Bufdir grant for including children and young people 2027: 13 November deadline and new rules for nonprofits

Norway’s Bufdir grant for including children and young people in 2027 closes on Friday 13 November 2026 at 23:59. Under a new regulation, only organisations listed in the Register of Non-Profit Organisations with at least two years of activity may apply, and municipalities are out. Around NOK 287.4 million is available for new applications, but only about NOK 167.4 million of it is open to ordinary organisations.

Bufdir, the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, runs this scheme to fund leisure activities for children and young people aged 0–24 at risk of exclusion. For 2027 the rules are tighter on several fronts. Here is what a board needs to know, with a source for each point.

Key facts about the Bufdir grant for 2027

• Deadline: 13 November 2026 at 23:59 in Bufdir’s application portal. Late applications “may be rejected”.
• Who: only organisations in the Register of Non-Profit Organisations (Frivillighetsregisteret) with at least two years of registration and activity.
• Money: NOK 494.3 million proposed; about NOK 287.4 million for new applications, NOK 167.4 million excluding named budget projects.
• Minimum amount: NOK 50,000 per activity type per year (NOK 500,000 for national umbrella bodies under section 4-8).
• Co-funding: at least 5 per cent of the grant per year, in cash – volunteer hours do not count.
• New requirement: written routines for responsible operation, including police certificates and data protection.

When is the deadline, and how much money is there?

According to Bufdir’s page for the scheme (as of November 2026), the deadline is 13 November 2026 at 23:59. The funds are advertised subject to the Storting’s final budget decision in December. We have already covered what Norway’s 2027 budget means for charities.

About NOK 206.9 million of the proposed NOK 494.3 million is already committed to multi-year projects. The remaining NOK 287.4 million includes projects named in the state budget. For a typical organisation, the realistic pot is therefore about NOK 167.4 million.

Competition is stiff: in 2026 Bufdir received 1,986 applications asking for a total of NOK 1.1 billion, with NOK 295.2 million to distribute. It approved 558 – about 28 per cent by our count. Those figures predate the new rules and are no forecast for 2027.

Who can apply under the new rules from 2027?

On 16 October 2026 the Ministry of Children and Families adopted an amendment to the regulation on grants for including children and young people, taking effect on 1 January 2027. Under the new section 1-5, only voluntary organisations and other actors listed in the Register of Non-Profit Organisations at the time of application are eligible. They must have been registered in the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities and active for at least two years, and Bufdir may ask for statutes, annual reports and accounts for both years.

The Brønnøysund Register Centre says registration is free but publishes no processing time. If you are not registered today, it is almost certainly too late for 2027 – and the two-year requirement cannot be made up.

Can a municipality still apply?

No. Municipalities and other public bodies can no longer apply. They have not been cut off from youth work, though: part of the money has moved to the Municipal Prevention Programme for Children and Young People, which Bufdir expects to advertise in November or December. Municipalities with ongoing projects may finish their grant period under the transitional rule in section 6-2.

Does our municipality have to take part?

Yes, for most activity types. Each application is tied to the municipality – or, in Oslo, the city district – where most participants are recruited, and that municipality must appear on Bufdir’s list of participating municipalities for 2027. The sign-up deadline has passed. If yours is not on the list, you can only apply under section 4-7 (testing work models) or section 4-8 (national umbrella bodies).

The municipality ranks the applications, and its youth council must be given the chance to comment. The ranking is not binding, and Bufdir lists poor application quality as a common reason for rejection, even for highly ranked applications.

Which activities qualify?

Four activity types have been dropped: youth mentoring, coordination of local work, culture and activity cards, and other local activities. Eight remain:

• 4-1 Leisure and holiday activities
• 4-2 Job opportunities
• 4-3 Equipment lending centres
• 4-4 Local leisure fund
• 4-5 Activity guide
• 4-6 Open meeting place (ages 10–24)
• 4-7 Testing work models
• 4-8 National umbrella bodies with activity and recruitment in at least ten municipalities

The ten-municipality rule applies only to section 4-8 – the national secretariat of an organisation, not local branches or sports clubs. Activities must be in leisure time and low-cost or free for participants. You can apply for up to three years, one application per activity type.

What are the minimum amount and the co-funding requirement?

You must apply for at least NOK 50,000 per activity type per year. Co-funding must be at least 5 per cent of the grant each year. If you apply for NOK 100,000, your organisation must contribute at least NOK 5,000 a year itself.

Donations, general operating grants, unrestricted funds and the project’s share of salaries, electricity and rent count. Participant fees, other project income and unpaid volunteer work do not. The budget must cover the project only and balance.

Every recipient needs a separate project number or cost centre; Bufdir may disallow costs booked elsewhere.

What does “responsible operation” mean for a small organisation?

Section 3-7 is the biggest practical change for small boards. It requires written ethical guidelines, routines that protect children’s rights and safety, written procedures for handling incidents, and the necessary training. The organisation must also have “systems and routines for handling personal data”.

A police certificate is required for everyone in a position of trust or responsibility towards minors, whether the role is paid or unpaid. All events must be alcohol- and drug-free, and overnight activities must always have more than one adult leader present. If personal data sits with external suppliers, our five-question supplier check is a good place to start.

Board checklist before 13 November

1. Confirm both registrations and the two-year history; have statutes, annual reports and accounts ready.
2. Check that your municipality or city district is on Bufdir’s 2027 list.
3. Choose your activity type – one application per type.
4. Prepare a balanced budget of at least NOK 50,000 with at least 5 per cent cash co-funding.
5. Describe content, scope, participant numbers, recruitment and named partners such as schools or NAV.
6. Confirm in writing that the section 3-7 routines are in place.
7. Approve a separate project number for the activity.
8. Submit by Friday afternoon – do not wait until 23:59.

Bufdir will publish expected processing times at the end of January 2027, and decisions arrive in the portal and in Altinn. For the next round, our guide Find and win more grants and the Grant Finder and Grant Writer session at the AI day for nonprofits on 20 November cover how to find and write stronger applications – after this deadline.

Frequently asked questions

When is the deadline for Bufdir’s 2027 inclusion grant?

Friday 13 November 2026 at 23:59. Applications received after the deadline may be rejected.

Who can apply under the new regulation?

Organisations in the Register of Non-Profit Organisations with at least two years of registration and activity.

Can a Norwegian municipality still apply for Bufdir’s inclusion grant in 2027?

No. Municipalities now have the separate Municipal Prevention Programme; existing grants run to the end of their period.

What are the minimum amount and the co-funding share?

NOK 50,000 per activity type per year (NOK 500,000 under section 4-8), with at least 5 per cent co-funding.

Do volunteer hours or participant fees count as co-funding?

No. Unpaid volunteer work and project income such as participant fees are excluded.