Call Deadline (CEST / Oslo time)

27.05.2025 13:00

Available budget:

up to 80 million NOK

Maximum amount of funding that may be applied for:

up to 11 MNOK

Please note that NordForsk may make changes to the call text up to six weeks before the deadline. Any such changes will be clearly communicated.

This call is being announced as a collaboration between: the Research Council of Finland; Formas – the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning; the Research Council of Norway; the Estonian Research Council; the Latvian Council of Science; the Research Council of Lithuania; and NordForsk. Baltic countries are defined here as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Applicants are invited to submit proposals for research projects within the framework of the call.

NordForsk is announcing funding for up to seven research projects. Applicants are invited to submit proposals for projects within the scope of the call.

Please note that project leaders and project partners from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden need to ensure that their proposals fulfil the national eligibility criteria of the respective research funding organisation in Estonia, Latvia,  Lithuania and Sweden. These are listed in Annex 1 of the call text and are in addition to the general eligibility criteria described below that apply to all applicants. Applicants from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden are advised to contact their national contact points in the early phases of preparing their proposal.

*A research-performing organisation is a legal entity such as a university, university college, or a research institute, and is characterised by the following:

• A primary goal is to independently conduct fundamental research and/or applied research, and/or research-based innovation where results are published.
• The entity may be private or public but it must not pay out dividends from its activities. Research organisations pursuing both non-economic and economic activities must have a formal separation in place between economic and non-economic activities.
• The entity must have significant production of academic, peer-reviewed, and published research.

** Eligible researchers must have completed their PhD between two and seven years before the deadline for this call, 27 May 2025. Any deductible time must be stated in the application form. The PhD age is calculated as the period of time between acquiring the PhD (the date as it appears on the PhD diploma) and the date of the application deadline.
Consideration will be given to leaves of absence such as parental leave, illness, family care leave, military service, humanitarian aid work, etc.
Moreover, consideration will be given in cases of significant career-relevant circumstances, that can be considered a necessary step in a career path, but during which the time for research has been very limited.
Leaves of absence, which the applicants request to be taken into consideration, must be documented upon request. The actual number of weeks of leave will be deducted from the applicant’s PhD age. The period of leave of absence, including exact starting and ending dates, must be stated in the candidate’s CV.

Other provisions for participation from non-research organisations

In addition to the participation from research-performing organisations requested above, non-research organisations may participate as partners in the project and receive funding to deliver other project activities. Consortia partners are partners necessary for implementing the proposed research project and all partners must sign a collaboration agreement. NordForsk funding may not be used to support economic activities, which is defined as all activity where goods or services are offered on an open market. Organisations pursuing both non-economic and economic activities must have a formal separation in place between economic and non-economic activities. This may be achieved by either organising the economic activities as a separate legal entity or by keeping separate accounts for economic and non-economic activities. Funding for an assignment will be awarded as de minimis aid.

Background and thematic framework

The Joint Nordic-Baltic Initiative on Sustainable Futures of Forests is an important collaboration that addresses the pressing challenges facing forests in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Forests cover vast areas of these landscapes and are vital not only for local economies but also for the social and cultural fabric of the region. They provide multiple benefits, including supporting biodiversity, supplying raw materials, and delivering essential ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, which helps to mitigate climate change on a global scale.

As climate change accelerates, forests in the Nordic and Baltic countries are becoming increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, pests, pathogens, and biodiversity loss. Beyond the economic value of forest products – which can replace non-renewable resources through the sustainable and circular use of wood-based materials – the social importance of forests is also growing. However, managing these forests presents challenges. It requires balancing the provision of ecosystem services and public access while also halting biodiversity decline and ensuring economic viability for forest owners.

Forest management involves a complex balancing act – delivering ecosystem services, safeguarding biodiversity, supporting equitable public access, and remaining economically sustainable for forest owners. Recognising this, the Joint Nordic-Baltic Initiative on Sustainable Futures of Forests emphasises the importance of a holistic approach – one that integrates environmental sustainability, economic growth, and the protection of forests as vital social and cultural assets.

The Joint Nordic-Baltic Initiative on Sustainable Futures of Forests is a crucial initiative to support the effective management of forests and the optimal use of forest resources in the face of climate, economic, social, cultural, and environmental challenges. By pooling resources and expertise, the initiative enhances sustainable forest management, strengthens regional co-operation, and ensures that forests continue to support environmental, economic, cultural, and social values for future generations.

Aim of the call

This initiative is particularly important as it brings together the collective expertise and resources of the Nordic and Baltic countries. By promoting cross-border co-operation, the initiative encourages a holistic approach to sustainable forestry, integrating scientific research, innovative technology, and sustainable management practices. It creates a platform for sharing knowledge, addressing common challenges, and developing solutions tailored to the region’s unique ecological and economic contexts.

One of the key benefits of the initiative is its ability to foster collaboration among researchers, stakeholders, and governments. This collaboration strengthens the region’s capacity to tackle critical issues such as forest resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable wood production. By working together, the Nordic and Baltic countries can lead the way in developing innovative approaches to forestry that not only preserve ecosystems but also enhance the long-term sustainability of forest resources.

The purpose of this call is to improve the skills and abilities of early-career scientists in forest-related research in the Nordic and Baltic countries, preparing them to take part in national and international research projects. This provides opportunities for capacity building and addressing complex issues in forest-related research within all disciplines.

For a consortium to be successful, it should consist of a partly, or completely, new constellation of researchers and disciplines. This means that consortia of partners who have collaborated previously must include at least one new partner and a new interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary perspective that has not already been explored by the researchers in the team.

The objectives of the consortium must include implementing a research project that focuses on a specific forest research theme chosen by the consortium, and producing a synthesis report that comprehensively covers this theme, addressing gaps in existing knowledge. The synthesis report will develop innovative ideas that go beyond the selected theme, introducing novel approaches that can shape future forest research.

A successful proposal includes workshops, seminars, and writing camps to strengthen co-operation between consortium members. The consortium must include partners from at least four different countries to ensure broad regional collaboration.

If relevant, stakeholders may be included in the application, and it is up to the applicant to describe how and when stakeholder involvement contributes to the aims and objectives of the proposal.

Added value to the participating countries

Added value comes in: the positive effects that are generated through common solutions; activities that manifest and develop a sense of community among the participating countries; activities that increase competence and competitiveness; activities that strengthen the participating countries’ international influence; and activities that foster equal and balanced social, economic, and environmental interaction in our region. Applicants should elaborate on how the project will create added value, and this will be assessed as part of the proposal assessment. NordForsk has devised indicators of added value contributing to the research ecosystem and to society. You can read more about this, including the different indicators, here.

National and European alignment

The call will also provide an opportunity for the Nordic and Baltic research community to prepare for the forthcoming European partnership “Forests and forestry for a sustainable future” by giving early-career researchers a chance to gain experience working in international consortia and enabling the researcher to expand their international networks. The themes of proposals should refer to the SRIA of the EU partnership by focusing on themes that are of particular interest to, or challenges specific to, the Nordic/Baltic region.

The projects are expected to consult the relevant national strategies.

Compliance to NordForsk policies

The projects are expected to comply with NordForsk’s policies on open access and gender equality. As stated in the gender equality policy, research institutions receiving funding from NordForsk must have a Gender Equality Plan available on their websites before signing a contract with NordForsk.

The funded projects are expected to implement good data management practices such as the FAIR principles. Research institutions receiving funding from NordForsk must have a data management plan in place before signing a contract with NordForsk.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in grant applications

Any use of AI tools must be ethical and responsible, respecting legal and research standards and requirements. The use of generative AI should be transparent. Applicants are advised to read the European Commission’s Living guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI in research.

Financial framework

Applicants are invited to apply for funding to establish a Nordic-Baltic research project with a maximum budget of NOK 11 million and a duration of up to four years. The intention is to provide funding for up to seven research projects within this call.

Funding may be used for costs that are necessary for the implementation of the project, such as:

• Salaries of researchers corresponding to the person’s activity level in the project
• PhD and post-doctoral positions corresponding to the person’s activity level in the project, and not covering salary during teaching or other departmental duties
• Running costs (data collection and analysis, consumables, minor equipment, premises)
• Mobility and research stays, travel
• Dissemination, outreach, and knowledge exchange activities (including open access charges)
• Stakeholder involvement/activities
• Indirect costs and overheads

Project owners and/or partners in the project can engage subcontractors to provide services that contribute to the implementation of certain tasks in the project. Subcontractors may not be granted rights to project results. 

All costs must be explained. Indirect costs and overheads may be included. NordForsk does not apply any fixed rate or model for calculating indirect costs for research projects. Such costs should be determined by the participating institutions according to their rules and models, and applicants are advised to consult these for further guidelines. The rate for overheads should be explained under the budget section for the justification of resources. The feasibility of the budget will be assessed.

Payroll and indirect expenses must be calculated according to the relevant national rules and the respective organisations’ own budgeting models.

Salaries for applicants not affiliated with a research institution in a Nordic or Baltic country cannot be claimed as part of the project costs. Partner institutions from outside the Nordic and Baltic regions must fund their own participation, although travel and accommodation costs may be covered. This does not apply to organisations based in the Russian Federation or Belarus or Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, as they may not participate in projects funded by this call.

The projects are expected to participate to a reasonable extent in meetings, conferences, and other events arranged within the framework of this call. In their budgeted travel costs, applicants should include costs for joint meetings initiated by NordForsk, such as a kick-off meeting, a mid-term meeting, and a final event. 

Funding model

The call is funded by way of a true common pot provided by the Nordic funding partners and administered by NordForsk. The true common pot implies that the call is funded through a common pot provided by the funding partners and administered by NordForsk. The true common pot model is adjusted for the Research Council of Sweden, where Formas enters a contract with and funds complete research consortia with Swedish project ownership (including Nordic top-up funding transferred from NordForsk). The funding partners from Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia intend to provide funding to eligible Estonian, Lithuanian, and Latvian researchers respectively by way of the virtual common pot model.

Submission of proposals

The project leader must submit the application form and the annexes electronically on behalf of the research consortium using the NordForsk application portal no later than 13:00 CET on 27 May 2025. The following documents are mandatory:

• NordForsk’s full proposal form as specified in the application portal
• Research plan (maximum of ten pages, including references) 
• Communication and dissemination plan (maximum of two pages).
• CVs including a list of up to ten publications and up to ten other key outputs (maximum of three pages for the project leader and a maximum of one page for each key researcher).
• PhD diploma of the project leader
• Budget specifications (standard templates)
• Letters of commitment

Further instructions and details can be found in the application portal.

Assessment criteria

All eligible proposals will be rated using a scale of 1 to 7 (1 = poor, 2 = weak, 3 = fair, 4 = good, 5 = very good, 6 = excellent, 7 = outstanding) based on the criteria described below. The panel will provide a written statement, including a final overall grade for each proposal. Normally, proposals rated 4 or below by the expert panel will not be considered for funding by NordForsk’s board.

An international expert panel will assess the proposals according to the following criteria:

• Contribution to call objectives
  • The extent to which the proposed research is relevant to the objectives of the call.
• Scientific quality
  • Clarity of objectives, research questions/hypothesis, and project description
  • Soundness and credibility of concept and methodology (including interdisciplinary approaches, stakeholder involvement, consideration of the gender dimension in research content)
  • Potential to develop innovative ideas that go beyond the selected theme and introducing novel approaches that can shape future forest research
  • Potential to develop new knowledge beyond current state-of-the-art research
  • Ethical considerations and how these will be handled
  • Credibility of expected research outcomes, societal relevance, and potential for impact 
• Added value for the participating countries
  • Potential to create benefits for the participating countries’ research ecosystem (by achieving necessary critical mass, enhancing cost-effectiveness by sharing data and research infrastructure, mobility, competence building, enhancing scientific excellence, building on particular strengths or expertise, phenomena or data of participating countries)
  • Potential to create benefits for our societies (such as by addressing needs that are particular to the participating countries taking into account their social structures, institutions and institutional culture, environmental challenges, and shared cultural heritage; providing a strong and quality-assured knowledge base for policymakers, practitioners, and other actors; or creating new innovations, patents, or solutions that help to enhance development and co-operation in the participating countries)
• Quality of the research team
  • Experience, expertise, and merits in relation to delivering the proposed research
  • Complementarity of the participants and the extent to which the consortium as a whole brings together the necessary expertise
  • Novelty of the research team, which should involve at least one new research partner who has not previously collaborated with other consortium members and who is from a different academic discipline than the other members of the consortium​​​​​​​
• Feasibility
  • Quality and effectiveness of the work plan, including extent to which financial and personnel resources are appropriately assigned in line with the objectives and deliverables
  • Appropriateness of the management structures and procedures, including risk management
• ​​​​​​​Communication and dissemination
  • Quality of plans for communication, dissemination, and knowledge exchange including the extent to which such activities align with project objectives and target-relevant stakeholders
  • Quality of open science practices including sharing and management of research outputs and engagement of citizens, civil society, and end users where appropriate

In addition to the review by the expert panel, the call committee will assess the two criteria contribution to call aims and added value. In addition, the committee may pursue a balanced portfolio of funded applications in relation to the call aims and objectives, so far as it does not deviate from the grading and assessment of the expert panel.

Processing of proposals

NordForsk's guidelines on impartiality will be applied to handle potential conflicts of interest.

The assessment process will be administered by NordForsk. The process leading up to a funding decision includes the following steps:

• Eligibility: Proposals will be subject to an administrative eligibility check examining the adherence to the requirements of this call. Only applications which meet all the conditions set out in this call text and annexes will be assessed.
• Peer review panel:  The proposals will be evaluated by at least three international experts who will conduct the assessments individually and independently, using the assessment criteria as specified above, before they convene in a panel meeting to agree on the overall grade of the proposal.
• Call committee: Based on the assessment by the expert panel, the call committee will prioritise proposals with the highest scores for funding recommendations. Taking into consideration its own evaluation of contribution to call aims and added value for the participating countries, the committee may also pursue a balanced portfolio of funded applications, so far as it does not deviate from the grading and assessment of the expert panel. Subsequently, the call committee will recommend funding projects to NordForsk’s board.
• Funding decisions: NordForsk’s board will make funding decisions based on the recommendation of the call committee. Formas – the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, the Estonian Research Council, the Latvian Council of Science, and the Research Council of Lithuania will make their own formal funding decisions. These are expected to be made in December 2025. All applicants will receive written feedback from the expert panel.

Please note that NordForsk may adjust the process described above in case of an unforeseen high number of submitted applications or other unexpected events.

Management and monitoring of granted projects

The project leader will be notified of the outcome of the funding decision through the application portal.  NordForsk will sign a contract with the project owner (host institution) and this contract will set out the specific funding rates and details in accordance with NordForsk’s Standard Terms and Conditions of Contract.

Once NordForsk’s board has made the funding decision, the participating funding agencies from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will contact their national project partners. Formas will make a formal funding decision concerning the research consortia that will be directly funded by the council.

A consortium agreement regulating the rights and obligations of the various institutions/partners involved in the project must be signed by the project partners before any funding will be disbursed, although projects can start earlier.

Research institutions receiving funding from NordForsk must have a Gender Equality Plan available on their websites and have a data management plan in place before any funding will be disbursed.

The project leader will be responsible for submitting annual reports consisting of a scientific progress report, a financial report, and an impact report. A final report must be submitted to NordForsk at the end of the funding period.

The project leaders are responsible for the implementation of human resource strategies for researchers in keeping with the basic principles of the EU Charter for Researchers and the EU Code for the Recruitment of Researchers, where applicable.

Contact

Kyösti Lempa
Special adviser
kyosti.lempa@nordforsk.org
+47 94 88 65 36

Thorbjørn Gilberg
Special Adviser
thorbjorn.gilberg@nordforsk.org
+47 41 50 84 82

Technical Support

support@nordforsk.org

The call text is revised on 14 February 2025 by adding the following sentences under the Eligibility criteria:
Consideration will be given to leaves of absence such as parental leave, illness, family care leave, military service, humanitarian aid work, etc.

Moreover, consideration will be given in cases of significant career-relevant circumstances, that can be considered a necessary step in a career path, but during which the time for research has been very limited.
Leaves of absence, which the applicants request to be taken into consideration, must be documented upon request. The actual number of weeks of leave will be deducted from the applicant’s PhD age. The period of leave of absence, including exact starting and ending dates, must be stated in the candidate’s CV.

The addendum is after the sentence "Any deductible time must be stated in the application form. The PhD age is calculated as the period of time between acquiring the PhD (the date as it appears on the PhD diploma) and the date of the application deadline."

The call text is revised on 21 February 2025 by changing the following sentence under the Eligibility criteria:
The consortium must include research-performing organisations* from at least four Nordic or Baltic countries of which two must be Nordic countries. Nordic countries are defined here as Åland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden."

The call text is revised on 12 March 2025 by adding the following sentence under the Eligibility criteria:
Baltic countries are defined here as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.