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For Grant Applicant

The Alfred Kordelin Foundation awards grants to private individuals, working groups, and collectives in the fields of science and culture.

Application periods are in August and January of each year.

Application round in August
The Foundation awards primarily personal working grants with a duration of 12 or 6 months, in the amount of €24,000 or €12,000, for the fields of science, literature, art, and public education. Project grants can be awarded to working groups and collectives (excluding science where grants are solely awarded to private individuals). A project grant can be max. €30,000, for a max. duration of 12 months. Further reading:
Science
Literature
Art
Public education

Major cultural projects application round in January
The grants are available to collectives, registered associations, and companies for multi-disciplinary projects with a duration of max. three years. The size of a major cultural project grant is approximately €100,000 per year.

Read more on major cultural projects

City funds and dedicated funds in January
The grants awarded from city funds to private individuals, working groups and collectives support local culture. The size of the grant varies from a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros.

Grants from dedicated funds are awarded in the fields of chemistry, pediatric heart disease, and research into Estonian and other Finno-Ugric languages. Moreover, the funds award prizes for youth sports and Finnish culinary culture. The size of the grant varies from a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros.

Read more on the purposes for which the Foundation awards grants:
City funds and dedicated funds

Who can apply
Finnish citizens and private individuals, working groups and collectives who reside in Finland can apply for grants. Grants for research are available only to private individuals. You can apply for a new grant only after a usage report for a previously received grant has been delivered to the Foundation in electronic format.

Evaluation criteria
Grants can be awarded if the work fulfils the purpose mentioned in the Foundation’s bylaws:
‘work for Finnish culture must be granted support in order to strengthen and deepen it internally, and also to represent Finnishness amongst other nations.’ Applicants can be awarded grants if the work created with the support of the grant fulfils the abovementioned condition, and, based on previous work, the applicant can be show to be capable of carrying out the proposed work plan.

Evaluation criteria are specified in more detail for each field you can apply for.

Grants and employment
It is a requirement of a grant awarded for full-time work that the recipient does not work full-time elsewhere, for example in a doctoral school. Receiving another working grant or unemployment benefits during the grant period is also not allowed. During the grant period, however, you can be employed for a maximum of 25% of working time. This means that alongside the work performed with the support of a grant, you may work sporadically, or regularly by the hour, for example. This will not impact the length of the grant period.

For what period?
The main rule is that grants are to be used within two years of the date when they were awarded.

Application round in August
The grant is for work performed during the calendar year that follows the year the grant was awarded. Grants are not awarded for projects or events that have been implemented prior to the grant decision in October, or for expenses generated prior to the grant decision.

Major cultural projects application round in January
The grant is to be used for work that starts during the year the grant was awarded. Grants are not awarded for projects or events that have been implemented prior to the grant decision in March, or for expenses generated prior to the grant decision.

City funds and dedicated funds
The grants are awarded for work that starts during the year the award was granted. Grants are not awarded for projects or events that have been implemented prior to the grant decision in March, or for expenses generated prior to the grant decision.

When are decisions made

  • Main application round | applicants are informed in October
  • City funds and dedicated funds | applicants are informed in March
  • Major cultural projects | applicants are informed in March.
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Ready to write a brilliant application?

Apply for a grant in online service. Before that

  • application period and criteria checked
  • the guidelines for applicants, and the questions and answers section are read
  • why, what purpose and what kind of outcome clearly in your mind
  • I´m ready! Move on to write a brilliant application
To the grants online service
Hakuprosessi
1

Check that you are eligible for a grant and the application period. The application period of the main fund is August each year. The application periods of city funds, dedicated funds and major cultural projects are in January.

2

Make sure you have plenty of time. Read the instructions and ensure you have enough time to write your application, draw up an expenses estimate, and get a hold of all required appendices. Find out if there is an info session.

3

Register to the online grant service. Register to the online grant service. Save your user name and password.

4

Make a brilliant application. It can happen that our expert assessors read hundreds of applications. Make sure that readers understand what it is you are applying a grant for, and what is the end result you seek to achieve through your work. Write down the most important things first, and try to express them in a concrete way. Do not ramble.

5

Check the contents and language of your application. Is the aim of the wok clearly expressed? Make sure you have included all needed appendices.

6

Send the application within the application period.