Guidelines for grantees

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.

Payment can be arranged online. To withdraw a grant the grantee makes a request for a grant in the online grant service or he/she returns a signed payment request form to the Foundation through mail.

The payment of a grant to a working group should be arranged by the person named in the application (group leader). For a working group to withdraw a grant it can return a payment request form with a signature of the responsible person. The form must also include the names, addresses, social security numbers and bank account numbers of members of the working group who intend to receive any 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).

To withdraw a grant intended for the acquisition of an instrument a confirmation of order or a receipt of the purchase must be delivered to the Foundation before the payment.

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 taxman collects health insurance payments. If the grantee works continuously for four months and receives at least 1 429,33 euros (year 2023) 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 he/she receives 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 (25 % of salaried work time) is allowed during the 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, 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.

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.

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.

Any information concerning the application can be archived. It can also be handed over to authorities and other organizations that provide funding. This is to ensure proper supervision of awarding and use of grants. The Foundation is also allowed to publish information about the grant even if the awarded amount is less than what was originally applied for.

The grants will be awarded on October 9th, the birthday of Antti Wihuri. A list of grantees will appear on the Foundation’s website the following day. The Foundation will publish the degree or occupation and the name of the grantee, domicile, purpose of the grant and the amount awarded. https://wihurinrahasto.fi/apurahat/myonnetyt-apurahat/.

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.

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 can sign in to the service with the same credentials you have used for making your application.
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.

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.

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 the member/members of the working group according to how the working group agrees.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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 (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.

The grant may only be used for the purpose 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: toimisto(at)wihurinrahasto.fi. The grant cannot be used before the notification of acceptance of the change request.

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 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.

Fill in the report in the grant online 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.

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

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 X.

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.

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 awarded for working lasting at least four months. The amount of your grant when converted into annual income is 4 288 euros or more (year 2023). 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

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 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