Mobilisation for voluntary cleanup

The call for applications aims to maintain and increase the voluntary cleanup of plastic litter in Norway. The goal is to mobilise larger actions, creating engagement across volunteers, businesses, and public entities.

All organisations that organise voluntary cleanup of plastic litter can apply for funding.

• • Announced framework: Approximately NOK 15 million
  • Project size: Only exceptionally larger than NOK 2 million
  • Project duration: Up to 2 years after grant allocation

• • Work hours for planning and organising larger cleanup events with volunteers
  • Minor costs for marketing to mobilise cleanup efforts
  • Transport and handling of waste, when not covered by the refund scheme administered by Hold Norge Rent (only marine waste), other schemes or operators
  • Food at cleanup events, up to NOK 50 per cleaner per day
  • When mobilising school pupils during school hours, it is possible to apply for up to NOK 200 per pupil per day in motivational funds

  Applications will be prioritised based on the number of participants and cleanup hours mobilised from volunteers, businesses, and the public sector for cleaning up plastic litter. Applicants must demonstrate sufficient competence to plan cleanups that comply with access prohibitions and do not harm nature and wildlife, see report from BirdLife.

• Planned cleanup activities must be correctly registered in ryddenorge.no, see the video under “Register findings” on the page “How to use Rydde”. The actions must be tagged with the cleanup tag “mobiliseringhmf”, and the action codes should be entered into the application form.

  The results of the cleanup activities should be registered in ryddenorge.no, see the video under “Register findings” on the page “How to use Rydde”. Detailed registration of findings for the entire community work/cleanup activities is not mandatory, but do it if possible.

  When mobilising for voluntary cleanup of the outer coast, it must be checked that the planned areas are not covered by the Rydd Norge programme. Open Rent hav, click on the theme layer group “Rydd Norge” and select the theme layer “Rydd Norge – Priority areas”. This will display all the areas we have planned to clean in the next 5 years.
  

• • Salaries for volunteers, except for motivational incentives for students who clean during school hours
  • Planning and organising underwater cleanup
  • Planning and organising the retrieval of abandoned boats
  • Awareness-raising activities beyond the actual cleanup activities

  It is not possible to apply for funding from both Mobilisation for Voluntary Cleanup and The Community Plastics cleanup.

• Before the second and subsequent payments, the recipient must submit a status report for the project when requesting the disbursement of funds.
• Multi-year projects: the recipient must submit a written annual report for the project each year.
• All projects must submit a final report for the project.
• All reports must be submitted electronically in the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund’s project portal. This will be explained in the startup meeting.

Guide to project accounting and auditing

Project accounts and auditing

• All projects must prepare final project accounts for the entire project period as part of the final report.
• For grants from NOK 350,000 up to and including NOK 1,000,000, a statement must also be provided by a state-authorised public accountant with “Agreed-upon procedures” in accordance with ISRS 4400 Agreed-upon procedures.
• For grants exceeding NOK 1,000,000, a statement must also be provided by a state-authorised public accountant with an audit of the project accounts in accordance with ISA 805 (Revised), Special considerations – audits of single financial statements and specific elements, accounts or items of a financial statement.

Costs associated with the use of an accountant are incurred by the project, and must be included in the budget when relevant.

• • The applicant must have an organisation number and be registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre.
  • The enterprise and contact persons must be registered in the project portal.
  • Applications must be submitted via the project portal.
  • Economy (more information here)Rules for hourly rates when calculating project expensesAudit, including threshold amounts and guidance for the applicant's auditor
  • Rules for hourly rates when calculating project expenses
  • Audit, including threshold amounts and guidance for the applicant's auditor
  • The applicant must provide realistic budgets and describe how the funds will be used.
  • Applications must be written in Norwegian or English.
  • Any previous agreements with the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund must be honoured.
  • If at least one of the points below applies to the project, the application form will require the applicant to answer additional questions:The funding requested is more than 5 million NOK.The country is listed in the EU Sanctions Map. Support cannot be granted for projects in countries listed on the EU/UN sanctions list unless it can be documented through an extended self-declaration that project funds, for example, do not go to sanctioned individuals.The country is mentioned in the Norwegian authorities' table Current sanctions and measures.The country has a score below 40 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.
  • The funding requested is more than 5 million NOK.
  • The country is listed in the EU Sanctions Map. Support cannot be granted for projects in countries listed on the EU/UN sanctions list unless it can be documented through an extended self-declaration that project funds, for example, do not go to sanctioned individuals.
  • The country is mentioned in the Norwegian authorities' table Current sanctions and measures.
  • The country has a score below 40 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

• 
  The processing of the application follows a strict declaration of impartiality and confidentiality. Read the declarations here. Note that the information in the application may be shared confidentially with other funding bodies (such as the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Sparebank Foundation) during the application process where relevant. This is to ensure a good and efficient process, as well as an appropriate use of funds.
  

  Selected experts from HMF’s Expert Committee and Board may access the application when it is assessed and board-reviewed. In the application form, applicants can specify the names of individuals and entities they believe are disqualified, thus excluding them from accessing the application.
  

  Application Processing Routine
  
  

  • Assessment of the Application: At least two employees of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund assess the application. In addition, external experts with relevant knowledge are utilised:Applications up to and including 500,000 NOK: An external expert is involved only if the administration deems it necessary.Applications over 500,000 NOK, up to 1 million NOK: At least one external expert assesses the application.Applications over 1 million NOK: At least two external experts assess the application.
  • Applications up to and including 500,000 NOK: An external expert is involved only if the administration deems it necessary.
  • Applications over 500,000 NOK, up to 1 million NOK: At least one external expert assesses the application.
  • Applications over 1 million NOK: At least two external experts assess the application.
  • Decision: The administration of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund compiles the assessments of both internal and external experts, and presents recommended allocations to the board, which makes the final decision.
    

  Evaluation Criteria
  
  

  The application will be evaluated according to four criteria, each weighted equally on a scale from 1–7:

  • Project Quality
    The quality of the proposed measures, activities, and methods. To what extent the proposed work is ambitious and innovative, realistic, and well-grounded in knowledge and experience.
  • Environmental Impact
    The potential to reduce the negative environmental effects of plastics in the short and long term. The extent to which the project can deliver good solutions and effects. Plans for disseminating results, knowledge, and concrete solutions developed in the project.
  • Implementation
    The quality of the project's organisation, management, and resource use. The extent to which the project is well-organised, with the right expertise in the project group and partners.
  • Scientific Priorities
    To what extent the project responds to the call's scientific priorities.
    
    

  Some Projects Undergo Extra Thorough Review
  
  

  • Applies to applications exceeding 5 million NOK and selected projects that, in the opinion of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, require a more thorough review.
  • An online meeting will be conducted with participation from the applicant, case handlers at the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, and external experts.
  • The applicant presents the project, and case handlers and experts have the opportunity to ask questions about the application and the project.

• The call for applications is closed.
  

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