This year’s call attracted a record 141 applications, resulting in a success rate of around 10 percent. The projects were selected following a joint evaluation process by the Advisory Group on 5 May 2026.

Strong focus on resilience, inclusion, and democratic participation

The funded initiatives address a broad range of themes, including social inclusion, mental health, sustainability, innovation, democratic participation, and support for vulnerable groups such as youth, women, refugees, and marginalised communities.

Particular emphasis in the evaluation process was placed on projects strengthening social resilience, democratic participation, sustainable development, and green transition solutions — especially in the energy sector. Strong Nordic-Baltic partnerships and the active involvement of Ukrainian civil society organisations also played an important role.

Three of the fifteen funded projects are coordinated by Lithuanian organisations

One of them is Mainstreaming Youth Mental Health and Peer Support, coordinated by Mental Health Perspectives. The project strengthens youth mental health policy and peer support through cooperation between Iceland, Lithuania, and Ukraine, focusing on networking, knowledge-sharing, and long-term cross-border collaboration.

Another selected initiative is Living Stories of Movement, coordinated by NUCK Prosperis. Using the Playback Theatre method, the project promotes social cohesion, democratic participation, and integration by creating safe spaces for dialogue between refugees, migrants, and host communities across Lithuania, Norway, and Ukraine.

The Creative Technologies Academy’s Nordic-Baltic Youth Digital Resilience Initiative aims to strengthen young people’s digital resilience through educational modules, youth-led activities, and international hackathons focused on critical thinking, creativity, and responsible digital behaviour.

Projects supporting Ukraine’s resilience and recovery

Several funded projects focus on supporting Ukraine’s resilience and recovery.

One of them is Civil Society–Led Data and Dialogue for Resilient Urban Utilities in Odessa, coordinated by Smart Innovation Norway. The project strengthens the capacity of civil society in Odesa to contribute to resilient electricity, heating, and water service planning together with partners from Norway, Poland, Estonia, and Ukraine.

Another initiative, GEO-RESILIENCE: Geothermal Energy for Enhanced Energy Resilience, Capacity Building, and Sustainable Transition in the Nordic-Baltic-Ukraine Region, coordinated by the NORCE Research Institute in Norway, supports practical geothermal energy solutions to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience to energy insecurity and infrastructure disruptions.

The programme also supports initiatives strengthening Belarusian civil society.

One funded project, coordinated by the Prospect Foundation, focuses on the social integration and legal protection of emigrated and deported Belarusians in Poland, Lithuania, and Norway.

Another initiative, Cultural Frontlines: Democracy and Resilience in the Nordic-Baltic Region, organised by the Danish Cultural Institute together with Belarusian and Polish partners, explores the role of culture in strengthening democratic values, social cohesion, and resilience in today’s political context.

Growing interest in regional cooperation

The strong response to this year’s call highlights the growing importance of regional cooperation in addressing shared societal challenges and building resilient, future-oriented communities across the Nordic-Baltic region.

Funding under the Prosperous Future programme has been awarded to initiatives in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

The programme is administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania. The next call for applications under the Prosperous Future programme is expected at the end of 2026.

The full list of granted projects can be accessed here: Nordic Council of Ministers Grant Program Prosperous Future – Overview of Granted Projects.pdf