Norad has introduced a structured approach to portfolio development and management to foster coherence across sectors and enhance learning and impact. Portfolio management is an iterative process that involves establishing a robust knowledge base, setting strategic objectives, and building evidence to monitor progress, enable learning, and adapt effectively.
Our role
Our role is to help Norad’s Department for Climate, Nature and the Private Sector align its approaches and allocate funding strategically to maximise development impact.
Itad is collaborating in a consortium with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Chr Michelsen Institute (CMI) to provide ongoing support to Norad’s portfolio development. Our activities include:
- Reviewing and strengthening key portfolio documents, including theories of change and knowledge plans.
- Building the evidence base in specific thematic areas, through problem analysis and evidence synthesis.
- Mapping potential partners and interventions against key objectives in priority countries.
- Supporting strategic planning for portfolio development and cross-portfolio results-based management.
Together we are delivering integrated support across Norad’s six sector portfolios while advancing shared priorities:
Equitable food systems
What we eat, and how it is produced, has a profound impact on both people and the planet. Achieving food security requires a sustainable, resilient and equitable food system. Our team has been working with Norad to develop theories of change for various workstreams within their food portfolio, including food production, healthy diets, equitable income distribution, and food secure, resilient communities.
Sustainable ocean management
Sustainable ocean management involves a wide range of sectors and activities —from food and the blue economy to pollution prevention, energy, shipping, tourism, and climate adaptation. We are working with Norad on several ocean-focused workstreams, including refining the overarching theory of change for the portfolio, identifying barriers to reducing marine litter in priority countries, and synthesising evidence of the role of Marine Protected Areas in environmental protection, social development, and ocean governance.
Reducing and reversing tropical forest loss
Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative aims to reduce and reverse tropical forest loss to support climate stability, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. A critical step towards deforestation-free financial markets is integrating deforestation rules into the decision-making processes of banks and investors. Our team has worked with Norad to identify key actions to strengthen the theory of change supporting this outcome.
Resilience to climate change
A landscape approach to climate change considers the complex interactions and competing demands across land uses – such as agriculture, forestry, water management and nature conservation and restoration. Nature-based solutions can support and enhance environmental health, socioeconomic development and climate resilience. We are supporting Norad to identify evidence on nature-based solutions and landscape approaches in priority countries. We are also assisting in the development of an integrated and cohesive approach to Norwegian climate and nature development assistance.
Our methods and approach
Our team brings together subject matter experts in oceans, food, forests, climate change, renewable energy, and private sector financing, supported by cross-cutting expertise monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), strategy development, results management, gender and policy. We apply both academic and practitioner insights to tailor methodologies to each stage of portfolio development. Sharing knowledge across teams enables learning and contributes to a cohesive approach to portfolio management.
Outcomes and impact
By assembling multi-disciplinary teams and working collaboratively with Norad in a creative and iterative way, we aim to make the most effective use of limited resources to identify solutions to global challenges affecting people and the planet.
