Grants for cluster operations

Type of service

Grants

Target group

Clusters

How much

NOK 1,000,000–3,000,000

Application deadline

View the call

We can only provide grants for cluster operations to innovation clusters where the collaboration is formalised through a cluster organisation. Norwegian Innovation Clusters (NIC) and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) meet this definition.

Innovation clusters bring together businesses, R&D institutions, catapult centres and other relevant stakeholders in a structured and systematic partnership. Their purpose is to stimulate greater innovation activity, competence transfer, and the exchange of knowledge and expertise among cluster members.

The cluster organisation (established as a separate legal entity) receives grants for cluster operations on behalf of the innovation cluster.

Grants for cluster operations cover operating costs incurred by the cluster organisation (i.e. the cluster facilitator). These include:

1. Mobilising/launching the cluster
Activities related to organising the collaboration, planning, initial meetings and engagement activities for potential members, preparing the necessary basis for strategy and direction, holding strategy sessions, drafting agreements between the parties, and developing strategies and action plans, etc.

2. Promotion and marketing of the cluster

Activities related to promoting the cluster externally through websites, social media, trade fairs and conferences, as well as direct engagement with businesses to recruit new members.

3. Management of the cluster's facilities

Where the cluster manages shared infrastructure, laboratories, meeting rooms, innovation platforms or other shared facilities, this includes activities related to developing, operating, maintaining and administering these facilities. The facilities must be openly accessible, and user fees must reflect the costs.

4. Planning and facilitation of training, workshops and conferences (Note: Delivery is not included)

Planning various training programmes, thematic workshops, seminars, conferences and study trips for cluster members and potential external participants, as well as international collaboration. This also includes collaboration between clusters, in line with the definition of innovation clusters. Please note that this scheme does not cover the delivery of these activities. Such activities may instead qualify for support under the 'Innovation support for SMEs' scheme.

Other eligible costs:

Eligible costs also include project management, financial management and reporting related to the activities above. The cost basis covers the cluster organisation's direct payroll costs, indirect costs, overheads, travel costs and meeting expenses. It also covers external consultancy services, services invoiced by cluster members engaged to plan the activities listed above, and other costs directly related to operating the cluster.

Public funding can cover up to 50% of the approved cost base. Cluster participants must fund the remaining 50% themselves. Funding from private third parties and the EU may count towards this contribution. When calculating the permitted level of state aid, you must include support from other public sources.

Where cluster members provide services to the cluster organisation, they must invoice these services in accordance with applicable accounting rules. In-kind contributions and participants' unbilled work cannot count as self-financing.

We can provide support for up to 10 years from the date when operating support was first awarded, regardless of any interruptions in public funding. The maximum cumulative support for a cluster is EUR 10 million.

The grant is conditional on the cluster organisation and the planned activities qualifying under Article 27 of the State aid rules – Aid for innovation clusters.

We provide grants for cluster operations in the following cases:

As a result of a call for cluster proposals. The criteria for selecting clusters are set out in a separate programme description. Following the call and pre-qualification process, selected innovation clusters can apply for grants to support cluster operations. The cluster organisation (facilitator) submits the grant application.
As a result of the EDIH pre-qualification process. Two Norwegian EDIHs (consortia) receive EU funding for 50% of the costs associated with approved work packages and planned services for Norwegian businesses. EDIHs can apply for grants for cluster operations to co-finance certain work packages.
Business networks organised as 'mini' innovation clusters. These applications will not be part of calls for cluster proposals, but will result from a separate pre-qualification process. Such business networks must meet the definition of 'innovation clusters' under state aid rules.

The cluster organisation submits the application via My Page.

Key eligibility criteria for funding

To access our services, your company must uphold the principles of responsible business conduct and actively manage its sustainability risks. Read more about sustainability and responsible business conduct.

State aid rules

Our funding must comply with state aid rules. You must meet five general conditions for state aid.

The General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) is part of the state aid rules. It contains provisions that allow us to provide support to businesses in a range of circumstances. We may apply one or more provisions to each case. Read more about GBER.

Legal basis for the scheme

We have notified the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) of our funding schemes. The legal basis for these notifications is available on the National Legal Basis page.

Other public funding

You must state in your application whether you have applied or intend to apply for other public funding for the project. We also determine the level of our funding based on an overall assessment of how much public funding is needed for the project to go ahead.

When determining the grant amount, we therefore assume that you will not receive any other public funding, including SkatteFUNN, beyond what you have stated in the application. This applies to funding for the project costs we used to calculate our grant (eligible costs). If you nevertheless receive other public funding, including SkatteFUNN, after we have made our offer and it covers the same costs, we may reduce our grant accordingly or withdraw it entirely.

This does not prevent your company from receiving other public funding for project costs other than those on which we have based our assessment.

Go to My page to start or continue your application.

Frequently asked questions and answers

General information about the application process, how we assess applications, project details and the types of ideas we do not support.