Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Grants for research and capacity building in agriculture, climate change, environment, and natural resources
Principal Office: Denmark
Denmark’s development assistance supports developing countries in their long-term national strategies for poverty reduction and the right to a better life.
The country’s Ministry for Development Cooperation is embedded within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Danish International Development Agency (Danida) implements most of Denmark’s bilateral programs of development assistance.
Danish development cooperation has four strategic priorities, one of which is green growth based on sustainable management and use of natural resources. In this theme, Denmark focuses on sustainable food production, access to energy and water, and integrated efforts related to climate.
Grant Programs for Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Natural Resources
1 — Support to Danish Civil Society Organizations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs engages in framework agreements to support Denmark’s large and medium development NGOs. Additionally, the Ministry funds a grant scheme for small projects, and it manages a special funding pool to support innovative NGOs in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
APPLICATION: Danish development organizations pursue framework agreements and other grants directly with the Ministry for Development Cooperation. The Ministry presents the policies, technical guidelines, and management tools in support of grants and contracts for development cooperation.
About support to Danish civil society
2 — Development Research. Danida administers research programs to advance Denmark’s development assistance in collaboration with partner countries.
North-Driven Development Research. Danida makes an annual call for proposals in development research for researchers in Denmark. Most recent calls include at least one theme related to agriculture, energy, environment, or natural resources.
South-Driven Development Research. In a reversal of the usual roles, this program delegates the choice of research themes and the selection of collaborating partners to institutions in Denmark’s partner countries. The partner countries are Vietnam, Tanzania, Ghana, and Nepal.
Building Stronger Universities. This program strengthens the research capacity of universities in selected priority countries (Ghana, Nepal, Tanzania, and Uganda).
Research Travel Grants. Danida makes travel grants in support of thesis field work of master students enrolled at Danish institutions of higher education.
APPLICATION: Research grants are made through competitive calls for proposals. Each call includes program objectives, eligibility criteria, grant size and duration, application deadlines, and the calendar deadline for submissions.
About development research, and the application process
3 — Fellowships in Denmark. Some of Danida’s programs and projects may offer financial support to individuals for studies at Danish universities. The support is primarily for nationals in Denmark’s partner countries who are affiliated with Denmark’s programs and projects.
APPLICATION: Danida posts information about eligibility, age limit, language and computer skills, and other supporting details. Application forms and residence permits are available at Denmark’s embassies, and on Danida’s website. Applicants for graduate studies are responsible for gaining admission to the relevant universities.
4 — Training. The Danida Fellowship Center administers capacity-building courses and other training events for civil servants, students, civil society representatives, business leaders, and other professionals. Thematic areas include climate change, green energy and carbon markets, natural resource management, reducing disaster risks, environmental mainstreaming, and organic agriculture (among many others). Some capacity-building events are hosted in Denmark, while others are organized through institutions in partner countries.
APPLICATION: Danida publishes guidelines, eligibility requirements, and an annual calendar of training events. Training is intended mainly for individuals associated with Danida-funded programs and projects in partner developing countries.
5 — Grants to Civil Society in Developing Countries. Some of Denmark’s diplomatic missions make grants to local NGOs and other types of organizations in developing countries. Denmark’s embassies have local authority to administer these grants without needing to consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
APPLICATION: Interested individuals should inquire with the relevant Danish diplomatic mission regarding whether funding is available, and how to apply for it.
Link to Denmark’s diplomatic missions
Geographical Distribution of Grant Activities in Developing Countries
The following are Denmark’s priority partner countries for bilateral assistance, defined within the regional framework of the Terra Viva Grants Directory.
Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands: Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam
East Asia: China
South Asia: Bangladesh, Pakistan
Eurasia and Central Asia: Afghanistan, Georgia, Turkey
Eastern Europe and Russia: Ukraine
Middle East and North Africa: Egypt, Palestinian Territories
Sub-Saharan Africa: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda
Latin America and Caribbean: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico
Note: Danish civil society organizations funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs work in a wider range of developing countries than those identified above.
The Ministry’s website is available in Danish and English.
Denmark is consistently among the world’s top-rated countries in per capita contributions of official development assistance.
The Danida Research Portal is a useful complement to the information available on the website of the Danida Fellowship Center.
The Danish Development Research Network offers news, events, and updates on development issues in Denmark and internationally.
March 2021