EEA and Norway Grants: my project portfolio

Since 2018 I have, on behalf of CBNRM Networking, a Norwegian NGO, and Supras Limited, a Norwegian consulting firm, worked as a partner on several projects that have received funding from the EEA and Norway Grants. The projects cover all three 5-year funding periods, and were implemented in the following countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia (note 1). The projects are listed below, in descending order. 

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19.  Bulgaria - Improving the capacity of administrations and pilot implementation of measures for successful adaptation to climate change in the municipalities of Peshtera, Batak, Sadovo, and Strelcha.
Promoter: Municipality of Peshtera
Partners: Municipality of Batak, Municipality of Sadovo, Municipality of Strelcha, Supras Ltd., Association 'Union for Bulgaria'
Period: ? 2023 - ? ?
About:
Notes: (i) Management: ESCA Consulting Group (Sofia), (ii) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 070, (iii) Images:

18.   Bulgaria - Introduction of energy efficiency measures and construction of photovoltaic power plants in three kindergartens in the territory of Plovdiv municipality 
Promoter: Plovdiv municipality
Partner: Supras Limited
Period: January(?) 2023 - ? ?
About:
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 069, (ii) Images:

17.  Bulgaria - Kindergartens
Promoter:
Partner: Otterstad
Period: ? 2022 - ? ?
About:
Notes: (i) Supras Limited was involved in a sub-contracting arrangement, (ii) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 068, (iii) Images:

16.  Czech Republic - Unbound rivers for future generations
Promoter: Arnika, z.s.
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: ? 2022 - ? ?
About:
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 067, (ii) Images:

15.  Bulgaria - Capacity building and awareness on domestic and gender-based violence in the South-Central region
Promoter: Association 'Union for Bulgaria'
Partners: Municipality of Strelcha, Multi-level Consulting, Supras Limited
Period: ? 2022 - ? ?
About:
Notes: (ii) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 066, (iii) Images:

14.  Bulgaria - Bilateral cooperation
Promoter: ?, Razgrad
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: ? ? - September 2022
About:
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 065, (ii) Images:

13.  Bulgaria - Mobile creative network for culture and arts
Promoter: 'Incubator' Creative Complex
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: ? 2021 - ? 2023
About:
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 064, (ii) Images:

12.  Latvia - Attention! UA friends join us!
Promoter: Riga German Culture Society
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: Nov 2021 - April 2024
About:
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 063, (ii) Images:

11.  Slovakia - We connect for more opportunities
Promoter: Mesto Lučenec
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: ? 2021 - ? 2022
About:
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 062, (ii) Images:

10.  Romania - Capacity, responsibility, efficiency, sustainability and quality by means of organisational development (CRESC)
Promoter: Federaţia Filantropia
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: ? 2021 - ? 2023
About:
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 061, (ii) Images:

09.  Bulgaria - Introduction of energy saving measures for rehabilitation and modernization of street lighting in the Tsentralen and Yuzhen regions of Plovdiv municipality
Promoter: Plovdiv municipality
Partner: Supras Limited
Period: November 2020 - October 2022
About:
Notes: (i) The Norwegian engineering firm Asplan Viak was involved as a subcontracter, (ii) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 060, (iii) Images:

08.  Latvia - Renovation impact on climate change and energy efficiency habits of residents
Promoter: Building and Energy Conservation Office (ESEB) (Ēku saglabāšanas un energotaupības birojs)
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: April 2015 - September 2016
About: This was a comprehensive and in-depth study of the apartment buildings sector, combining social and environmental engineering research methods, in connection with climate change, the need for alternative energy regimes and social/cultural adaptation.  
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 058, (ii) Images:

07.  Bulgaria - Increasing the capacity of teachers at the Medical University Plovdiv in training with a focus on health awareness of the Roma community
Promoter: Medical University Plovdiv
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: April 2015 - October 2016
About: The goal was to increase the competence of staff at the university on educational support and health awarness among Roma citizens.
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 057, (ii) Images:

06.  Romania - Seniors, resources in the community. Volunteering at third age
Promoter: Asociatia Habilitas CRFP
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: April 2015 - June 2016
About: Aimed to promote volunteering by seniors, addressed through: (a) a training program, (b) placement in institutions and communities, and (c) networking of senior volunteers.
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 056, (ii) Images:

05.  Bulgaria - Improvement of penitentiary staff's capacity for prevention of discrimination and protection of human rights through training based on european standards
Promoter: Commission for Protection Against Discrimination (KZD)
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: February 2015 - March 2017
About: The project addressed the human rights situation and issues of discrimination in penitentiaries, focused around inmates with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It contributed to improving the competence of staff in selected penitentiaries, through training and transfer of Norwegian experience, and updating of programs for initial and ongoing training of penitentiary staff. The project focused specifically on Roma inmates, who constitute a majority of all inmates. A Bulgarian delegation traveled to Norway to meet and share experiences with colleagues.
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 055, (ii) Images:

04.  Bulgaria - Promoting democratic values with the TV program 'Small stories from the Roma world'
Promoter: Roma World - 21st Century
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: November 2014 - February 2016
About: The project addressed the severe level of discrimination of Roma in Bulgaria, and the lack of communication between the two population groups. It did this through producing 18 short films, each around 10 minutes long. Each film focused on a Roma person or family, and aimed at presenting aspects of Roma culture and life, as viewed from the inside. The director is herself a Roma. The films were shown on national TV as well as internationally. They aim to contribute to creating a better understanding between Roma and the majority culture. Experiences in Bulgaria and Norway with teaching about cultural understanding were shared.
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 053, (ii) Images:

03.  Romania - Ecotourism in Tara Dornelor, an instrument for sustainable development
Promoter: Ass. for Ecotourism in Romania, Speleological Foundation Bucovina
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: September 2008 - September 2011
About: This project represented an integrated approach to utilizing ecotourism and
production of renewable energy to advance biodiversity protection and sustainable development, specifically to address consequences of climate change
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 045, (ii) Images:

02.  Bulgaria - Public support to the sustainable management of Natura 2000 sites along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast
Promoter: Black Sea NGO Network (BSNN) (Varna)
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited).
Period: June 2008 - September 2010
About: The coastal zone in Bulgaria is heavily built up, with international mass tourism representing a large and increasing threat to sustainable management. Nobody seems to be in control or take responsibility. In this situation, this project aimed to raise awareness among coastal citizens for the fact that people – in civil society and public sector – have to collaborate to achieve changes. Towards this, the project argued for increased involvement of stakeholders in the public sector in coastal management, and increased communication and contact between stakeholders in public sector and civil society.
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 044, (ii) Images:

01.  Slovenia - Support for local level planning
Promoter: Institute for Spatial Policies (Ljubljana)
Partner: CBNRM Networking (with the support of Supras Limited)
Period: September 2008 - May 2010
About: Coming out of the previous political-economical communist regime, stakeholders in transition countries largely lack the ability to network and associate. This project accordingly addressed capacity development and networking of stakeholders in civil society and the public sector. It aimed to encourage and make possible participation of civil society in a democratic decision-making process, and cooperation between local civil society initiatives and appropriate institutions in the public sector.
Notes: (i) Adapted from Project Data Sheet (PDS) no. 043, (ii) Images:

Lars Soeftestad

Notes
^1/  Some projects are ongoing at the time of writing, and set to close in late 2023.
^2/  Image credit: 
^3/  Relevant Devblog articles: "EEA and Norway Grants: Evaluation of own projects" (to appear)  |  "EEA and Norway Grants: Donor Country Partners" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/eea-and-norway-grants-donor-country-partners  |  "EEA and Norway Grants: my project portfolio" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/eea-and-norway-grants-my-project-portfolio  |  "EEA and Norway Grants and evaluation" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/eea-and-norway-grants-and-evaluation  |  "Anthropology and development cooperation" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/anthropology-and-development-cooperation
^4/  Further relevant Devblog articles: "Devblog: on Roma" at:  https://www.devblog.no/en/article/devblog-roma  |  "Poland and Norway: transparency and trust" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/poland-and-norway-transparency-and-trust  |  "Bulgaria: Roma in the penitentiary system" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/bulgaria-roma-penitentiary-system  |  "Roma and health awareness 2" at: https://devblog.no/en/article/roma-and-health-awareness-2  |  "Roma and health awareness 1" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/roma-and-health-awareness-1  |  "Train or be trained vs eat or be eaten" at: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/train-or-be-trained-vs-eat-or-be-eaten  |  "Ethnographic film and advocacy" at: https://devblog.no/en/article/ethnographic-film-and-advocacy 
^5/  Permalink: https://www.devblog.no/en/article/eea-and-norway-grants-my-project-portfolio
^6/  This article was published 30 November 2018. It was revised 21 February 2023.