Individuals and working groups may apply for a personal grant for the year 2026. The thematic special project Innovation, Commercialization, and Growth is open for 1–3-year projects starting in 2026. The research group grant is intended for a three-year period from 2026 to 2028.
In addition to the personal working grant, applicants may apply for a travel grant for one conference trip. Organizations may apply for a grant to organize a conference or seminar. Targeted (cost) grants may also be applied for other purposes specified in the application.
The grant application including the attachments must be submitted in the grant application system no later than August 15, 2025, at 24:00 (UTC+3).
Focus Areas
The focus areas confirmed by the Delegation of the Foundation for Economic Education Support Association are designed to support Finland’s long-term economic growth, entrepreneurship, and business development. The focus area is an optional section of the application where the applicant can also define their own emphasis, in line with the guidelines of the Foundation for Economic Education.
Read more about the focus areas
Thematic Special Initiative: Innovation, Commercialization, and Growth
The Foundation’s thematic special project addresses a key area for Finland’s competitiveness. The aim is to support high-quality research in business and economics, particularly related to the commercialization of companies’ innovations and services, as well as their successful scaling in international markets. The application must include a description of the practical contributions and relevance of the research to the growth of Finnish business and the economy.
Read more about the thematic special project
Research Group Applications
The Foundation encourages research groups to conduct pioneering research and to compile and acquire new datasets and databases. Three-year research group grants may be applied for by teams led by a Principal Investigator (PI).
Read more from the research group application instructions
Special Fund Applications
In the special fund application round, applicants may direct their application to a specific designated-purpose fund or pool. Grants are awarded according to the criteria set by donors for specific fields of research or education. The designated-purpose pool for the 2025 round is Forest Bioeconomy, Circular Economy, and Clean Transition Value Chains.
Read more from the special fund application instructions
Application Attachments
Attachments that complement the information in the application forms are an essential part of the application. The following three attachments are mandatory for all applicants:
1 Project Summary (1 page, A4): Describe your view of the project’s contributions and relevance to Finland’s business sector and economic growth. The impact may relate to the topic, expected results, and their significance for scientific research, business, or society at large. The summary must include a budget specifying the working grants and group’s expenses during the grant period.
2 Research and Funding Plan: The research plan should follow the generally accepted structure, including background, research questions, methods, and expected outcomes. The funding section must be based on the information provided in the application form and clearly indicate how the grant will be used within the project. A personal working grant is intended to cover the researcher’s living expenses and does not require a detailed breakdown. For the requirements concerning the research group’s plan, see: Research Group Application Guidelines – Foundation for Economic Education.
- Length 2–3 pages / research groups 3–5 pages.
Literature references are not included in the page limit. - Target (cost) grants: A description of the specific purpose, e.g., an abstract of a conference presentation.
3 Applicant’s CV: For individual applicants or the responsible person of a team / PI of a research group (include CVs of all group members in one file) / responsible person of an organization or joint project.
Supervisor’s Statement
A statement from the supervising professor is especially important when applying for a grant for doctoral research. The statement must be submitted through the electronic reference system by August 31, 2025 (UTC +3). It may be written in Finnish or English.
