The discretionary targeted grants are intended for cultural activities that increase the wellbeing and functional capacity of elderly Helsinki residents.
In particular, the objective is to enhance the opportunities of elderly people living at home to live good and agile life in which they are active operators Preventive measures to boost wellbeing address the challenges posed by the ageing population. The call for applications has been prepared in cooperation with the Culture and Leisure Division’s Sports Services.
In 2026, the budget for grants for culture is EUR 1,300,000. The grants are funded from escheats available to the City of Helsinki.
Culture grants for advancing cultural activities for the elderly can be applied 9th March 2026 – 2nd April 2026 until 4:00 PM.
Info sessions
We will be holding two info sessions on grants for advancing cultural activities for the elderly.
- Thursday 22nd January 2026 at 5 PM – 7PM, A live, in-person event at the Töölö Library event space (4th floor). Sign up for the event (the event will be held mainly in Finnish)(Link leads to external service) .
- Tuesday 27th Janyary 2026 at 4.30 PM – 8.30 PM, online meeting in Teams. Use this linki to participate in the Teams info(Link leads to external service)
For who?
The grants can be applied for by legally authorised registered organisations operating in the field of arts and culture. Private persons and unregistered working groups are ineligible to apply for this grant. Applicants are required to form partnerships. Partners may also include unregistered communities or working groups, as well as companies. The forms and roles of the cooperation must be described in the application. The applying community is responsible for the use and reporting of the use of the grant.
For what purpose?
The grants are targeted at cultural activities supporting the wellbeing of elderly residents of Helsinki. In particular, the objective is to enhance the opportunities of elderly people living at home to live good and agile life in which they are active operators.
Grants cannot be awarded for activities for which full funding is requested by means of said grant. As a general principle, grants will not be awarded for activities that the city buys or already supports with a grant. Furthermore, grants will not be awarded for activities that fall under the city’s own operations.
All cultural grants are subject to the strategic guidelines and the general grant terms of the City of Helsinki, as well as the grant allocation principles of the Culture and Leisure Division.
The evaluation and assessment will emphasise projects that promote the wellbeing and functional capacity of the elderly through new types of partnerships and operating models.
The application criteria emphasise accessibility and activities that strengthen the involvement and agency of elderly people.
The activities must be open to elderly people living in Helsinki and cannot be targeted, for example, exclusively to an organization’s own members. The activities should primarily be aimed at those elderly people in Helsinki who are living at their homes.
Supported projects must promote one or more of the following objectives. The objectives are alternative and not mutually exclusive. Project plans must include concrete actions to advance each chosen objective.
Eligible projects must contribute to one or several of the following goals:
- development of local culture services and activities
- producing digital and remotely delivered cultural activities
- promoting mental well-being and reducing loneliness through cultural activities
- enhancing intergenerational activities and encounters through cultural activities
- strengthening diversity and multiculturalism in art and cultural activities aimed at elderly.
In the comparison and evaluation of applications, emphasis will be placed on the accessibility of the activities, the participation and agency of elderly people, and initiatives that apply new partnerships and operating models. In addition, the evaluation will consider the following factors: the scope and relevance of the project in relation to the objectives of the grant, the planning and realism of the project’s budget and operational plan, the applicant’s own funding contribution and any other funding obtained for the activities, as well as the continuity of the activities after the grant period.
When assessing projects, attention will also be paid to regional relevance, and projects will be targeted based on need to selected districts with a high population of older adults and where the average socioeconomic index is above the city average.
Grants applied for in the 2026 round can be awarded for 1–3 years. Payment of multi-year grants is conditional, and recipients of multi-year grants must report on the progress of the project in connection with grant applications in subsequent years.
The grant may be used to cover project-related expenses that are not directly related to the basic activities of the operator.
Activities supported by the grant cannot be part of the association’s core operations. Projects must include a self-financing component.
In the 2026 grant round, projects will be evaluated in three categories based on the amount of funding applied for and the duration of the grant decision. The categories and their respective minimum requirements are defined as follows:
Project Evaluation Categories
Applications will be evaluated in three categories depending on the amount of funding applied for per year. Different requirements apply to applications in each category:
- €5,000–€19,999 per year (2026 grant round)
Grants in this category will be awarded for one year at a time. Projects must promote at least one of the objectives listed above, and the applicant’s own funding or other funding contribution must cover at least 5% of the project’s costs. - €20,000–€49,999 per year (2026 grant round)
Funding in this category can be applied for projects lasting 1–3 years. Projects must promote at least two of the objectives listed above, and the applicant’s own funding or other funding contribution must cover at least 10% of the project’s costs. - €50,000–€80,000 per year (2026 grant round)
Funding in this category can be applied for projects lasting 2–3 years. Projects must promote at least three of the objectives listed above, and the applicant’s own funding or other funding contribution must cover at least 15% of the project’s costs. In addition, projects in this category should aim to develop new sustainable operating models and networks, address an identified need or structural challenge in services for older adults, and participate in sharing good practices and potential regional cooperation networks. Applications must include a concrete plan for embedding the activities into regular practice.
All projects receiving at least €20,000 per year must participate in the evaluation of the overall impact of the grant program, which includes, among other things, collecting feedback from participants.
All cultural grants are subject to the strategic guidelines and the general grant terms of the City of Helsinki, as well as the grant allocation principles of the Culture and Leisure Division.
The application period will open in the city’s online grant service on March 9, 2026 and close on April 2, 2026, at 4:00 PM. To apply for the grant, the application form must be completed. Late applications will be rejected. It is recommended to submit your application before the last day, as the service may experience high traffic. The grant applicant must be authorised to act on behalf of the entity before signing up for the grant service.
If the applicant has not previously applied for grants from the City of Helsinki, or if the applicant’s information has changed, the following attachments must be submitted via the city’s online service as part of the application:
- The association’s rules
- A bank statement or a copy of the bank statement indicating the account holder’s name and the account number (the applicant must have a Finnish bank account to which the grant is paid)
- An extract from the association or foundation register
- The most recently approved financial statements and annual report
- An activity plan and budget for the grant year
When applying for a multi-year grant, budgets for the subsequent years must be attached under “Other attachment.” The budgets may be submitted as a single file. In the Budget section of the application form should be stated only the budget for the first project year.
Under “Other attachment,” the application may also be supplemented with, for example, a free-form project plan if attaching one is essential to completing or clarifying the information provided in the application.
After the application period has ended, grant proposals will be prepared by expert evaluation groups composed of the Sports and Culture service entities, working in close cooperation. Applications are assessed based on an overall evaluation and on how well the applicant meets the assessment criteria of the grant call. All grants are discretionary.
Decisions on grants are made by the Culture and Library Sub-committee of the Culture and Leisure Committee. Applicants will be informed of the decision once the committee has made its decision. Applicants will be notified by post.
The Culture and Library Sub-committee will decide on the projects to be funded at its meeting in May 2026.
Targeted grants are paid in one instalment.
If the recipient owes money to the city, the city’s recoverable claim from the recipient will be deducted from the awarded grant.
Grants will be paid into a bank account in the name of the recipient. If the recipient does not have a bank account, they must open one. To verify the bank details, a bank statement (for new applicants, or if the bank details have changed) or a corresponding document indicating the name of the account holder and the account number must be attached to the application. If said statement is not submitted, the grant will not be paid.
For more information about payment matters, please contact administrative secretary Minna Leino, tel. +358 9 3108 9044, minna.leino@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
The usage period for the special grants for promoting culture activities for the elderly is:
- single-year projects 1 Jun 2026–31 May 2027
- two-year projects 1 Jun 2026–31 May 2028
- three-year projects 1 Jun 2026–31 May 2029
Reporting on the use of the grant:
- For one-year projects, the final reporting deadline is 31 August 2027.
- Multi-year projects are required to submit an interim report in 2027 and a final report in accordance with separate guidelines.
The period of use for grants awarded from the 2026 appropriation is 1 June 2026–31 May 2027.
The grant may be used to cover project-related expenses that are not directly related to the basic activities of the operator. The projects must have a self-financing share. The minimum required amount of self-financing depends on the amount of the grant applied for a single year.
The grant can only be used for the purpose stated in the grant decision. If the grant decision does not specify the purpose, the grant must be used for the purpose stated in the application. The city has the right to reclaim the grant in part or in full in accordance with the terms and conditions.
The recipient is not allowed to use the grant for fundraising or for business and investment expenditure, or to increase its financial assets or any other long-term investments. Grants may generally not be used for the purchase of fixed assets. Fixed assets are defined as items such as machinery, equipment, buildings, and investments that can be resold.
The recipient of a grant must arrange its accounting in the manner required by law and so that the use of the grant can be monitored based on the accounts. The grant recipient must arrange an audit in accordance with the requirements of the Auditing Act.
The recipient must provide the City of Helsinki with the information the city deems necessary for processing the grant application, awarding the grant and monitoring its use, free of charge. The party awarding the grant has the right to audit the accounts and administration of the applicant/recipient and perform other audits regarding its activities as necessary.
The grant recipient must promptly notify the city of Helsinki of any significant changes that affect the use of the grant and must consult with the grant administrators to agree on the continued use of the grant or its repayment. Go to the contact page for cultural grants.
The recipient undertakes to investigate the background of all suppliers used in the activities and to purchase services only from responsible operators who meet their social obligations.
Grants are not awarded for the purpose of redistribution to other entities, and the grant recipient is not permitted to distribute the grant further in the form of money or gifts.
Recipients of the grant are required to provide an account of how the grant has been used. Projects receiving at least €20,000 per year will also participate in a broader impact assessment of the overall grant program. The aim is to more closely align the projects with the City of Helsinki’s strategy and other initiatives promoting the well-being and health of older adults.
Recipients of multi-year grants must report on the progress of their project in connection with applications for funding in subsequent years.
Links to current materials related to impact assessment and reporting on grant usage:
Projects funded for the 2025–2026 project period:
- Participant feedback metrics and data collection form(Link leads to external service) (to be submitted in 2026)
Info sessions
We will be holding two info sessions on grants for advancing cultural activities for the elderly.
- Thursday 22nd January 2026 at 5 PM – 7PM, A live, in-person event at the Töölö Library event space (4th floor). Sign up for the event (the event will be held mainly in Finnish)(Link leads to external service) .
- Tuesday 27th Janyary 2026 at 4.30 PM – 8.30 PM, online meeting in Teams. Use this linki to participate in the Teams info(Link leads to external service)
For more information about grants for promoting cultural activities for the elderly, please contact Special Planning Officer Sara Kuusi, tel 09 310 32204, sara.kuusi@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program) .