Through its Humanitarian Innovation Programme (HIP Norway), Innovation Norway is looking for bold innovation projects that aim to improve humanitarian action, save lives, alleviate suffering, and sustain people’s dignity. The 2023 call for proposals is now open. We welcome humanitarian UN agencies and Norwegian humanitarian organisations (NGOs) to submit project proposals.

We support innovation projects lead by humanitarian organisations where the expertise and technical know-how from the private sector has a role in solving humanitarian challenges. HIP Norway supports both early-stage innovation (Innovation Lab) and scaling of solutions that have proven to be successful at the pilot stage (Scaling grant scheme). Please see the requirements for both grant schemes at the bottom of the page. NB: The application form will open in April. In the meantime, you will find information about what to prepare under the information tab under each grant scheme.

Objectives and target group for the programme

HIP Norway is a grant and support mechanism, financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and administered by Innovation Norway.  HIP Norway aims to strengthen efforts to:  

• Save lives, alleviate distress and safeguard human dignity in humanitarian crises.
• Provide people in need with the necessary protection and assistance in line with humanitarian principles.

To contribute to achieving the overall goal, HIP Norway will support projects that develop and scale innovative solutions that will contribute to smarter, better, more sustainable, and cost-effective emergency aid.

The target group(s) for the projects supported through the programme are people affected by humanitarian crises.

Overall, HIP Norway is evaluated based on the number of innovation partnerships established, the number of new solutions developed, successful pilots in humanitarian contexts, new innovative solutions being used that have a direct impact on end users, the number of solutions that have contributed to smarter, better, more sustainable and/or more cost-efficient response, and the number of innovations that have been scaled up in a humanitarian context.

Who can apply?

1. UN agencies with a humanitarian mandate
2. Norwegian humanitarian organisations with an international mandate (The organisation must be registered at the Brønnøysund Register and have both an office in Norway and a Norwegian board)
3. Consortiums of multiple humanitarian organisations. In such collaborations, the main applicant has to come from category 1 or 2, and the other organisations can either come from these categories, or not, e.g., national NGOs etc.

We encourage humanitarian organisations to collaborate on joint applications.

Focus areas

HIP Norway is looking for bold ideas that seek to improve resilience against natural disasters or improve humanitarian response in conflicts and disasters. The programme supports projects within one or more of the following focus areas:

• Green humanitarian response: Efforts that contribute to more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions within the humanitarian sector.
• Health and sanitation: Efforts to ensure lifesaving health services and the provision of facilities and services for the maintenance of hygienic conditions and the safe disposal of human waste.
• Protection: Efforts that contribute to protecting people from violence, abuse and violation of international law due to humanitarian crises. Applications focusing on protection from sexual and gender-based violence are encouraged.
• Innovative financing: Innovative financing refers to a number of non-traditional mechanisms for raising additional funds for humanitarian and development assistance. This may be through innovations such as micro-contributions, impact bonds, public-private partnerships and market-based approaches/ business models.

Call for proposals 2023

NOK 97 million is allocated to new Innovation Lab and scaling projects in 2023.

• Applications to the Innovation Lab scheme may range from NOK 4-6 million (or up to NOK 8 million for multiagency projects with three or more partnering organisations)
• Applications to the Scaling grant scheme may range from NOK 2-10 million

The total funding allocated for each grant scheme is subject to applications received.