Norway is investing NOK 69 million over three years to strengthen knowledge, innovation, and reform in the humanitarian sector. The funding has been awarded to eight international organisations working to improve the efficiency, relevance, sustainability, and accountability of humanitarian action. According to Norad, the selection prioritises organisations with strong expertise in policy development, evidence generation, and innovation, all aligned with Norway’s Humanitarian Strategy focused on saving lives, reducing suffering, and upholding human dignity in crisis settings.
The initiative follows a highly competitive selection process, with 167 applications reviewed against strict criteria to ensure quality, impact, and relevance. The programme provides NOK 23 million annually between January 2026 and January 2029, and also emphasises inclusion of at least one Global South partner working on humanitarian reform, alongside organisations that strengthen participation of crisis-affected communities in decision-making.
The selected partners include organisations working across different areas of humanitarian improvement. NEAR focuses on strengthening local civil society and shifting power to Global South actors, while ICVA works globally to improve coordination, policy, and financing in humanitarian response. ODI Global, through its Humanitarian Policy Group and ALNAP, contributes research, learning, and evaluation to improve evidence-based decision-making in the sector.
Other funded organisations include the CALP Network, which promotes cash-based assistance in crises, and GiveDirectly, which delivers direct cash transfers aimed at fast and scalable aid delivery. The Airbel Impact Lab from the International Rescue Committee focuses on testing and scaling innovative, cost-effective solutions, while Ground Truth Solutions works to strengthen accountability by incorporating feedback from crisis-affected populations into humanitarian planning.
Independent reporting and transparency are supported through The New Humanitarian, which provides in-depth coverage of humanitarian crises and acts as a watchdog for the sector. Together, these organisations represent a broad effort to strengthen innovation, evidence, accountability, and localisation in global humanitarian response.
Norway’s approach reflects a long-term commitment to improving how humanitarian systems function, ensuring aid reaches people faster, is better targeted, and is more transparent and effective. The selected partnerships are intended to drive systemic reform by integrating knowledge, innovation, and the voices of affected communities into humanitarian decision-making.
