Operating grant for youth activities

What kinds of associations are eligible for grants?

An operating grant can be awarded to Helsinki-based early youth and youth associations or similar, e.g. to a youth section of an association. An unregistered association must have the same rules and administration as a registered association. The youth section or equivalent branch of an association must have its activities and finances itemised in the association's documents. Read more about the Grant Guidelines for Youth Activities.(Link leads to external service)

Two thirds of the active participants and/or members of the association or equivalent must be residents of Helsinki under the age of 29. The registered office of the association must be in Helsinki. For justified reasons, operating grants for youth activities may also be awarded to associations that do not fully meet the age or residence criteria.

Operating grants are not awarded to national associations or central organisations.

What are active participants and members?

Here, ‘active participants’ refers to the number of individuals who actively and repeatedly participate in the association’s activities each year. For example, they may be active participants in hobby groups or event organisers. On the other hand, members of the public who attend an event on a one-off basis, for example, are not active participants. ‘Member’ refers to members of the association. Read more in the guide on how to collect and report data.

On what basis is the grant awarded?

The decision is based on the associations' need for assistance. To this end, attention is paid to:

The scope, purpose and nature of the applicant’s operations

• number of Helsinki residents aged 7–28 participating in the activities
• regional coverage of the activities
• regional and/or operational need for the activities
• quantity and quality of different activities
• whether the association's activities diversify young people's services in Helsinki.

The applicant’s financial status

• the applicant’s assets
• own fundraising
• cost structure
• other grants and subsidies received by the applicant
• in principle, the operating grant may not exceed 80% of the eligible expenditure of the previous period
• costs arising from premises.

Young people's participation in planning and decision-making

The association’s role in youth policy and youth education

Associations meeting the following criteria may be eligible for rental grants

• an association that qualifies for an operating grant and rents its own premises;
• a Helsinki-based early youth and youth association whose local associations or sections meet the conditions for an operating grant.

The premises rented by the association must be used for activities on at least four days a week. An association may only receive the maximum sum of a single rental grant once a year.

The rental grant is applied for when applying for the operating grant, and the rental sum being applied for must be included in the grant application. Information on the rented premises must also be specified on the application form.

When applying for a rental grant for the first time, a valid rental agreement must be submitted with the application. If there are any changes to the rental agreement, the application must be accompanied by the amended agreement.  If the rent increases and the association wants the rent increase to be taken into account in the preparation, they must attach a receipt or other document showing the new rent amount.

The deadline for operating grant applications for the coming year is 15 December. Applications for operating grants should be completed electronically through the City’s grant application e-service. The same form can be used to apply for an advance on the grant.

The necessary attachments to the application should be submitted via the City’s grant application e-service.

The operating grant application must be accompanied by:

• an action plan for the year that the application pertains to
• the budget for the year that the application pertains to
• the financial statement for the previous financial year
• a comprehensive income statement for the previous financial year
• the annual report for the previous financial year
• an auditor’s or operational auditor’s statement on the previous financial year
• the minutes of the annual or spring meeting, showing the approval of the financial statement and the processing of discharge from liability
• the rental agreement, when applying for a rent grant for the first time or if your situation changes
• proof of rent payment, when applying for a rent grant for the first time or in the case of a rent increase
• the rules of the association when first applying or when the rules are amended
• a bank statement or a bank declaration of the account holder, which must show the name and account number of the account holder.

If the association applies for a grant for its youth section in Helsinki, the activities and finances of the youth section must be reflected in the annual accounts, annual report, budget and action plan as a separate item from other activities. For example, the financial statements must show the Helsinki youth section as its own cost centre.

If necessary, additional time may be granted for the submission of attachments by separate agreement. Any missing attachments must be submitted by the deadline.

The decision will be sent to the applicant by post. The decisions will not be posted in the City’s grant application e-service. The minutes of the Youth Sub-committee meeting containing the decision will also be made available on the City of Helsinki website.

The decision should be read carefully. The document always starts with a decision section, which sets out the applicant's obligations and instructions on how to report on the use of the grant, for example. The decision will also state for what period and for what purpose the grant has been awarded. The grant must be used for the purpose and during the period for which it was awarded.

The agendas for Youth Sub-committee meetings are published about a week before the meeting, and the agendas and minutes are also available on the City's website. Go to the decision-making page.(Link leads to external service)

An operating grant can be used towards:

• salaries, fees, their statutory and voluntary social costs, and statutory insurance
• recreational activities
• materials
• training
• camps and excursions
• travel expenses and international activities
• rent
• administrative costs
• communications

An operating grant cannot be used towards:

• fundraising
• business activities
• investment activities
• debt repayments
• acquisition of fixed assets
• meeting fees
• membership fees

Reporting on the use of the operating grant

The use of the grant must be reported on when applying for a new operating grant. The report must include the financial statement for the previous financial year, including a comprehensive income statement, an auditor’s or operational auditor’s statement, an annual report and the minutes of the annual or spring meeting, showing the approval of the financial statement and the processing of discharge from liability. The grant should be applied for in the City's grant application e-service, where the attachments are also provided.

The application also asks for participation data from the previous operating period. Read more about how to fill in participation data(Link leads to external service)  

If no new grant is being applied for, the report on the use of the grant must be submitted by the same date, i.e. by 15 December at the latest. The reporting documents are to be submitted to the Partnership Unit of the Youth Services Unit. Contact details: email: kansalaistoiminta@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program) postal address: Nuorisopalvelukokonaisuus/Kumppanuusyksikkö, PL 51400, 00099 Helsingin kaupunki.

If the use of the grant is not satisfactorily reported on within the time limit, the operating grant may be recovered.

Please note that the party awarding the grant has the right to request, if necessary, all information and documents required to report on the use of the grant. The beneficiary of a grant is therefore obliged to provide other information than that specified in the decision, if specifically requested.

An operating grant advance may be awarded to operators that received an operating grant or a start-up grant from the Youth Sub-committee in the previous year. An advance of up to 50% of the amount of the previous year's grant may be paid.

You can apply for a grant advance for the coming year by 15 December using the same form as for the actual grant, i.e. the application for an operating and hiring grant.

The decision on advances is usually taken in January by the head of unit for Partnerships in Youth Services. If an association receives an advance but is not awarded an operating grant, the advance will be recovered.

The operating grant is also subject to general conditions for grants for youth activities. Grants are also subject to other shared conditions and guidelines of the City. Explore the topic further.

Contact the Youth Services Partnership Unit if you have any questions or information about operating grants for youth activities. You can find our contact details here.