Guidelines for grantees

Start by reading the guidelines and conditions that the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation requires all grant applicants to follow. Further down on this page, you will find more detailed instructions on matters such as payment, social security, and communication regarding the grant.

• The grant is to be used to pursue the plan set out in the application. The grant-funded work may begin only after the grant decision has been made (9 October).
• The grant must be used in 3 years time limit. Personal working grants should, as a rule, be used for continuous work.
• The grant will be awarded to the applicant in accordance with the application and the grant recipient may not transfer or donate the grant to a third party.
• The grantee must inform the Wihuri Foundation without delay of any funding received elsewhere for the same purpose as the grant is.
• The grantee should send a report every year to the Foundation starting from the year after awarding until the project has been finished or the entire grant has been used. (exception: The grantee of a full-time one year (12 months) grants sends one final report during the year when all grants awarded for the same purpose have been used)
• A grant that has not been used within three years from the date it was awarded shall be deemed cancelled.  The grantees will not be notified about cancellations.

Working grants

The working grant, if applied for for full-time work, requires leave from regular salaried employment. Similarly, the grantee may not receive other working grants or other types of personal financial support at the same time. Neither may the full-time grant be used during paid leave.

However, a small amount (at most 25 % of salaried work time) is allowed during the grant period in order to enable occasional or part-time jobs. Exceeding the aforesaid limit will affect the amount and duration of the grant and has to be agreed separately.

Working grants are generally intended for continuous working. If the grant period is interrupted for a period of more than a month, the Foundation must be contacted in writing and the grant payment will be suspended. The recipient of a full-time grant must inform the Foundation if, during the grant period, he or she intends to take e.g. another research post, military service or take family leave for a period of more than one month. The grant period is then interrupted.

Changes to plans

The grant may only be used for the purpose it was applied for and awarded within the 3-year validity period of the grant.

If there are substantial changes to the project, make a change request in writing. The application must be sent in good time before the work or project phase subject to change is carried out. Send a free-form change request to Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation by letter (address: Kalliolinnantie 4, 00140 Helsinki) or by email (pdf): toimisto(at)wihurinrahasto.fi or in the Online Grant Service as an attachment to the Messages field.

The grant cannot be used before the notification of acceptance of the change request.

There is no need to make a change request if only the project schedule is moved within the grant’s validity period (3 years).

Working group: the grant is intended to be used by the working group named in the application. If there are changes in the members of the working group, a written change request must be sent to Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation (including CVs).  The working group member responsible for the grant may not pay the grant to a new member of the working group before a notice of acceptance.

Organization: If the contact person of an organization changes, a representative with the authority to sign documents on behalf of the organization may notify Wihuri Foundation of the information of the new contact person.

The grant must be used according to the plan laid out in the grant application and to the grant decision. If there are substantial changes, contact Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation in writing.

Wihuri Foundation requires all grant applicants to comply with the following instructions and to commit to the following conditions.

Withdrawal of the grant

• A (personal working) grant of a specified amount and under certain conditions exempt from tax is personal and may not be transferred to a third party, nor made out to be paid as salary or similar payment.
• The grant will be paid into the account provided by the grantee in the Online grant service/payment request. Please note that if the grant has been applied for/awarded to a private person or working group, a notification of the grant will be made to the Finnish Tax Administration on the grantee’s (person) behalf in due course. For example, if a grant is requested to be paid into the account of the grantee’s background organization, this will not change the official grantee (applicant).
• The grantee has a legal obligation to apply for Mela insurance if he/she meets certain conditions: The grantee, who is between the ages of 18 and 68 but not yet on an old-age pension, is obligated to take care of statutory insurance contributions (altogether approximately 15 % of the working grant sum). Mela (Farmer’s Social Insurance Institution) collects pension, accident and group life insurance payments during the grant period (in other words, when the insurance is valid). The tax authorities collect health insurance payments. If the grantee works continuously for four months and receives at least 1 535 euros (year 2025) as payments he/she is obligated to taking an insurance. In this case the grantee must him/herself inform Mela about the grant.
• The insurance obligation doesn’t concern grantees of undergraduate studies or if the grant was awarded to cover expenses alone (such as travel grants). When certain conditions are met insurance can be taken for grant work that takes place abroad or for foreign grantees working in Finland. Insurance must be taken to cover the period for which the grant has been awarded (given in months in the decision on the grant), even if the actual work is not carried out in one continuous period. The Foundation is obligated to inform Mela about the awarded grants and give additional information if needed.
• The grantee must inform the Foundation immediately of any other funding that they receive for the same purpose. Working grants intended for full-time work require leave from regular salaried employment. Similarly, the grantee may not receive another working grant, salary from full-time employment, or adult education subsidor or other types of personal financial support with a grant awarded for full-time work. Neither may the full-time grant be used during paid leave.
  
• However, a small amount (not more than 25 % of salaried work time) is allowed during the full-time grant period in order to enable occasional or part-time jobs. This doesn’t affect the duration of the grant period.
• The recipient of a full-time grant must inform the Foundation if, during the grant period, they intend to take e.g. another research post, military service or take family leave for a period of more than one month. The grant period is then interrupted.
• When a grant is used to hire salaried work the grantee is obligated to take care of withholding tax and other statutory liabilities of an employer.
• The Foundation can stop the payment of a grant if criteria for awarding the grant have changed significantly due to the grantee. E.g. the grantee doesn’t use the grant as intended.
• The Foundation should be informed of any changes in the contact information of the grantee.
• The grantee must also report how the grant was used every calendar year starting from the year after awarding.
  Exception: The grantee of a full-time one year (12 months) grants sends one final report during the year when all grants awarded for the same purpose have been used.
• A grant that hasn’t been used within three years after awarding it is interpreted as cancelled if not agreed otherwise.
• Under the National Board of Taxation’s decision (1052/2003), the Foundation will notify the Finnish Tax Administration of scholarships, grants or awards it has awarded when the payment within the current tax year is at least 1 000 euros. The notification is made after the closing of the tax year in January and includes the name, the personal identity code, and the address of the grant recipient, the purpose of the grant, and the amount paid. Grants awarded by private foundations are tax-free up to the state’s annual grant to artists.
• Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation requires that you confirm the accuracy of the information provided in your application and commit to reporting any funding received from other sources to the Foundation. You also commit to carrying out your project according to the plan you have presented.

Using and protecting data

The content of the application forms a personal data register in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, which is maintained, stored, and archived by Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation.

The applicant has the right to review the information stored in the register and to correct any incorrect information by contacting the foundation.

Personal data is collected and processed to enable the foundation’s operations (legitimate interest). This includes the processing, analysis, and archiving of applications. The purpose of processing personal data is also to produce information and other communications related to stakeholders.Information and documents are provided for the use of experts evaluating the applications.

The foundation also requires that you accept that the information in the application may be stored and disclosed to authorities and organizations distributing grants for the monitoring of the distribution and use of grants.

Based on the processing for the public interest, the foundation publishes the names, the degree or occupation, place of residence, purpose of the grant and the amount awarded of grant recipients on its website and provides information to the research data repository maintained by the Ministry of Education and Culture (tiedejatutkimus.fi) as well as for statistics and research related to foundations.

Information about the awarded grant may be made public, even if the awarded amount is smaller than the amount applied for.

The grants are offically awarded on October 9th.

The grants will be awarded on October 9th. A list of grantees will appear on the Foundation’s website after that.

The Foundation will publish the degree or occupation and the name of the grantee, domicile, purpose of the grant and the amount awarded.

Grant seekers will receive an email of the decision at the end of September. Successful grant seekers will be informed in writing in October also. Information on the grant decisions is not given by telephone.

The awarded grant can be used within three years of its approval. The payment request is submitted through the online grant service.

• Payment request for an awarded grant can be made through the online grant service if the grant has been awarded 9 October. The payment request can be made at the earliest after 9th October. You may submit a payment request anytime within the 3 year validity of the grant.
• The payment of the grant must be presented for payment in the schedule required by the project.
• You must sign in to the service with the same credentials you have used for making your applicationin the Online grant service. You will also need the confirmation code that you can find on the grant letter and email (9 Oct) which has been sent to you. Alternatively, you can send the signed payment request by mail.
• We pay out grants once a month. Payments are made around the 15th of each month. Money transfer may take a couple of days. A payment request must be submitted during the preceding month of the desired month of payment at the latest. There is no grant payment in July.
• Grants that are awarded in October can be paid earliest in November. Grants are paid in instalments of at least €3000 and maximum €9000 euros within the schedule that the project requires. There is no grant payment in July. Organizations and working groups may, if necessary, submit a payment request of more than €9000 if the purpose of the grant requires so.
• If you have been awarded a grant for the purchase of an instrument you must provide us with an order confirmation, receipt or an equivalent document before the payment of the grant. This document can be sent by post to the office or to e-mail: toimisto@wihurinrahasto.fi. Payment request may be more than €9000 if the purpose of the grant requires so.
• Working group: The person in charge of the working group, the group leader, is responsible for the grant. The grant can be paid to one or more working group members. The grant can be paid to the member/members of the working group according to how the working group agrees. In the payment request, the name, address, social security number and bank account information of each member of the group who is going to be the recipient of the payment, as well as the possible working time in months with the grant, should be stated.
• The grant will be paid into the account provided by the grantee in the Online grant service. Please note that if the grant has been applied for/awarded to a private person or working group, a notification of the grant will be made to the Finnish Tax Administration on the grantee’s (person) behalf in due course. For example, if a grant is requested to be paid into the account of the grantee’s background organization, this will not change the official grantee (applicant).
• Please note that logging in with your bank ID and mobile credentials is a feature that has been in use since spring 2021 in the online grant service. Your previous applications, payment requests or reports are not visible to you when logging in to the service with your bank ID or mobile credentials. Log in to the service with the username and password that you have used when creating the documents if you wish to view them. The possibility to transfer these documents to the new log in system is possible.

The purpose of a full-time working grant is to enable uninterrupted work on the project, and its use requires freedom from salaried employment.

A personal working grant is awarded to the recipient as a grant, not as a salary paid for work under an employment or official relationship. Grants for scientific research, artistic activities, and studies are tax-exempt up to the amount corresponding to the state artist grant.

Working grants are generally intended for uninterrupted work. The purpose of a grant awarded for full-time work is to enable work on the project free from other employment, and it is intended to cover living expenses.

Using a full-time working grant requires being free from salaried employment. You may not simultaneously receive a comparable benefit such as salary, another working grant, support equivalent to a working grant, or unemployment benefits. Such a grant also cannot be used during paid leave.

If you are using a year-long full-time grant and for a period longer than one month move into, for example, a paid doctoral student position, another (research) post, military service, or parental leave, please notify the Foundation. In such cases, the grant period is generally suspended, and may be continued after the break.

During a full-time grant period, it is nevertheless possible to hold an official post or other paid position for up to 25% of working time. The idea is that alongside the grant-funded work, occasional or regular hourly work is possible. This does not affect the length of the grant period (e.g. a one-year grant covers 12 months of work).

A report on the use of the grant should be submitted until the grant has been fully spent or the funded project has been completed.

See more info on reporting

The grantee should send a report every year to the Foundation starting from the year after awarding until the project has been finished or the entire grant has been used.

The report can be

• a brief report of progress (Interim report) and/or
• a more thorough and detailed Final report. At the end, a final report must be submitted for each grant awarded.

*Exception: The recipient of a full-time one year (12 months) grant does not need to make a report yearly, if he/she applies for and receives a grant the following year for the same purpose. In this case, the new grant application serves as a report. A final report on the progress of the entire project and grant periods must be submitted at the end of that year when the use of the last grant awarded for the same purpose has ended.

Fill in the report in the online grant service.

The grantee in charge (group leader) is responsible for reporting the work of projects and working groups.

The interim/final report must be sent to the Foundation within the time limit. Dismissing the report can lead to problems in applying for a grant in the future.

The Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution provides insurance coverage for grant recipients if certain conditions are met. Working grants awarded for scientific research, artistic activities, or studies are tax-exempt up to the amount equivalent to a state artist grant.

Social security

As of 2009, working grantees have, on certain conditions, been obliged to join a pension plan as well as acquire certain insurance coverage. Such functions are carried out by The Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution (Mela).

The statutory insurance contributions, totalling approximately 15 % of the personal working grant sum, are included in grants if the grant is

• awarded for scientific or artistic working lasting at least four months AND
• The amount of your grant when converted into annual income is 4 605 euros or more (year 2025) AND
• The grantee is between the ages of 18 and 68 but not yet on an old-age pension.

Grantees must contact Mela to arrange and pay the insurances.

Basic degree studies are not regarded a scientific research work or artistic activity eligible for social security cover. If a grant is awarded to a registered association or to only cover material costs, it does not include social security contributions.

Insurance must be taken to cover the period for which the grant has been awarded (given in months in the decision on the grant), even if the actual work is not carried out in one continuous period.

Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation is required to notify grants to Mela and provide additional information on grants awarded as required by Mela.

For more information concerning social security, contact MELA at 029 435 2650, vakuutus(at)mela.fi

Taxation

The Foundation reports all paid grants of at least 1,000 euros to the tax authorities. Grants received for scientific research, artistic activities, and studies are tax-exempt up to the amount corresponding to the state artist grant. More information: vero.fi.

Grant recipients under 60 years of age who have received a full-time, year-long personal grant may be eligible for an additional grant to arrange personal insurance that supplements social security.

Recipients of one-year fulltime grants can be awarded additional funding of approximately €400 to provide them with personal insurance cover (voluntary personal insurance increases your grant by around € 400, year 2023). This insurance covers recipients under the age of 60. Recipients of one-year fulltime grants are sent instructions and a form for applying for this voluntary insurance cover. The pre-negotiated insurance coverage can be applied for by filling in the form and sending it to Söderberg & Partners Oy.

The package provides accident, medical costs and life insurance cover and is valid for one year from when the first instalment of a grant. Details on the insurance package are sent to recipients immediately as the cover comes into force.

An application form For Additional grant and letter of authorization the Foundation to take out and pay for an insurance policy and authorizing Söderberg & Partners Oy to arrange and manage the cover should be sent to the following address:

Söderberg & Partners Oy
Siru Elman
Töölönkatu 4
00100 HELSINKI

Tel. 09 87750 200
Mobile 050 4135802
info.ba@soderbergpartners.com

We at the foundation always love hearing how the projects we’ve funded are progressing! Please remember to acknowledge us as the funder in any official communications.

It is polite to show gratitude by mentioning the Foundation’s grant in CV’s, publications, concert programs, exhibitions catalogues and in other comparable situations.

Please notice that the correct name of the Foundation is either “Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation” (fi: Jenny ja Antti Wihurin rahasto) or “Wihuri Foundation” (fi: Wihurin rahasto).

You can download the logo of the Foundation here.

The foundation is always interested in the progress of projects funded by grants. In social media channels, we encourage using the hashtags #wihurinrahasto and mentioning @wihurinrahasto when talking about work funded by our grant. You can find the foundation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

If you would like to share communications related to your project, you are welcome to contact the foundation’s Communications Specialist, Heini Huhtinen (heini.huhtinen@wihurinrahasto.fi).

We are happy to receive hard copies of written works (fiction and non-fiction) created with the support of our grants. You can send the works to our office at Kalliolinnantie 4, 00140 Helsinki.