Sponsorship

Sponsorship to participate in Oslo REDD Exchange 2016
The final deadline for applying for sponsorship is the May 9. 

Goal
To ensure wide participation in Oslo REDD Exchange 2016 from relevant actors in the REDD community in developing countries who would contribute to and strongly benefit from the conference.

Target group
The target group for the sponsorship is representatives from civil society, government and researchers in developing forest countries, who would not have the possibility to attend the conference unless sponsorship is provided.

Criteria for achieving the goal

• Relevant actors from developing countries that work with REDD+ attend the conference and exchange ideas and perspectives with the conference participants.
• The participants report back to their organizations on the conference
• A balance between different groups of grantees (see more under award criteria).

The sponsorship
The sponsorship will be subject to competition for all eligible participants. Participants have to pay for their expenses, but will be reimbursed for the following:

• Roundtrip lowest economy fair to Oslo, arriving on 13 or 14 June and departing on 15 or 16 June, depending on flight availability.
• Accommodation at Thon Hotell Slottsparken and meals for up to three nights. Meals are covered up to the cost of NOK 300 per meal.

Accommodation and hotel meals will be paid directly by the organizer.

Original receipts must be delivered to the Conference Secretariat at the end of the conference, together with a standard reporting form that must be filled in. A confirmation that you have attended both days is required for the Secretariat to pay out the reimbursement.

The following will not be covered by the sponsorship
Any other cost that is not covered under the heading “The sponsorship” must be covered by the applicant. This includes costs relates to travel to/from the airport and within Norway and home country, and costs related to the visa application process.

Personal expenses such as telephone, mini-bar, etc. must be paid by the guest upon departure. Accommodation/meals before/ after 13-16 June will not be covered by the sponsorship.

Per Diem will not be provided.

Application
The application must include the following:

• A half-page description of the applicants work experience related to REDD+, the work of the organization the applicant represents, and what the applicant can bring of relevant country-level experiences to the conference.
• A half-page description on how the organization intends to use the experiences gained during the conference, and present a plan to convey and use information gained at the conference upon return.
• Copy of passport, to document that the applicant is a citizen of a country on the OECD/DAC list of ODA countries.
• A confirmation that the applicant will not be receiving funds from other sources.
• Document relevant work experience by CV.
• A letter from the manager of the organization (see minimum requirements).
• Bank details for the bank account that funds are to be reimbursed to. The documentation must be from the bank and  must include the name and address of the Bank, name of the bank account, bank account number, IBAN and SWIFT numbers.  

Minimum requirements

• Eligible applicants are citizens of, and working in a country on the OECD/DAC list of ODA countries.
• The applicant will not be granted sponsorship from any other sources.
• A letter from the manager of the organization recommending the applicant, and committing to a plan to convey and use information gained at the conference upon return.

Applicants that do not fulfill the minimum requirements will not be assessed for sponsorship.

Award criteria
The award criteria is based on an assessment of the relevance of the applicant, and the balance of participants from different sectors, geographies, etc:

Relevance (40%). The following is taken into consideration:

• The applicant is a representative from a highly relevant civil society organization, a governmental organization or research institution in a country that is involved in REDD+.
• The application argues well that the applicant’s professional qualifications are relevant, the organization the applicant is representing is relevant and leading on REDD+ related work in the country and/or region and that the applicant can bring useful country-level experiences to the conference.
• The quality of a plan that describes how the organization will use the experiences gained during the conference.

A balance (60%) between different types of grantees to ensure that the conference will have a fair balance of representation from the following groups:

• Gender
• Geography
• Different areas of focus of the grantees.
• The different types of organizations the applicants represent.

The assessment will take into consideration the overall participation list for the conference when assessing balance.

Applicants from organizations that have several registered participants will not be prioritized for sponsorship.

The following are not eligible for sponsorships

• Participants from organizations that are currently, or in the near future to be granted funds from NICFI.
• Participants who are citizens of countries that are not on the OECD/DAC list of ODA countries.
• Participants who are working in countries that are not on the OECD/DAC list of ODA countries.
• Participants from multilateral organizations.
• Participants from international non-governmental organizations based in countries that are not on the OECD/DAC list of ODA countries.
• Participants from international investment banks
• Participants from the private sector
• Students
• Participants that can be granted travel support from other sources.

The application assessment process
The assessment process will take two working weeks (taking into consideration public holidays), starting from the deadline for submitting applications.