Central Fund - October Round of Applications Grant

Central Fund - October Round of Applications Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Suomen Kulttuurirahasto / The Finnish Cultural Foundation
Amount: Up to €100,000
Last Updated: August 27, 2024

Summary

The Central Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation offers grants to support scientific and artistic projects, emphasizing cultural development in Finland. Applications are accepted for Eminentia grants aimed at senior researchers and artists, and for the Art for Institutions initiative focused on enhancing cultural rights for vulnerable populations. Eligible applicants include Finnish nationals and those with strong ties to Finland. The Foundation also funds various projects in arts, sciences, and cultural areas, ensuring a broad impact on society.

Overview

Finnish Cultural Foundation The purpose of the Finnish Cultural Foundation is to "promote and develop cultural and economic life" in Finland. In line with this, the Foundation provides grants to individuals and groups working in the sciences and the arts, and to people and organisations in other fields of intellectual and cultural endeavour. The Foundation also supports larger projects through substantial grants. Grants are awarded annually from the Foundation's Central Fund and 17 Regional Funds, as well as various donor funds, in accordance with the wishes of the donors concerned and the regulations governing the funds in question. In addition to providing grants, the Foundation also arranges courses, lectures, and other events in the arts, sciences, and other fields, and maintains an art collection. The Foundation's most important international event is the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition, which is held every five years. Central Fund Grants The Finnish Cultural Foundation's Central Fund awards grants for scientific and artistic work as well as for projects and acquisitions. In conjunction with the October round of applications, the Central Fund accepts applications for Eminentia, Art for Institutions, and Additional Funding of the Central Fund for an annually changing discipline. Eminentia Senior researchers and artists are eligible to apply for an Eminentia grant of 25 000 euros for the following purposes: For reflection on experiences gained in the course of their career, such as writing or a retrospective exhibitionFor sharing their life's work in popular formFor work showing initiative in increasing the social significance of culture. The grant is intended for working full-time free from gainful employment. A retirement pension does not preclude you from applying for the grant. Art for Institutions Artists, working groups, and registered organisations are eligible to apply for the Art for Institutions grant for their work or projects. Its aim is to promote the equal realisation of cultural rights and to improve the quality of life of people in need of care or special support, through art. The work or project may take place in welfare and nursing institutions or other environments, the residents or users of which may otherwise have limited access to art. Possible institutions include sheltered homes, day centres, and homes of the elderly, hospitals, prisons (and, outside them, prison theatres), reception centres, care units for substance abusers, and child welfare institutions. The following criteria carry special weight in the application evaluation process: The content is of high artistic standard.The plan takes into consideration the special nature of the location and respects the needs of the target group.The audiences of or participants in the artwork are equally treated. Types of Grants In the October round, two types of grants can be applied for: working grants and expenditure grants. There are two types of grants: working grants and expenditure grants. It is possible to apply for both a working grant and an expenditure grant in the same application. Examples of these include artistic work combined with the purchase of a pottery kiln, doctoral dissertation research combined with the use of laboratory services, or artistic work included in a dance production combined with the cost of costumes and other production costs. It is possible that the grant will be awarded solely for working or for expenditure. Working Grants Working grants are awarded for the purpose of full-time work to cover ordinary personal living costs within a certain period. The applicant must submit a work or research plan along with their application, but a detailed budget of the use of the grant is not required. It is not possible to have another corresponding form of funding simultaneously with a working grant. Use of a working grant requires not being engaged in gainful employment. Neither is it allowed to draw a working grant during paid leave. Within the duration of the grant, it is possible to engage in part-time employment or other compensable work for a maximum of 25% of regular full-time working time. Grant-funded work may, at its earliest, begin after the grant decision has been made or at its latest within one year from it.If a working grant is applied for members of a working group, the designated person must also be engaged in the grant-funded work.It is not possible to transfer a working grant to a third party or for it to be paid as a salary or a fee.Basic degree (bachelor's and master's) students are not eligible to apply for a working grant.Organisations are not eligible to apply for a working grant. Expenditure Grants Expenditure grants are awarded to cover activity-related expenses, such as the costs of archaeological excavations or theatre productions, music master classes, or individual acquisitions of tools. It is important to include a detailed and comprehensive budget in the expenditure grant application. An expenditure grant may be used only for those expenses occurring after the grant decision has been made. You may apply for an expenditure grant for exceptional travel costs related to your grant project. Ordinary conference and lecture trips are not funded. If you are considering applying for an expenditure grant for the labour expenditure of another person, please read the section Grant or Salary carefully.University and polytechnic (University of Applied Sciences) students at the end of their basic degree studies are eligible to apply for expenditure grants to cover the costs of their dissertation work, such as field work or material expenses.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligible applicants include all Finnish nationals, people and organisations residing or working in Finland.Others are eligible as well, provided their application demonstrates clear, strong ties to Finland or Finnish culture.Artists may apply for grants for work and project purposes In addition, organisations may apply for grants to carry out cultural projects.For the first time, games are included in the application as their own field.You may apply for a grant for the artistic design or development of games.The game must have artistic, cultural or social aims.The science grants are specifically aimed at doctoral dissertation work and post-doctoral scientific research In the field of science, it is possible to combine salaried employment with grant funding by applying for a Combined Funding for Doctoral Students grant.The annual grant sum for postdoctoral research work will be increased to 30 000 euros – other annual grants will remain at 24 000 euros.Medicine funding: Applications may be made in the name of teams of several researchers, but not entire universities or research institutions.Funding is granted for a maximum of three years and may be used to cover doctoral or post-doc researchers’ working grants, as well as other costs arising from the research.

Ineligibility

The Cultural Foundation does not fund any activity permanently. The same applicant may be awarded a grant continuously for the same purpose for a maximum of three years.Grants are not awarded:as a bonus or an incentive grant in addition to salary or other benefitsto applicants who have already secured funding for the next 12 monthsto basic (bachelor's and master's) degree students as working grants or for student exchange included in studiesto cover plain printing costs or the copying of recordingsfor internshipson social groundsfor profit-making business operationsIn making decisions, the Cultural Foundation observes the following principles:Grants are generally not awarded for the study expenses of basic (bachelor's and master's) degree studies (such as tuition fees)Grants are not awarded for core activities of organisations that are essentially publicly financed (for example, a university or a city theatre receiving Government Transfers). Grants may be awarded, however, to short-term individual projects. Organisations funded with discretionary state or municipal subsidies are generally eligible.