Sustainable Development Goals Partnership Fund

Is your company interested in working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals and launching collaborative projects in developing countries? Supporting the promotion of employment and business in these countries provides an opportunity to promote competitiveness in future markets.

Calls for applications are made up to three times a year. Applications must be sent to the e-mail address [email protected].

Further instructions can be found in the Fund's Procedural Rules

The SDGs Fund has the objective to foster partnership projects aiming at strengthening sustainable economic growth. The annual budget is approximately 1.4 billion EUR per year. Projects must take place in the developing countries as classified by OECD DAC and the Government of Iceland. Projects can receive up to 50% of the total budget, with a maximum of 200.000 EUR for each project over a period of three years. The projects should be implemented in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Special emphasis is placed on women’s job creation and projects that have a positive environmental impact.

Only projects that will be implemented in countries that are listed on the official list of receiving countries of developing aid by the OECD DAC and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs,  where a special emphasis is placed on Small Island Developing Countries (SIDS).  Projects must be carried out in cooperation with a trusted partner in a developing country.

Companies that are officially registered in Iceland and are not state entities can apply to the SDGs fund. Projects should contribute to the three main objectives of Iceland's development cooperation on **human rights, sustainability, and gender equality.**Companies can team up with partners, such as companies, either private businesses or official companies, or other partners such as non-profit organisations, universities, and others trusted partners in developing countries.

The maximum grant amount is to up to EUR 200,000 over a period of up to three years and cannot exceed half of the total cost of a project. Therefore, companies and their partners in developing countries must make the same, or higher, contributions. Their contribution can be in the form of work or consultancy.

Further information will be provided by Business Iceland, Mrs. Gunnhildur Gudmundsdottir [email protected]

Icelandic businesses are responsible for applying. The application should be sent by them to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs by email to: [email protected]. All application forms must be filled out: 1) the project document, and 2) cost plan, estimated costs as stated in the SDG Fund’s Procedure. You are welcome to send inquiries to the email address [email protected]

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs awards grants based on feedback from an evaluation group composed of independent experts in the field of business and development cooperation. Next application deadline for the SDG Fund is on 3rd of October.