We are looking for bold innovation projects that aim to improve humanitarian action, save lives, alleviate suffering, and safeguard people’s dignity and rights. The 2026 call for proposals is now open, and we welcome applications from UN humanitarian agencies, international NGOs with an office in Norway, as well as IFRC and ICRC.

We support innovation projects led by humanitarian organisations, where private sector expertise and the active involvement of people affected by crises are central to solving real humanitarian challenges. In addition to grant funding, the programme provides grantees with tailored advisory support, mentoring, and access to a strong network of fellow innovators. Through this combination of funding and hands‑on support, we help projects strengthen their solutions, partnerships, and pathways to adoption and scale.

We support innovation partnerships between the humanitarian and private sectors at different stages of maturity. Applicants may apply for:

• an Innovation Lab Grant, to conduct an innovation‑friendly or innovative procurement process and adapt or co‑develop a novel solution with a private sector partner; or
• a Scaling Grant, to support projects that are ready to move beyond piloting and towards broader adoption and impact. The Scaling Grant supports both projects that are already scaling and projects in a transition to scale phase.

Objectives and target group for the programme

The Humanitarian Innovation 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 and rights 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?

The humanitarian organisation/agency is the applicant and receiver of the grant. We encourage humanitarian organisations to collaborate on joint applications. The following organisations are eligible for funding:

UN agencies with a humanitarian mandate, as well as IFRC and ICRC

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)

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 highly recommend submitting maximum 5 proposals per organisation, not counting consortia. Example: We recommend that Organisation A submits 5 proposals alone. If Organisation A is a partner in another proposal consisting of 2 or more organisations, this counts outside of the 5 proposal limit.

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.
• Food security: Responses during and after a humanitarian crisis addressing issues of food availability, access, utilization, and stability.

Call for proposals 2026

NOK 100 million is allocated to new Innovation Lab and Scaling projects in 2026.

• Applications to the Innovation Lab scheme may range from NOK 4-6 million (or up to NOK 8 million for consortium 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.

Call timeline and process

The application deadline is 17. August, 12PM CEST (Noon).

© Innovation Norway

Shortlisted projects will be invited to a 20-minute digital pitch/interview in front of a panel on one of the following dates: 13-15 October 2026. All applicants are encouraged to mark these dates in their calendars. The pitch/interview will consist of 10 minutes to answer 3-5 questions about the project received in advance, and 10 minutes for follow-up questions from the panel. We ask that relevant leadership is represented at the pitch; head of department/ section/ country office or similar.

The application form

The application form needs to be completed in the digital portal to be considered.

*Please make sure that the account you apply with represents the organisation that would enter into the contract with Innovation Norway and receive the grant funding. The name and address you provide for your organisation when making an account to access the portal will be directly transferred to the grant letter and cannot be changed afterwards.

Please read the requirements for the relevant grant scheme

Link to the application form: 

Click here to access the application form.

A PDF version of the call for proposals can be downloaded here

A Word version of the application forms can be downloaded here - Innovation Lab and here - Scaling.

Information session

An information session is scheduled on 15. June at 12PM CEST. Please register here to join the webinar.