MEDIA GRANTS
The Media grants distributed by Finland Society are discretionary. The grants are financed by appropriations from the Ministry of Education and Culture. Applicants are required to read the terms and conditions on this page before completing the application.
Application period
The annual application period for Media grants is November 1 – February 28. The application period for 2024 has now closed.
Who can apply?
Media grants can be applied for by Finnish media abroad whose main activity is communication and information and whose primary target group is expatriate Finns. Expatriate communities’ member magazines are not included here, instead, grants for member magazines can be applied for through the Community grant application.
There are three categories of applications for Media grants: Expatriate Finnish newspapers in print, online publications, and expatriate Finnish radio stations. In all categories, expatriate Finnish media applying for grants must fulfill the following requirements:
o the publisher/operator is a company or organization
o the medium has been operating for at least one year
o Regular publication/ updates/ program activity: at least 4 issues per year for printed newspapers and weekly updates for online publications
o the content is freely available for subscription/ reading/ listening
o the publication follows good journalistic practice
For what purpose?
Expatriate Finnish media can apply for Media grants for general operating expenses (e.g. printing, mailing, staff and facility costs). Grants for general operating expenses are granted to small expatriate media dependent on financial support. For a specific and justified reason, the grant may also be applied for to be used for particular projects (e.g. equipment and furniture purchases, events, campaigns). The same applicant may not receive a grant for the same project for several consecutive years.
What is the amount of the grant?
The Media grant provides co-financing and its amount will be assessed individually for each applicant.
What are the grant criteria?
The grant is awarded based on an assessment of the application, comparative evaluation and an overall assessment. The criteria for assessment do not include annually varying priorities and weightings. The regional distribution of applicants and the available budget are taken into account as well as principles of equal treatment. Grants are discretionary and are awarded separately each year. In the decision, special attention will be paid to the financial situation and the resulting needs of the applicant. The applicant may give information on the financial situation of the media in the application form in the field ‘Message to Finland Society’ or in an additional attachment.
Who decides on the amount of the grant?
The applications are assessed by a working group appointed by Finland Society’s Board of Directors consisting of Finland Society staff members or members of the Board of Directors. Grant decisions are taken by the Board of Finland Society based on the proposals of the working group.
When will the grant be paid?
Grants will be paid to the account indicated by the applicants in the application form normally by the end of June.
A grant may not be awarded if
o the applicant is a Finnish expatriate community’s member magazine
o the application is incomplete and the applicant has not provided the missing information on request
o the applicant has not provided Finland Society with an account report on the use of previous Media grants received
Grant period
Grants are awarded for a calendar year and the grant awarded has to be used by the end of the year the grant was awarded.
Reporting on the use of the grant
After receiving a Media grant, the beneficiary is required to provide Finland Society with an account on the use of the grant using the respective electronic form indicated below. The account must be submitted by the end of February of the year following the grant period at the latest.
Information on the grant decision
All applicants will be informed by e-mail of the decision on their grant application. Remember to also check your inbox’s spam folder. The applicant is responsible for regularly checking the e-mail address provided in the application.
Which attachments are needed?
The application has to include the following annexes:
1) Printed newspapers: The paper’s latest edition mailed to Finland Society (not necessary if the magazine is regularly sent to Finland Society’s office anyway) OR
2) Online media: Web link to the publication OR
3) Radio: A link to listen to the latest program (either on a website or as a recording)
In addition, each applicant shall submit the latest financial statement in an attachment to the application form. If necessary, additional attachments may be added to the application.
How to apply:
The application period for 2024 has now closed.
Account for the use of the grant for Finnish media abroad 2023
For more information please contact:
Community Manager Maarit Hyvärinen, maarit.hyvarinen@suomi-seura.fi, +358447109324