Wihuri Foundation’s 2025 funding decisions
The Foundation is awarding a record €17 million in grants and other funding to 462 projects in science, the arts and civil society. This year’s applications reflected, among other things, the rapid development of artificial intelligence, changing geopolitical relations, and concerns about the future operating conditions of the arts and culture.
In 2025, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation is allocating a record €17 million in grants and other funding to science (63%), the arts (16%), and societal activities (21%).
Funding was awarded to a total of 462 new projects: 360 to individuals or working groups and 102 to organisations across different fields.
The total amount of funding awarded by Wihuri Foundation increased by almost €1 million compared with the previous year.
The majority of the funding, more than €12 million, was awarded through the Foundation’s general grant call. Held annually in the spring, the general grant call supports, for example, artistic and scientific work, new initiatives, and the development of existing activities. Funding is awarded across a wide range of fields.
A total of 6,473 applications were submitted to the general grant call, of which approximately seven per cent received funding. Applications are assessed through a peer-review process.
“The overall standard of applications was exceptionally high this year, and many excellent projects and interesting perspectives inevitably had to be left without funding. This makes it especially important that decisions are based on careful preparation and assessments by experts from different fields. At the same time, the diversity and ambition of the applications offer an inspiring picture of the vitality of Finnish science, the arts, and societal activity,” says Arto Hiltunen, Chair of the Board of Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation.
The range of applications has become even broader. This makes it increasingly important to me that the projects we fund have scientific a societal relevance and demonstrate innovation.
Support for scientific and artistic work
In science and the arts, Wihuri Foundation focuses on enabling scientific and artistic work. The general grant call awarded a total of 164 grants for one year of full-time scientific or artistic work.
The scientific grants cover a broad range of research in the social sciences and economics, natural sciences, engineering, behavioural sciences, and the humanities. Wihuri Foundation particularly supports researchers at the early stages of their careers. In total, the Foundation awarded funding to 239 scientific projects, including 182 grants for doctoral research.
Wihuri Foundation also offers so-called homing grants, which are designed to enable researchers returning to Finland from abroad to establish their own research groups. This year, homing grants were awarded to three researchers.
In the arts, funding was awarded for artistic work in music, literature, theatre, and dance, as well as for purchasing musical instruments and covering the preparation and production costs of performances.
In the field of societal activities, support was awarded, among other things, to voluntary national defence, youth work, museums, and cultural initiatives.
Emerging Themes in Applications
Grant applications are assessed through a peer-review process. Experts from different fields assess the scientific, artistic, or societal value of the applications. We asked them what themes or phenomena they saw in this years applications and funded projects.
“In making my selections, in addition to scientific quality, I looked at the innovativeness of the projects, their future-oriented approach, and their societal and/or wider usefulness and impact.”
— Expert in science
“Many applications explored the intersections of art and science. A large number of artistic and research projects also focused on the diversity of identities.”
— Expert in the arts
“The range of applications has become even broader. This makes it increasingly important to me that the projects we fund have scientific and/or societal relevance and demonstrate innovation. Science must continue to evolve.”
— Expert in science
“Among the large number of applications, the projects that stood out were those with an artistically compelling and ambitious idea, together with a well-grounded plan for carrying it out and reaching audiences. At their best, these projects also demonstrated an ability to develop and renew practices and to say something essential about our time.”
— Expert in the arts
“The applications address broad and topical societal questions, including population ageing and security in old age, care relationships, the health of children and young people, and the relationship between artificial intelligence and algorithms and human interaction and identity. The projects are also united by strong scientific ambition. Their research designs meet the standards of internationally high-quality research.”
— Expert in science
“Community, equality, wellbeing, and cultural accessibility were an essential part of the artistic thinking behind many of the projects.”
— Expert in the arts
Some highlights from the funded projects
- Aalto University receives €300,000 to expand the activities of the Ownership Lab research centre. The funding will strengthen research and teaching on ownership and produce independent knowledge to support public debate and decision-making.
- Anu Muhonen (University of Helsinki) receives €75,000 for the Helsinki as a Language Immersion Environment project, which develops a new way of learning languages as part of everyday life in the city. The project connects international university students with companies and organisations where they can use the language in authentic situations while building connections with the surrounding Finnish society.
- Parinaz Poursafa (Tampere University) receives €75,000 to investigate, using extensive European population datasets, how environmental exposures accumulated over the course of a lifetime affect health trajectories and biological ageing from the fetal stage to old age.
- Turku and Kaarina Parish Union receives €250,000 to build a new choir organ for Turku Cathedral as part of the cathedral’s renovation. The new organ will complement the cathedral’s existing collection of instruments and enable a wider range of services and concerts.
- RARE ry receives €150,000 for the RARE DOCS <3 IMPACT project, which brings documentary films and social journalism to young people across Finland. The aim is to strengthen young people’s interest in societal issues, participation, and their ability to engage in discussion, including on difficult topics.
- Avoin yhteiskunta ry receives €80,000 to expand the FAKTA Stations network and develop support services that strengthen information security and resilience. The project will strengthen the ability of students, public authorities, and civil society actors across Finland to recognize information influence operations.
- The €17 million total also includes continued funding for previously awarded grants and funding for the Foundation’s own activities. These include, for example, the work of the Wihuri Research Institute, which conducts biomedical research, as well as art acquisitions and artist residencies.
As part of the renovation of Turku Cathedral, a new choir organ will be installed in the church.”
RARE ry is embarking on a school tour across Finland.
