“In addition to diversity being an important and relevant topic in the Nordics, we received some excellent applications covering several other important fields,” said Iris Dager, chair of the expert panel.
Among the projects granted funding, the expert panel highlighted the Nordic Summit of Species. The summit is aimed at bringing civil society organisations together from across the Nordic countries, who are involved in protecting biodiversity.
The panel also praised the Nordic Pride Conference, a networking event for Pride organisers to exchange knowledge, work together on shared challenges, and promote LGBTQIA+ rights throughout the Nordic Region.
Multiple perspectives on Nordic added value
Iris Dager pointed out that the criteria around Nordic added value serve as an effective tool in prioritising projects.
“Several applications with a European focus were rejected. All the projects that received funding addressed issues of importance to the Nordic Region in one way or another,” said Dager.
According to her, Nordic added value is reflected in various ways in the expert panel’s decisions – some projects that have been granted funding are spread across the Nordic Region, while others have more of a local focus yet tackle issues and challenges that are seen as priorities in the Nordic context.
“The Nordic Pride Conference is an example of the latter. The conference will be held in the Faroe Islands to highlight the urgent need for improved LGBTQIA+ rights within Faroese society.”
Larger funding round in 2025
With a total of EUR 5,235,574 applied for compared to the EUR 270,000 available, the expert panel also considered which applications could achieve the most with the funds they had applied for.
“Ultimately, no project was awarded the full amount they applied for, and unfortunately, we had to reject many strong applications. But the good news is that the funding budget will increase next year,” said Dager.
As a message to projects that weren’t awarded funding, she added:
“Read the criteria carefully! And if you’ve applied before, take another look at your overall approach before trying again – don’t just tweak small details. Rejection doesn’t mean the application was poor, but it’s worth considering whether Demos is the right funding avenue for this project.”
The next application round for Demos opens in February 2025.
See the full list of projects approved funding in this round