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.