: The Barents Secretariat’s project activity will promote increased employment and job creation.
WHO GRANTS THE FUNDS?
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has placed regional funds at the disposal of the Barents Secretariat. The Secretariat gives financial support to the Norwegian-Russian Joint Venture Project in the Barents Region, or to Norwegian and Russian participation in multilateral projects in the region.
The regional funds are administered by Barents Secretariat’s Board of Directors. The Secretariat grants funds according to the Board’s decisions.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Applicants must be Norwegian/Russian public institutions, private companies, foundations, organisations or private persons. In multilateral projects, the Norwegian partner must submit the application, even if the Project Manager comes from another nation.
GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION
The Barents Secretariat’s funds shall be granted for projects primarily aimed at the Russian part of the Barents Region. Initiatives that are unilaterally implemented on the Norwegian side are given low priority.
AREAS OF PRIORITY
The Barents Secretariat’s funds are granted for project collaboration within five areas of priority:
1. Industrial and commercial development
2. Competence/education (all levels)
3. Environment
4. Welfare/culture
5. Indigenous peoples
WHAT KINDS OF INITIATIVES CAN GET SUPPORT?
The following types of projects are given priority:
- Pre-projects/feasibility studies
- Smaller main projects
- Network building
- Transfer/exchange of competence
- Russian/Norwegian participation at meetings, conferences, etc. in Norway/Russia.
The Barents Secretariat also gives support to individual larger main projects, but then as one of several financing partners.
As a rule, funds are not given for investments in real property, machines, equipment, etc. However, investments that are required for transfer of competence are entitled to support.
As previously mentioned, initiatives that are unilaterally implemented on the Norwegian side are given lower priority than initiatives that are intended to be implemented in the Russian part of the Barents Region. Exceptions are classes, seminars, etc. where the point is to transfer competence at a Norwegian institution, or where it is most expedient to hold the arrangement in North Norway.
Student and teacher exchanges are given support through the Barents Programme, ”Barentsplus Junior”, www.barentspluss.no, (student exchange), which is currently administered by Finnmark County Council District, and ”Barentsplus”, www.barentsplus.org (student- and teacher exchange), which is administered by Finnmark College.
INITIATIVES THAT DO NOT QUALIFY
Support cannot be counted on for the following initiatives:
· Humanitarian aid
· Research
· Marketing of goods or services
· Investments
· Operating expenses exceeding start-up costs during the initial phase
· Establishment of businesses in Norway
Neither does the Barents Secretariat provide financial guarantees associated with residence permits for Russian citizens in Norway.
GENERAL CRITERIA THAT ARE EMPHASISED DURING CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATIONS
The most fundamental criterion for applications to the Barents Secretariat is that the project must fall within the objectives of the Barents Cooperation.
The project must be realistically funded and most possible result oriented.
The project must have a Russian partner (for Russian applicants, a Norwegian partner): A public institution, private company, foundation, organisation or private person.
Applicants must have established good contact with a Russian (Norwegian) joint venture partner. The Barents Cooperation strives for equality between partners. If support is granted for the project, joint venture partners must be familiarised with the basis for the funds.
The Barents Cooperation strives for equality between partners, such that the objectives of the projects must be accepted on both sides of the border. The work should be divided based on what is reasonable and practical, and the Russian part should contribute to the project with its own efforts and, if possible, its own funds to cover e.g. accommodation expenses, locales/offices and domestic travel.
Projects cannot be fully financed by the Barents Secretariat. Applicants must contribute with an own share of at least 30%. It is beneficial to divide the financing between several sources of funding.
It is encouraged to purchase goods and services on the Russian side to the extent this is possible.
For travel, the most reasonably priced method of travel must be selected, if possible. For longer stays in Russia/Norway, attempts must be made to find accommodation that is more reasonably priced than hotels.
For Norwegian applicants, the maximum hourly rate is NOK 280 for internal personnel and up to NOK 500 for use of external Norwegian personnel.
The Barents Secretariat has no maximum limit for how much money can be given to each project, but the amount of support seldom exceeds NOK 500,00. In 2003, the average amount of support was approximately NOK 150,000.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications must be submitted electronically on the Application Form, which may be obtained upon enquiry to Barents Secretariat and our Russian Information Office, or downloaded from our home page, www.barsek.no. Any supplemental information may be attached to the Application Form, also electronically. The Application Form is sent to and also as a paper copy with signature to the Barents Secretariat. Applicants will receive e-mail or a letter from the Barents Secretariat confirming that the Application has been received for processing.
The Application Form must be in Norwegian or English.
The Barents Secretariat prepares a recommendation to its Board, which is the Fund Appropriation Office for the Norwegian side.
The Board makes a decision concerning each individual project application. The Board holds semi-annual fund appropriation meetings. Application deadlines are 15 March and 15 September.
After a decision has been made, the Applicant will receive notification of this.
If the application is rejected, the Applicant will receive a Letter of Rejection.
If the application is approved, the Applicant will receive a Letter of Appropriation of Funds containing the terms and conditions. The Letter of Appropriation of Funds will be accompanied by a form for Commitment Confirmation. This form must be completed in full and returned within one (1) month.
At start-up, recipients of financing must also send the Barents Secretariat a summary of the funds the project has received. If the project is not fully financed as anticipated in the application, the Applicant is requested to provide information concerning the changes in the project this will involve. The Barents Secretariat then has the right to withdraw the funds.
SMALLER PROJECTS
Some of the project funds at the regional level are allocated to projects where the application sum to the Barents Secretariat does not exceed NOK 50,000. The applications are administratively and consecutively processed by the Barents Secretariat. Because of the large number of applications, it may take up to 1-2 months to process an individual application.
The average amount of support for smaller projects is approximately NOK 20,000.
PAYMENTS – ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS – INSIGHT
Payments of grants are normally retrogressive, i.e. coverage of expenses that have been incurred. Advance payments (up to 75%) are made only upon application for this by the Project Manager. No payments can be made until the Barents Secretariat has received the Commitment Confirmation and confirmed financing from the Project Manager.
Some funds are given as commitment authorization, i.e. the funds cannot be paid until the following year.
Before the final payment of the grant is made, an auditor-certified Closing Account and Final Reporting Form must be sent to the Barents Secretariat. The Final Reporting Form must be sent electronically to . The form is available upon application to the Barents Secretariat or may be downloaded from our home page. It is the recipient’s responsibility to ensure that an auditor is familiarised with the guidelines for the grant.
Pursuant to Paragraph 17 of the Regulations for the National Budget and Accounts, the Barents Secretariat and the Office of the Auditor General reserve the right of access to implement controls to ensure that the grant is being used in accordance with the conditions.
PRESS RELEASE
The Project Manager is expected send out a Press Release outlining the project’s objectives, content, project participants and other information at start-up of the project. It must also state that the project has been granted support from the Barents Secretariat. The Press Release shall also be sent to the Barents Secretariat in care of the following address: .
RECIPIENT’S SPECIAL OBLIGATIONS
Changes in the project description, budget and other fundamental conditions shall be reported to the Barents Secretariat without unnecessary delay.
OTHER PROVISIONS
Grants are given for the current budget year. The Final Reporting Form and Closing Accounts must be received and the funds paid within the end of the next two years.
Grants allocated for one budget year for projects that span over several years are not automatically granted for subsequent years. Continuation of the project is based on a new application and an assessment of the results achieved. Further, it is contingent upon the Norwegian Storting (Parliament) allocating funds over the National Budget from year to year, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs giving annual regional funds to the Barents Secretariat.
Project reports are in basis public documents. Where nothing else has been agreed in advance, the project shall be available to the public.
Every public publication within the project shall have the Barents Secretariat’s logo printed in a prominent place. The logo may be obtained by application to the Barents Secretariat and our Information Office in Russia, or downloaded from our home page.
In case of clearly unsatisfactory administration of the grant or lack of implementation, the Barents Secretariat has the right to withdraw the grant with immediate effect. The Project Manager shall be warned in writing of this and in such cases is given a minimum deadline of 14 days to correct the conditions or account for the reasons why such a situation has arisen.
Applicants may apply to:
The Barents Secretariat
Post Box 276, Wiullsgt. 3
NO-9915 Kirkenes, Norway
Telephone: (+47) 78 97 70 50
Telefax: (+47) 78 97 70 55
E-mail:
Internet: www.barsek.no
IInformation about other sources of funding for project work in the Barents Region is available on our home page.
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Guidelines and Conditions for Subsidies Revision 2004-02-18 Page of 1