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Co-sponsorship programmes
with Partner Countries

NATO Public Diplomacy Division

The co-sponsored seminars programme

The NATO Public Diplomacy Division offers discretionary grants in support of conferences, workshops, seminars, round table and educational programmes on security-related issues to non-governmental organisations in Partner Countries. NATO support can include financial assistance, organisational advice, and possible provision of speakers from NATO as well as making available information materials for such activities.

Co-sponsored projects typically focus on NATO's role in European security (transatlantic relations, NATO and the European Union, Partnership for Peace, enlargement, NATO's co-operation with Russia and Ukraine, crisis management, peace-keeping) and other topical subjects. Issues relevant to establishing democratic control of armed forces, defence reform and other aspects of civil-military relations are an area of high priority.

The NATO Public Diplomacy Division uses the following criteria to select projects for co-sponsorship:

  1. educational value and/or relevance to public discussion of security issues
  2. the ability of the applicant to complete successfully the proposed project
  3. the contribution of the project to NATO's goal of developing an informed debate in and between Partner Countries on security issues.

In general, only the following expenses can be accepted for reimbursement by NATO: transportation to and from the venue, hotel accommodation, and meals for participants; conference rooms rental; printing and distribution of programs, and administrative expenses directly relating to the conference/seminar (which cannot include routine expenses which would have been incurred even if the conference/seminar had not taken place). Staff salaries directly related to the event can be covered up to a maximum of 5% of the total contribution that NATO has approved towards the conference. However, the usage of these funds will have to be certified with appropriate documentation and signed by the NGO financial Officer. For a full explanation, please refer to Financial Rules for Organizations applying for Conferences and Seminars.

Costs relating to post-activity publications cannot be covered by the seminars budget. Limited funds are available for publications projects under a programme of NGO Publication Grants.

The resources which NATO has available for information activities are limited, and the Public Diplomacy Division receives far more requests for co-sponsorship than it can support.

It is not NATO's normal practice to sponsor the same organisation more than once in the same calendar year.

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