The National Centre for Research and Development

Who is the POLNORIS Call addressed to?

The POLNORIS Call is addressed to research organisations and enterprises established in Poland, which will implement research and innovation projects in a consortium with at least one research organisation from Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein (Donor States). In addition to the mandatory partner from the Donor States, the consortium may also include other entities, which may be any public or private, commercial or non-commercial entity, including non-governmental organisations, established either in Poland or in one of the Donor States. Under the Call, applied research and innovation projects are funded, i.e. industrial research and experimental development.

Where the Call documentation can be found? (i.e. information on submitting project proposals, templates, general information)?  

The Call information is available on the website at https://www.gov.pl/web/ncbr-en/polnoris-call.

The matchmaking platform for finding project partners and establishing cooperation is available at https://www.b2match.com/e/eea-grants-ncbr.  

How to submit a project proposal?

Proposals shall be submitted electronically in English through the Programme Operator’s on-line submission system, available under the following address: https://lsi.ncbr.gov.pl

Versions of proposals sent on paper, removable electronic storage medium (e.g. CD-ROM, portable drive etc.), by email, by fax or any other system will not be regarded as having been received by the Programme Operator.

Project Promoter (identified by user ID and password) must be duly authorized to represent all project partners on behalf of which it submits the project proposal. At least a letter of intent (regarding the conclusion of the Partnership agreement) must be signed between Project Promoter and all consortium partners.

Proposals must be completed correctly and fully.

The deadline to submit the proposals is: 17^th December 2026, 15:00:00 (CET)

If more than one copy of the same proposal is submitted, only the most recent eligible version (before deadline) is evaluated.

The date and time of receipt of the last version of submitted project proposals are recorded by the on-line submission system. After the submission, an acknowledgement of receipt is sent to the proposal’s PP.

The Programme Operator has no access to the proposal until the Call deadline has passed.

Detailed description of the proposal form and the instruction on how to submit the proposal are presented in the Proposal Manual.

Who can submit the proposal in POLNORIS Call?

Project Promoter submits the project proposal for funding under the POLNORIS Call to the Programme Operator on behalf of all consortium partners. One joint proposal shall be submitted in English.

Proposal is submitted by an institution acting as a Project Promoter – not a person!

What does it mean Project Consortium, Project Promoter, project partner, Principal Investigator?  

Project Consortium is a group of at least two eligible entities formed in order to apply for funding and implement the project. The eligible project consortium must include at minimum at least one research organisation or enterprise established in Poland and at least one research organisation from one of the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway).Norwegian research organisations are approved by the RCN and the list is available at https://www.forskningsradet.no/en/financing/research-organisations/approved-research-organisations/.

Project Promoter is an entity responsible for submitting the project proposal and for general implementation of the project. Eligible Project Promoter entities are:

• research organisations established in Poland;
• enterprises (SME and large) established in Poland.

Entity of the Project Promoter must be established as a legal person (a legal entity other than a natural person that has the legal capacity to hold and to exercise legal rights and obligations within a given legal system, including the capacity to enter into contracts, sue, and be sued) under Polish law and conduct its business, R&D or any other activity on the territory of the Republic of Poland, confirmed by an entry into a relevant register maintained in Poland (if registration is required); or be a natural person conducting business on the territory of Republic of Poland, confirmed by an entry into Central Registration and Information on Economic Activity(CEIDG).

Project partner is a member of the Project Consortium taking active part and effectively contributing to the implementation of the project, responsible for deliverables and activities as planned in the project proposal.

Eligible project partners are any public or private entity, commercial or non-commercial, as well as non-governmental organisations, established in Poland, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway. Project partner entity must be established as a legal person. 

The Principal Investigator (PI), is the lead researcher holding the primary responsibility for the implementation of the project, both scientific and technical aspects of the whole project. The Principal Investigator (of any nationality) must be an employee of the Project Promoter or will have to be employed by the Project Promoter for at least the duration of the project implementation period. There can be only one PI in the project.

What is the definition of research organisation and enterprise?

Research organisation is an entity as defined in Article 2(83) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty:

‘research and knowledge-dissemination organisation’ means an entity (such as universities or research institutes, technology transfer agencies, innovation intermediaries, research-oriented physical or virtual collaborative entities), irrespective of its legal status (organised under public or private law) or way of financing, whose primary goal is to independently conduct fundamental research, industrial research or experimental development or to widely disseminate the results of such activities by way of teaching, publication or knowledge transfer. Where such entity also pursues economic activities the financing, the costs and the revenues of those economic activities must be accounted for separately. Undertakings that can exert a decisive influence upon such an entity, in the quality of, for example, shareholders or members, may not enjoy preferential access to the results generated by it;  and in Article 37(1) of the Act on the National Centre for Research and Development,

and in Article 37(1) of the Act on the National Centre for Research and Development: “the Call is open to: entities mentioned in Article 7 points 1, 2 and 4 to 8 of the Polish Law on Higher Education and Science.”

and in conjunction with Article 7(1)(1, 2 and 4-8) of the Law on Higher Education and Science:

“The system of higher education and science is composed of:

• higher education institutions;
• federations of entities of the higher education system and science, hereinafter referred to as “federations”;
• scientific institutes of PAN, acting on the basis of the Act referred to in point 3, hereinafter referred to as “PAN institutes”;
• research institutes, acting on the basis of the Act of 30 April 2010 on research institutes;
• international scientific institutes established on the basis of separate acts operating on the territory of the Republic of Poland, hereinafter referred to as “international institutes”;
• Łukasiewicz Centre, operating under the Act of 21 February 2019 on the Łukasiewicz Research Network;
• institutes operating within the Łukasiewicz Research Network, hereinafter referred to as “institutes of the Łukasiewicz Network”;
• the Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, operating on the basis of the Act of 13 September 2018 on the Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, hereinafter referred to as “CMKP”;
• Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, hereinafter referred to as “PAU”;
• other entities conducting mainly scientific activities on an independent and continuous basis.”

Enterprise is defined in Article 1 of Annex I to Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty:

“An enterprise is considered to be any entity engaged in an economic activity, irrespective of its legal form. This includes, in particular, self-employed persons and family businesses engaged in craft or other activities, and partnerships or associations regularly engaged in an economic activity.”

Staff headcount and financial thresholds determining enterprise categories:

The category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (‘SMEs’) is made up of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million.

Within the SME category, a small enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 50 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 10 million.

Within the SME category, a micro-enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 10 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 2 million.

What does it mean Donor States? 

Donor States – three countries that are parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) and are not members of the European Union, namely Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, which finance the EEA Financial Mechanism and participate in cooperation within the Call.

Is there a list of potential project partners available?

There is no single general list of potential partners.

Norwegian research organisations are research organisations approved and listed by the Research Council of Norway. The list of approved research organisations in Norway is available at https://www.forskningsradet.no/en/financing/research-organisations/approved-research-organisations/.

To find a partner, we encourage you to create a profile on the matchmaking platform at: https://www.b2match.com/e/eea-grants-ncbr

Is an industrial partner required in the consortium, or is it possible to form a consortium composed solely of two research organisations (from Poland and Iceland/Liechtenstein/Norway)?

An industrial partner is not required. It is possible to establish a project consortium composed of two research organisations (one from Poland and one from Iceland / Liechtenstein / Norway).

The minimum composition of the consortium is:
- a research organisation or an enterprise (SME or large) from Poland, and
- a research organisation from a Donor State (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein).

Is there a maximum number of project partner in the project consortium?

The maximum number of project partners in the project consortium is 20.

Are there any additional points for a higher than minimum number of partners in the consortium?

No additional points are awarded for the number of consortium partners. The capacity of the partners and of the consortium as a whole will be assessed at the expert evaluation stage in accordance with the criteria set out in the Guide for Applicants and Evaluators.

The number of partners in the project should be adequate to the scope and nature of the planned activities. The involvement of partners in the project should ensure its effective implementation; each partner should actively participate and contribute to the project, being responsible for the deliverables and activities planned in the project proposal.

Is it possible for a single entity to participate in consortia in several submitted applications (as a Project Promoter or a project partner)?

There are no restrictions regarding participation in consortia in multiple submitted applications. However, the capacities as well as human and organisational resources should be carefully assessed in the event that several proposals are recommended for funding.

Can the Principal Investigator (PI) simultaneously act as a Work Package (WP) Leader?

Yes, the PI may also act as a WP Leader. In fact, the Principal Investigator may lead multiple WPs, provided that they are able to effectively manage all the related work.

Can one person act as a Principal Investigator (PI) in more than one proposal in the POLNORIS Call?

Yes, the same person may act as a PI in several proposals in the POLNORIS Call. However, it should be assessed whether, in the event that several projects are recommended for funding, they will be able to effectively perform the duties of a PI in each of them without negatively affecting the quality of project implementation.

Can entities from outside Poland and the Donor States participate in the project consortium?

Entities from countries other than Poland and the Donor States may participate in the project only on a self-financed basis (such entities shall not be eligible to receive funding from the project grant) their share in the total project budget should normally not exceed 10 %.  

The project proposal must include a clear justification for their involvement in the project.

What does it mean that the project must address one of the EEA priorities?

This requirement does not mean that the project must be directly dedicated to the topic of a given priority. The priority should be understood as the area of impact and relevance of the project rather than the research topic – the research topic does not have to be dedicated to a given priority. What is essential is to provide a justification of how the planned research and its results relate to the selected priority and how they may contribute to addressing the challenges associated with it.
It is crucial to demonstrate that the research carried out may contribute to achieving the objectives related to one of the EEA priorities:

-European green transition,

-democracy, rule of law and human rights,

-social inclusion and resilience.

What research disciplines or topics are covered by the key priorities of the EEA Grants?

The key priorities of the EEA Grants should not be understood in a narrow sense or as disciplinary limitations. The priorities should be understood as the area of impact and relevance of the project rather than as a research topic or scientific discipline. It is essential to provide a justification of how the planned research and its results address the selected priority and how they may contribute to addressing the challenges associated with it.

Does addressing the key priority have an impact on the project’s scoring?

Addressing the priority constitutes an elimination criterion evaluated as a YES/NO question. This criterion is assessed by the international experts performing the expert evaluation of the proposal. The priority should be understood as the area of impact and relevance of the project rather than as a research topic – the research topic does not have to be dedicated to a given priority. It is essential to provide a justification of how the planned research and its results relate to the selected priority and how they may contribute to addressing or mitigating the associated challenges.

What is the definition of the early-stage researcher?

Early-stage researcher is understood as in the Article 360 section 2 and Article 360 section 3 of the Act of 20 July 2018 on the Law of Higher Education and Science as person conducting scientific activity who:

is a doctoral student or an academic teacher – and does not hold a doctoral degree;

or prepares a doctoral dissertation in the extramural mode and does not hold a doctoral degree – provided that no more than 4 years have elapsed since the appointment of the supervisor or supervisors, or the supervisor and the auxiliary supervisor; or

holds a doctoral degree not more than 7 years since obtaining it and is employed in a research organisation (the 7 years period referred to above shall not include periods of leave in connection with parenthood, or periods of receipt of maternity benefit or parental benefit, or periods of receipt of sickness benefit or rehabilitation benefit in connection with incapacity for work, including that caused by a disease requiring medical rehabilitation.

Should the criterion of an early-career researcher be met at the time of proposal submission or throughout the entire project implementation period?

The criterion of an early-stage researcher must be met at the time of proposal submission.

Is the Principal Investigator (PI) required to be an early-stage researcher?

The Principal Investigator (PI) is not required to be an early-stage researcher.

What are the eligible activities in the Call?

Eligible types of applied research activities:

Industrial research – planned research or critical investigation aimed at the acquisition of new knowledge and skills for developing new products, processes or services or for bringing about a significant improvement in existing products, processes or services. It comprises the creation of component parts of complex systems, and may include the construction of prototypes in a laboratory environment or in an environment with simulated interfaces to existing systems as well as of pilot lines, when necessary for the industrial research and notably for generic technology validation; as defined in Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 (GBER), including the amendment introduced by Regulation (EU) 2023/1315.

Experimental development – acquiring, combining, shaping and using existing scientific, technological, business and other relevant knowledge and skills with the aim of developing new or improved products, processes or services. Experimental development may comprise prototyping, demonstrating, piloting, testing and validation of new or improved products, processes or services in environments representative of real-life operating conditions where the primary objective is to make further technical improvements on products, processes or services that are not substantially set. This may include the development of a commercially usable prototype or pilot which is necessarily the final commercial product and which is too expensive to produce for it to be used only for demonstration and validation purposes. Experimental development does not include routine or periodic changes made to existing products, production lines, manufacturing processes, services and other operations in progress, even if those changes may represent improvements; as defined in Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 (GBER), including the amendment introduced by Regulation (EU) 2023/1315.

Can other types of activities (e.g. coordination, dissemination, management, valorisation activities) constitute a separate WP (Work Package)?

No, other type of activities (e.g. coordination, dissemination, management, valorisation activities), cannot be separate WPs and may only be parts of research tasks. Those activities shall be described and planned within research tasks, provided they are in line with the “Cost Eligibility Guide”.

Are there any restrictions regarding the type and number of Work Packages (WPs)?
Only industrial research and experimental development will be funded. The number of WPs is limited to 10. The number of WPs should be appropriate to the complexity of the project and, where relevant, may be divided into tasks.
The description of the work constitutes the scientific content-related part of the proposal. Therefore, it cannot be modified after submission and is not subject to correction or supplementation.

Are the results and conclusions from the evaluation of the previous edition of the Programme available?

The results and conclusions from the evaluation of the previous edition of the Programme are publicly available on the following website: https://www.gov.pl/web/ncbr-en/evaluation

Should all projects under the POLNORIS Call address the challenges experienced in Poland as a result of the invasion of Ukraine?

No, under the POLNORIS Call, there is no obligation to address the challenges experienced in Poland as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. Information on projects addressing these challenges will be collected for Programme monitoring purposes. Projects addressing the effects of the war in Ukraine do not receive additional points at the expert evaluation stage.

More information on the challenges can be found on the official EEA Grants website https://eeagrants.org/en/fmo/addressing-consequences-russias-war-against-ukraine .

Is there a template for a Partnership Agreement?

Yes, in the POLNORIS Call a Partnership Agreement template applies, the template is provided by the Research Council of Norway at

https://www.forskningsradet.no/en/financing/international-funding/eea-grants/

Is own contribution required from all project partners?

The requirement to provide own contribution depends on whether a given entity will receive State aid. In the case of research organisations and other entities that are not enterprises, this requirement will not apply. The level of State aid will vary depending on the type of activities, the size of the enterprise, and the applicable increases, subject to meeting specific requirements.

Is own contribution required to be provided exclusively in monetary form?

Yes, own contribution must be provided exclusively in monetary form (payment from own resources for eligible costs incurred during project implementation). Each project partner has its own budget and independently incurs costs, including covering them from its own resources. Contributions in kind are not permitted.

Is VAT an eligible cost for research organisations?

VAT will be considered an eligible cost only if there is no legal possibility to recover it. The decision as to whether a given entity includes VAT in project costs rests with its financial department.

Can the Principal Investigator receive remuneration under POLNORIS Call?

Yes, the project's eligible costs, under the Staff costs category, include the option to plan remuneration for the Principal Investigator. Additionally, the Call documentation requires that the PI is employed by the Project Promoter for at least the duration of the project implementation period.

Should a uniform approach to the calculation of personnel costs (unit costs or actually incurred costs) be applied when several proposals are submitted by the same entity? Is it possible within one project to combine personnel costs calculated using unit costs and actually incurred costs?

No restrictions have been introduced regarding the method of accounting for personnel costs at the level of an entity participating in the Call; therefore, it is possible to apply different methods per different project. However, the chosen method of accounting for personnel costs should be consistent within a single project (within the same project and across the entire personnel cost category of a given partner) and in line with the entity’s internal regulations.

How should the hourly rate be calculated for the Staff costs budget?

The hourly rate should be determined by the institution employing the staff member, taking into account their annual salary at that institution and dividing it by 1,720 hours. If it is not possible to determine the employee’s annual salary (e.g. if the person has not worked for the full year), the institution may calculate the rate using a proportionally reduced time (e.g. if the employee has worked for half a year, 1,720 hours should be divided by two) or by using the average salary for the given or a similar position (primarily in the case of hiring a new employee).

Does time reporting mean only the reimbursement of hours worked on the project?
Time reporting based on timesheets refers to the method of determining the amount of eligible personnel cost to be charged to the project. Timesheets are required in cases of irregular work on the project (no fixed level of involvement) or when Staff costs are calculated using simplified cost options, i.e. unit costs.

What is the difference between Staff costs calculated as actually incurred costs and unit costs?

The difference concerns the method of calculating the amount of eligible costs to be charged to the project, as well as the scope of information and documentation to be retained. In the case of actual costs, this includes documents confirming work carried out for the project (e.g. contracts, amendments), timesheets (for staff working irregularly), and accounting and HR documentation (including payroll records and proof of payment for salaries, social security contributions and taxes). In the case of unit costs, it is necessary to establish the hourly rate for a given employee (documentation supporting the calculation of the rate and documents confirming the level of annual salary used for the calculation), as well as timesheets documenting the hours worked on the project, which are then used to determine the eligible cost of that person in the project.

What forms of employment are possible for staff involved in the project?

In accordance with the Cost Eligibility Guide, the possible forms of employment for project staff under the Staff costs category are employment contracts and civil law contracts (contracts of mandate or contracts for specific work) with individuals not engaged in business activity. It is not possible to employ individuals under this category on the basis of B2B contracts (agreements with self-employed persons). It is also possible to use a simplified method for calculating personnel costs in the project in the form of unit costs; however, the staff member must still be employed by the respective entity.

Is it possible to include a project allowance as part of personnel costs in accordance with the entity’s internal regulations?

The decisive factor in this regard is the internal remuneration policy of the given entity – if it provides for hourly allowances/project allowances for work on the project (in addition to the base salary), their eligibility is possible.

What form may a contract performance security take?

The requirement to provide a contract performance security under the Project Contract will be considered only in relation to the Project Promoter. If the Project Promoter is an entity required to provide such security, the disbursement of funding will, as a rule, require the submission of a blank promissory note (in blanco) together with a promissory note declaration. Entities exempt from the obligation to provide security include public finance sector entities, foundations whose sole founder is the State Treasury, as well as research institutes and institutes operating within the Łukasiewicz Research Network. Only after an assessment of the financial capacity to implement the project of the Project Promoter has been carried out it will be possible to determine the form of project financing envisaged by the Centre, whether additional security will be required, and whether the Centre will accept the proposed form of security.

Do the costs of Research Managers and Administrators (RMA) apply only to Project Promoter, or can they be incurred by each project partner?

Both the Project Promoter and project partners may include the costs of Research Managers and Administrators (RMA) in the project budget.

Can the costs of Research Managers and Administrators (RMA) be incurred through subcontracting?

The possibility of hiring Research Managers and Administrators (RMA) is provided under the Staff Costs category and should be budgeted as personnel remuneration (using one of the forms permitted under that category). Subcontracting is limited to the outsourcing of substantive project tasks directly related to the achievement of the project’s objectives. Therefore, RMA costs should not be charged under the Subcontracting category. Where the services of a Research Manager are procured under a B2B contract, such costs may be covered under the Overheads category.

What levels of funding apply in a project?

Funding in the POLNORIS Call may cover up to 100% of eligible costs for research organisations and entities other than research organisations and enterprises.

In case of enterprises, funding quota will be decided on a case-by-case basis depending on the size of the company, type of research/development, according to the Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education on granting state aid through the National Centre for Research and Development

What does it mean that costs planned by all Donor Project Partners from Donor State(s) should normally not exceed 40% of the Consortium’s total budget.

The 40% rule refers to the proportion of costs incurred by the Donor States (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) in relation to the costs of the Polish side with respect to the total project budget. It means that the budget of the Polish side should constitute at least 60% of the total budget, while the budget of the partners from the Donor States (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) may constitute a maximum of 40% of the budget.

The electronic proposal submission system automatically checks this proportion at the submission stage and will not allow the proposal to be submitted if the requirements are not met.

In the case of budget modifications during project implementation, these requirements may be applied in a flexible, case-by-case manner where justified.

Is funding for fixed assets also covered under the programme if such equipment is necessary for the implementation of the project?

Costs of equipment constituting fixed assets may be financed in the form of depreciation costs under the Equipment and intangible assets category. In the case of buildings and land, there is no possibility to include the costs of such fixed assets in the project.

Is the purchase of equipment possible, or is only depreciation cost eligible?

In accordance with the description of the Equipment and intangible assets category in the Cost Eligibility Guide, equipment/assets (regardless of whether they are new or used) are eligible in the project exclusively through depreciation costs. It is possible to report the costs of paid use of equipment (rental, leasing) under the Other direct costs category (for research organisations and other non-enterprise entities) or under the Overheads category (for enterprises).

Will a project audit be mandatory for all projects?

In line with the conditions of the POLNORIS Call and the minimum project grant amount, each project will be required to undergo the mandatory audit applicable to projects with funding exceeding PLN 3 million. This will be one joint audit covering the Project Promoter and the Polish project partners. In order for the cost of the audit to be considered an eligible cost, it should be included in the project budget, and the audit should commence after at least 50% of the planned expenditure related to project implementation has been incurred.

Do State Aid rules also apply to enterprises from the Donor States?

Yes. In the case of enterprises, regardless of the country in which they are established, the funding quota will be decided on a case-by-case basis depending on the size of the company and the type of research/development, according to the Regulation on granting state aid through the National Centre for Research and Development.

When can a project start at the earliest?

A project may start at the earliest on the first day of the month following the issuance of the funding decision. For example, if the funding decision is issued in June 2027, the project may start on 1 July 2027 at the earliest. The cost eligibility period is identical to the project implementation period.

Should every project demonstrate academic impact, even though the Call focuses on applied research?

There is no requirement to demonstrate academic impact. However, the Impact criterion assesses the broader effects of the project and its results. Applicants are also required to describe how the project will support knowledge valorisation and contribute to the uptake and use of research and innovation results by society.

Do the project results have to be fully open, including in projects involving an industrial partner?

The Programme promotes Open Science, including the principle of “as open as possible, as closed as necessary”. The project results do not have to be fully open. Any provisions concerning intellectual property should be agreed by the consortium partners during the preparation and signature of the Partnership Agreement, taking into account the intellectual property provisions set out in the Project Contract.

Does the project have to result in implementation of research results?

No, the project does not have to result in implementation of research results. Applicants are however required to indicate how they will support the valorisation of research results.

How should interdisciplinarity be understood?

In the Call, interdisciplinarity is understood broadly as collaboration spanning multiple academic disciplines (e.g. natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, engineering sciences, technological sciences, and medical sciences), involving the application of complementary methodologies to address a common problem in a more innovative and comprehensive way than would otherwise be possible within a single discipline. The interdisciplinary approach in projects should focus on the comprehensive addressing of contemporary challenges and on maximising the project's Impact.

Can proposals in the fields of medical or biomedical sciences be submitted under the Call?

The Call is not thematically restricted. The key priorities should be understood as areas of the project's impact and relevance, rather than as specific research topics. The research topic itself does not need to focus on a given priority. The key requirement is to provide a clear justification of how the planned research activities and their results relate to the selected priority and how they may contribute to addressing the challenges associated with it.

Can projects in the social sciences constitute the main subject of research without the involvement of technical sciences?

The Call is not thematically restricted. The key requirement is the correct classification of tasks under the eligible categories of industrial research and experimental development. For socio-economic projects, applicants may refer to the Guide to the Classification of Tasks in Socio-Economic R&D Projects, available at: https://www.gov.pl/web/ncbr-en/a-guide-to-the-classification-of-tasks-in-socio-economic-rd-projects.  

Does the Call specify TRL levels at the start and at the end of the project?

The Call funds only industrial research and experimental development, which means starting from TRL 2. The final TRL must be higher than the initial TRL.

Can project activities be carried out outside the locations of the beneficiaries (i.e. outside Poland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein)?

Yes, they can, provided that this is properly justified and described in the Project Proposal and that the requirements set out in the Guide for Applicants and Evaluators are fulfilled.

How is project durability defined?

The rules on project durability are described in the Project Contract template.

Are the project proposals evaluated exclusively by the Polish side, or are the Donor States also involved in the evaluation?

Project proposals are evaluated by international experts from outside Poland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Can beneficiaries of previous editions of the Programme submit proposals under the current Call?

Yes, beneficiaries of previous editions can submit proposals under the POLNORIS Call.

Are examples of projects funded under the previous edition of the Programme available?

Information on projects that received funding under the previous edition of the Norway Grants and EEA Grants is available in the NCBR project database: https://www.gov.pl/web/ncbr-en/project-database#/ncbr?sort=announcementDate,desc&currentPage=0&limit=10.

However, applicants should note that the Programme and calls for proposals under the previous edition were implemented under different rules. Since then, several elements have changed, including the Call requirements, eligibility rules for applicants, or evaluation criteria. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to rely primarily on the documentation applicable to the current POLNORIS Call.

Will it be possible to assign additional editors to a proposal in the LSI system?

No, the LSI system does not provide the functionality to assign additional editors or co-editors.

Will the LSI system be available for data entry only from 17 September 2026 (the application submission opening date), or earlier?

The LSI online submission system will be opened to applicants on 17 September 2026. At the same time, applicants can already start preparing the proposal content using the editable application template available under the name “Proposal Manual (doc)”.

Is a project proposal template available?

Yes, a project proposal template is available on the POLNORIS Call website under the name “Proposal Manual”. The document is provided both as a PDF version and as an editable Word document.

What is the maximum page limit for the project proposal?

There is no maximum number of pages for the project proposal. Each field in the online submission system is subject to specific character limits, which are described in detail in the Proposal Manual.

In which currency should the budget be completed in the project proposal?

The budget in the project proposal should be completed in Polish zloty (PLN).

Are accounts on the b2match platform institutional (e.g. for universities) or individual (for individual researchers)?

Accounts on the matchmaking platform are individual accounts. Within their profile, participants provide information about the institution they represent.

How should intellectual property rights and ownership of project results be regulated?

Any provisions regarding intellectual property should be agreed between the partners during the preparation of the Partnership Agreement, taking into account the intellectual property provisions set out in the Project Contract