A government grant is a form of discretionary financing provided from central government funds to support activities and projects considered necessary for society. A total of nearly EUR 4 billion in government grants is awarded each year in more than 300 calls for government grant applications.

Government grants are awarded by government grant authorities (all ministries and about 30 government agencies). Government grants are also awarded by regional state administrative authorities. Grants are awarded to associations, foundations, municipalities, joint municipal authorities, scientific institutes, research organisations, higher education institutions, companies and private persons.

Government grants and
central government transfers are two different things but they are grouped together under the concept ‘government aid’. Government grants can also be awarded as government subsidies. The Act on Discretionary Government Grants is a general statute containing provisions on government grant activities. Government grants are awarded as general grants or special grants.

List of government grant authorities (in Finnish)

The development and digitalisation of government grant activities is a five-year project led by the Ministry of Finance. In the project, all central government actors will gradually change over to a new operating model for government grant activities and will start using shared online services supporting the model.

As part of the project, all concepts of government grant activities will be compiled into a single glossary. Developing the practices requires a common language. The glossary can be used as a support tool in the design of online services and to make them easier to understand.

Developing government grant activities and the new operating model

• will make government grant activities more effective
• will make government grant activities more open and transparent
• will speed up the process of applying for and awarding government grants
• will enhance cooperation between government grant authorities and government grant applicants.

With the new operating model, more information on the societal impacts of government grants can be collected and this information be used to support decision-making and the prioritising of the grants.

For more information, visit

Ministry of Finance
Glossary of government grant terms (in Finnish)
Towards a smoother, more effective system for administering discretionary government grants Outline for government grant authorities
and government grant applicants
>

The Ministry of Finance has decided that the State Treasury will act as the authority responsible for government grant online services, for developing and maintaining the services and for user support.

Government grant services comprise three online services:

• Applyforgrants.fi
• Exploregrants.fi
• Managegrants.fi

The online services will make applying for and awarding the grants easier and they also make it easier for government grant authorities to gradually change over to the new operating model.

The introduction of the new services will require changes in the Act on Discretionary Government Grants and the Act on the State Treasury.
Government proposal to Parliament for acts amending the Act on Discretionary Government Grants and the Act on the State Treasury (in Finnish)

The role of the State Treasury as a government grant authority awarding government grants will remain unchanged. The State Treasury does not take a stance on the terms and conditions of the government grants awarded by other government grant authorities or the process of awarding them. The definition and tasks of a government grant authority and the competence of individual ministries in government grant matters in their own sectors will remain unchanged.

For answers to frequently asked questions about government grant activities, visit the Ministry of Finance website:

Answers to frequently asked questions about government grant activities (in Finnish)

Government proposal to Parliament for acts amending the Act on Discretionary Government Grants and the Act on the State Treasury (in Finnish)

Act on the State Treasury (in Finnish)

Act on Discretionary Government Grants (in Finnish)