Puljen

Puljen is the definite form of the noun pulje in Danish and Norwegian, meaning a pool, pot, or collection of resources, or a group of contestants in a competition. The term is used to denote a shared fund or a set of items gathered for a common purpose, as well as a grouping of participants in a tournament or other event.

In public administration and finance, puljen refers to a reserved fund established for a policy area or project. Money is allocated to a pulje according to rules and sometimes through calls for proposals; organizations or agencies review applications and distribute resources among competing projects. Examples include kulturpuljen (cultural fund) and forskningspuljen (research fund). The concept emphasizes a defined pool of resources rather than a fixed budget line, and multiple puljer may exist within a single institution.

In sports and competitions, puljen denotes a group stage or pool within a tournament, where teams or players compete within the pool to determine advancement. Teams are placed in Pulje A, Pulje B, and so on, before progressing to knockout rounds.

In everyday language, puljen can also refer to any accumulated reserve of money or materials available for a defined purpose, such as a procurement pulje or an emergency reserve pulje. The term is widely used in official documents, budgets, and programme descriptions to signal a dedicated pool of resources or participants.