We received over 6,400 applications in the spring grant round

The 2025 general grant application round of the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation ended on May 31 with a record number of applications submitted. The sharp increase in applications likely reflects the tight funding situation in many fields.

As per tradition, the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation organised its general grant call in May, where funding could be applied for a wide range of projects in the fields of science, art, and societal activities.

During the roughly three-week application period (May 9–31, 2025), the foundation received a total of 6,435 applications, the highest number ever recorded. In 2024, the foundation received 5,485 applications, meaning the number increased by about 17 percent compared to the previous year.

The total amount of funding applied increased even more steeply, by approximately 23 percent. This year, grants were applied for in a total amount of around €179 million.

“As a general-purpose foundation, we anticipated an increase in applications, but we didn’t expect such a sharp jump. This significant growth is likely linked to public funding cuts and generally weak employment situations in many sectors,” said the foundation’s Executive Director Arto Mäenmaa.

Rise in Societal Activities

The biggest increase in application numbers was in the field of societal activities, where the Wihuri Foundation supports, for example, youth activities, voluntary national defense work, cultural projects, and the promotion of entrepreneurial skills. This year, many applications focused on implementing various community-based and cultural projects, educational initiatives and events.

“There is clearly a great need now for flexible funding that builds an active and inclusive civil society. On the other hand, a larger applicant pool means even tougher competition in these funding areas,” Mäenmaa commented.

Overall, most applications were still for projects in the fields of science and art. Of all the applications received, approximately 44% were for science, 42% for art, and 14% for societal activities.

In science, the foundation received the most applications from the fields of business studies, natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, education, social sciences, and history and archaeology.

The most commonly sought funding was for doctoral studies and artistic work. Of the applicants, about 5,400 were individuals, and just over 1,000 were various registered organisations.

Last year, the foundation distributed approximately €15 million in grants and other support. Of this, 65% went to science, 18% to art, and 17% to societal activities. The total also included continued funding for previously awarded grants, prizes, funding for mainintaining the Wihuri Research Institute (14%), funding for art acquisitions and other visual arts activities, and contributions to joint grant pools with other foundations.

What Happens Next?

The grant applications will undergo peer review.

Over the next few weeks, the foundation’s staff will review all applications and ensure they are categorised correctly. This is to make sure each application is assessed by an expert in the most suitable field. Experts will evaluate the applications over the summer and make their recommendations within the budget set by the foundation’s board. The final decisions on the grants will be made by the foundation’s board.

The board, staff, and experts all adhere to the foundation’s conflict-of-interest rules to ensure fairness and equality.

Applicants who provided their email addresses will be notified of the grant decisions in late September. Grant recipients will also receive an official award letter in early October.

The grants will be officially awarded on October 9, 2025, the birthday of the foundation’s founder, maritime counselor Antti Wihuri. After that, a list of grant recipients will be published on the foundation’s website.

Read more about how applications are evaluated here.