Grants to Apply

Jenny ja Antti Wihuri Foundation’s grants create opportunities for work, initiatives, and development of operation in the fields of science, art, and societal activities. Grants can be sought through the yearly application process organized in the spring. The Foundation also takes part in joint grant pools of Finnish foundations.

The next application round will be organized 9.5.–31.5.2024.

We award grants broadly to different fields

Grants for science

Scientific work

Grants for the fields of science are primarily awarded for research work. Grants can be applied for doctoral thesis work, post-doctoral research and other research. In addition, it is possible to apply for a homing grant which is research funding for a person returning to Finland after post-doctoral research abroad, intended to the establishment of a research group of one’s own. Research groups can apply for part-funding of their research projects.

Grants are awarded broadly to different fields of science to both basic and applied research. However, we do not award grants in the fields of medicine and biomedicine, since they are furthered through funding the Wihuri Research Institute.

Other activities that further the appreciation and impact of science

Grants may also be applied for other activities that further research or the appreciation and impact of science in the society.

Grants for art

Grants in the fields of art are intended to create prerequisites for artistic work and for encountering and experiencing art in the society.

For example, you can apply for a working grant for artistic work in the fields of music, literature, dance or theater, as well as grants for instrument purchases or organizing performances and events. It is also possible to apply for grants for initiatives and development projects in the fields of art and culture.

We support visual arts mainly by making art acquisitions to the Wihuri Foundation Collection in Rovaniemi Art Museum, and by maintaining visual arts residency programs. Therefore in principle, we do not award working grants in the field of visual arts or grants for organizing exhibitions.

Grants for societal activities

Societal activities is all such work that builds an active and inclusive civil society. Societal activities include, for example, youth work, voluntary national defense work, cultural activities, and promotion of entrepreneurial skills. However, societal activities may include other themes, too.

What kind of funding and for who?

Individuals, working groups (consisting of individuals), and organizations can apply for grants. We award mainly working grants for individuals and expenditure grants for organizations.

In principle, the grant applicant seeking funding should be Finnish, the project should take place in Finland or it should have a strong link to Finland.

You can find updated information about grants (e.g. amount of working grant) here. We update the information each year before the application period starts.

Good to know

A list of awarded grants will be published on the Foundation website 9 of October. All grant applicants will be informed about the decisions via email by the end of September. Successful grant applicants will also receive a letter.

Final decisions about grants are made by the board of Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. The board uses the help of experts of different fields when assessing the grant proposals. You can read more about the assessment of applications here.

The Foundations’ Post Doc Pool is a grant resource set up by Finnish foundations, all members of the Council of Finnish Foundations, and intended for post-doctoral research abroad that lasts for at least one semester. The Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation participates in the Foundations’ Post doc pool.

On the current three year period (2022-2024) the Pool is set up by the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation, Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Alfred Kordelin Foundation, Foundation for Economic Education, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, Finnish Academy for Science and Letters, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Finnish Medical Foundation, Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and Ulla Tuominen Foundation, which allocate 3 250 000 euros to the Pool annually.

A Board with representatives appointed by each member foundation manages the Pool. The Pool takes care of expert review of applications and preparatory work, after which the foundations involved will make the actual grant decisions.The Post Doc-pool has two application rounds per year. The spring application round takes place in December-January and the autumn application round in August-September.

More information can be found here.

Post Docs in Companies is a matchmaking program aiming to facilitate the employment of young doctors to the private sector and, at the same time, contribute to the strategic renewal of Finnish business life. Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation participates in the Finnish foundations’ joint PoDoCo -program.

PoDoCo-program is aimed for young doctors who have recently completed or will soon complete their doctoral degree. PoDoCo program has two application rounds each year and awards some 10 post-doctoral grants in each round.

PoDoCo-program, is a joint initiative of Finnish universities, industry and foundations. PoDoCo program is funded by Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, Maa- ja vesitekniikan tuki ry, Svenska Kulturfonden, Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation, Foundation for Economic Education, KAUTE Foundation, The Paulo Foundation and Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. DIMECC Ltd. is responsible for the practical implementation of the programme.

More information can be found here.