Apply for project support

You can apply for co-financing for projects that are in line with the objectives of Norrbotten Strategy 2040 and Smart specialization strategy in Norrbotten as well as other regional strategies, programs and action plans. The projects will also contribute to the implementation of Agenda 2030 and sustainable regional development from a social, ecological and economic perspective.

It is important that the project activity is outside of the regular operations and that it is limited in terms of time, finances and work effort. Read Guidance for project support before you make the budget.

Co-financing of project applications for national or EU programmes is prioritised over other applications. Project actors in the county should strive to utilise national or EU funds so that important initiatives can both receive a financial contribution and also increased dissemination opportunities regionally and nationally.

Project support can be applied for by organizations, municipalities, municipal associations, universities and colleges, regions, government agencies, limited liability companies and non-profit or economic associations.

In some cases, companies can be granted project support if the project's activities are aimed at people other than the company itself; in other cases, reference is made to corporate support.

Private individuals cannot apply for project support.

Region Norrbotten's funding is a maximum of 50 percent and must be reasonable in relation to the project owner's own and other financiers' funding.

The following conditions need to be met for a project to be eligible for funding:

• A dialogue has been held with Region Norrbotten's strategists before the application is submitted.
• The project contributes to development in Norrbotten through close connections to the business community.
• The project has trackable goals and a clear activity plan.
• The project takes into account sustainability perspectives and includes social, ecological and economic sustainability as potential for growth. There is a clear logic of change.
• The project is separate from regular operations and is time-limited. Support is not provided for regular operations.
• The project must not benefit any individual actor and it must not distort competition in the business community. Support that can be considered as corporate support to individual companies must not be provided within the project.
• Keep in mind that a submitted application is a public document. 
• Projects that have been granted funds must comply with Terms and conditionsThe beneficiary is responsible for taking note of these terms and conditions.

Sustainable development and Agenda 2030

Region Norrbotten is working to increase the pace of transition to sustainable social development. The decade we are living in is crucial for society's ability to make this transition. Region Norrbotten invests in projects that contribute to sustainable regional development. New collaborations and partnerships between academia, the public sector, the private sector and civil society are necessary to achieve success in the work. Through active work on sustainable regional development, we contribute to the implementation of Agenda 2030 and the 17 global goals. The goals in Agenda 2030 are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and ecological. Development efforts may contain conflicts of goals for sustainable development. These need to be made visible and managed.

It is important to integrate different perspectives on sustainability before a project application and to clarify how the project contributes to sustainable development.

Financial sustainability

It is about making smart investments that create growth without a negative climate and environmental impact. It is about developing businesses that stay within the ecological framework and creating jobs with good employment conditions. Inclusion of new perspectives from a diversity of people of different genders, ages and backgrounds, and between industries and sectors, is necessary to be able to think new and develop ways of working that are needed to achieve sustainable economic development. 

A socially sustainable society 

Is inclusive and equal, where a diversity of people are involved in the development of society. It is about creating places where people feel comfortable and where there are good conditions to realize goals both privately and professionally. Inclusion of new perspectives from a diversity of people of different genders, ages and backgrounds, and between industries and sectors, is necessary to be able to think new and develop ways of working that are needed to achieve a socially sustainable society. 

An ecologically sustainable society

It is about shifting our economy towards a green and sustainable direction. Investments in circular solutions, products, services, technical solutions, transport and fuels are both possible and necessary to accelerate the transition so that business and societal development is driven within the limits of the resources that nature has given us. Inclusion of new perspectives from a diversity of people of different genders, ages and backgrounds, and between industries and sectors - is necessary to be able to think new and develop ways of working that are needed to achieve a sustainable and green economy. 

Transformative learning 

Today we do not know what a sustainable society looks like. We are striving towards something unknown and along the way we will be forced to solve a variety of problems. Therefore, we must learn at the same time as we create a sustainable society. In addition, we are required to fundamentally change our thinking patterns and worldviews, a so-called transformative learning.   

Conflicting goals

An important part of the work on sustainability integration is to make goal conflicts visible and develop strategies to manage them. Making goal conflicts visible and managing them is an important tool for transformative learning and for sustainable development. This is what sustainability integration is all about.   

Integrate sustainability into your application

To support you in developing a project application, you can use Region Norrbotten's sustainability form.

You can find the forms under the heading Sustainability form.

To support you in preparing a project application, you can use Region Norrbotten's sustainability form. Please attach the form as an appendix to your application. It is not a requirement to fill in the form, but if Region Norrbotten finds during the preparation of your application that the project's sustainability description needs clarification, we may ask you to fill in the form.

• Sustainability form

You can apply for project support continuously throughout the year.

It is important that the application is submitted well in advance of the project starting. If your application has been approved by one of the region's strategists and is completely completed, the processing time will be shorter.

The application deadline for Region Norrbotten is the same day as for other funders. Please contact us well in advance before submitting your application.

Before application

There are often many questions surrounding project financing and project applications. Contact us early, we will answer your questions and discuss the project and can go through the application and decision-making process with you.

When first requesting interest in project funding, we usually ask for a brief description of the project idea and how the project relates to sustainability aspects and the county's growth. This makes it easier for all parties to get an early picture of the project idea and funding opportunities before an application process is started.

Use our form Early project idea and then send to contact@norrbotten.se. 

Remember to read Guidance for project support before you draw up your budget.

To apply

You apply digitally via the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Development's e-service. My application

Appendices

The application must be accompanied by: 

• Letter/signature document - Your project application must be signed by a person who is authorized to represent you as a beneficiary. The letter can be downloaded from My Application after the application has been submitted electronically. Scan and submit the letter/signature document with your signature to Region Norrbotten via My Application (remember to save the original yourself). My application
• Documents that prove the signatory.
• Documentation confirming co-financing from other financiers.
• Collaboration agreement if there are more than one of you who will run the project.
• Copy of the application and detailed budget submitted to a potential main financier.
• Also attach other documents that create a better understanding of the need for the project, if you have any, such as feasibility studies, facts, analyses or reports.

• We prefer that the application is in Swedish, but it is also possible to submit it in English, however, the summary should always be in Swedish. The project should also be supported with Swedish text if requested. At the end of the project, a final report must be submitted in Swedish according to the Norrbotten Region template.
• The application to Region Norrbotten should only include a budget for the Swedish parties seeking co-financing from Region Norrbotten.
• The budget should be stated in Swedish kronor and use the current exchange rate for the month the application is submitted. To convert Euros to Swedish kronor use European Commission currency converter. 
• For example, if you are applying for an Interreg Aurora project and there are several Swedish partners seeking co-financing from Region Norrbotten, you should agree on a responsible organization that submits the project application and acts as a contact. If the project is approved, this organization will be responsible for submitting the application for payment and for communicating the funds paid to other Swedish organizations in the project.

Region Norrbotten processes incoming applications on an ongoing basis. When the application has been received by Region Norrbotten, a responsible administrator is assigned to the project. How long the preparation process takes depends on several factors, such as how much needs to be supplemented and who will make the decision.

The application is prepared and discussed at preparation meetings where strategists from the business and society unit participate. Decisions are made according to the established delegation procedure:

• Co-financing up to SEK 800: decision is made by the head of the business and society unit.
• Over SEK 800–000: decision is made by the chairman of the regional development committee.
• Over SEK 1: decision is made by the regional development committee.

Decisions are sent to the project owner via My Application. In the event of an approval decision, the amount decided, the percentage of co-financing, approved costs, date of application for payment and status reporting, and any other conditions for the support are stated.

When preparing and deciding on applications for grants for regional project activities, a balanced assessment of the project is made. The project description must specifically state how the project contributes to sustainable development based on ecological, social and environmental sustainability. The assessment consists of four selection criteria, all of which are based on sustainable regional development. The four selection criteria for the assessment are as follows:

Assessment criteria for assessing sustainable project applications.

Regulations and strategies

Linked to project funds, there are various regulations that the project must comply with:

• Regulation (2017:583) on regional development work
• Regulation (2003:596) on grants for project activities within regional development policy
• 2030 Agenda
• National strategy for sustainable regional development throughout the country 2021-2030

The Norrbotten Strategy 2040 forms the basis and framework for regional development work. Its priorities are based on the national strategy for sustainable regional development throughout the country. Project applications must therefore fit into the assessment criteria for the Norrbotten Strategy and associated action plans, as well as other regional strategies and programs that the project is affected by.

For a project to be granted support, it must be linked to one of the four prioritized areas with associated goals and paths forward in the Norrbotten Strategy.

• A life full of possibilities
• A learning and attractive county
• Innovative and competitive
• A closer look at Norrbotten

The Norrbotten Strategy describes four enabling principles:

• We focus on people and sustainability
•  We create opportunities through digital transformation
• We learn from others and share our knowledge
• We are building a resilient society

The enabling principles should be considered in all development work. All projects should take into account the principle We put people and sustainability in focus. Depending on the content of the project, more enabling principles may also be relevant. Implementation is strengthened when multiple principles are used. 

Here you can read more about Norrbotten Strategy

Projects that align with the Smart Specialization strategy in Norrbotten further strengthen the application:

• Nature-based economy, i.e. mineral resources, forestry resources, steel industry and energy infrastructure – the economic backbone of Norrbotten.

Areas highlighted in the strategy that contribute to smart differentiation are:

• Arctic testbeds
• Energy technology
• Space technology
• Cultural and creative industries
• Tourism industry

The strategy also prioritizes smart societies, that is, the public sector and civil society.

Projects that promote meetings at the intersections of different industries, social sectors, areas of activity and areas of expertise, where synergies are created between women and men from different backgrounds and from different geographies, are given particularly high priority. The point is to create new insights and ideas between different skills, driving forces and needs. This creates the conditions for groundbreaking developments to occur, so-called innovative leaps.

The project's context and anchoring

The second selection criterion concerns an assessment linked to the context within which the project is planned to be implemented. Successful projects are often based on:

• A good external analysis. Helps the project strengthen or complement other initiatives in the county.
• A broad base. Clear commitments and responsibilities from all parties. Early participation of target group and other stakeholders in project design.
• A clear demand. The need for the project idea must exist in the organization, in the business community, among collaborating parties and in society. Projects with external co-financiers (outside the county) are prioritized and have the best chance of lasting results.
• The project is based on local circumstances and territorial perspectives to support or create conditions for development.
• Realistic goals should be achievable with a clear connection to the project's activities

Project application content

The third selection criterion consists of an assessment of the project's qualities and that the project is based on change logic. This means that challenges, activities and objectives are linked in a logical sequence. A current situation, a desired situation and the change that needs to be made are described, as well as what needs to be done to get there.

The region's decision-making space

The fourth selection criterion is an assessment of whether the region's decision-making space is such that the project can be granted funding. If it is assessed that funding cannot be granted or that co-financing of EU projects is prioritized, this is communicated to the project owner.

There are a number of ongoing projects financed with regional development funds. You can apply for projects granted by Region Norrbotten and other regions in the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth's national project bank.

Link to Project bank