Guidelines for grantees

Funding decisions

Successful applicants will be personally informed of grant awards immediately after the funding decisions are made. Unsuccessful applicants are also informed by the electronic application system.

Grant decisions are final, and the Foundation will not enter into discussion about the grounds for the decisions.

Grants to universities or other research institutions

Before grant funds can be paid, the Foundation requires a written statement from the university chancellor or institution director acknowledging the award and agreeing to its use according to the plan outlined in the funding application.

The funds for grant periods lasting longer than one year are paid once a year. A written report on the progress of the research is required before further payments can be made.

The payment is made on the fifth working day of a month agreed upon with the grantee.

Personal grant

Personal grants are paid into an account designated by the applicant.

The funds for grant periods lasting longer than one year are paid once a year. A written report on the progress of the research is required before further payments can be made.

Fellowships awarded to journalists for post-graduate studies are paid once per term. A written report on the progress of the studies is required before further payments can be made.

Payments are made on the fifth working day of a month agreed upon with the grantee.

Reporting

The projects funded by the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation are actively followed up. Recipients are expected to provide regular reports on the progress and impact of the research project together with information on how the grant is being used.

The designated leader of each research project or the recipient of a personal grant is responsible for reporting that the grant is being used according to the plan specified in the grant application.

The Helsingin Sanomat Foundation requires a report on the progress of the research or studies by 31 January for projects lasting longer than one year, a report on how the grant money is being used by 31 January and the final report, in both Finnish and English, within six months of receipt of the final grant payment. Final reports are published on the Foundation’s website.

In addition, the Foundation must be notified immediately in the event that any significant changes occur in the time schedule for the research, in the constitution of the research group, or in other matters relevant to the research project.

The Foundation reserves the right to request additional information from grant recipients as deemed necessary.

Payment schedule and publicity plan

The funds for grant periods lasting longer than one year are paid once a year. A written report on the progress of the research is required before further payments can be made.

The head of the research must enter the payment schedule information into the electronic application system. The grant will be paid according the schedule. Additionally the Foundation requires a publicity plan about how the research results are to be published and how they are informed to the media.

Statutory pension insurance for grant recipients

The Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution, Mela, is responsible for the statutory pensions (MYEL) and occupational accident insurance (MATA) of persons who have a grant or scholarship and who must be insured in Finland as of the beginning of the year 2009. The insurance is mandatory.

The recipients of grants or scholarships must take out insurance if they work for at least four months without interruption on a grant or scholarship awarded from Finland after 1 January 2009.

For further information, please see www.mela.fi.

Taxation

Persons who receive grants must declare the awards on their tax statements. The Helsingin Sanomat Foundation is obligated to inform the tax authorities of all personal grants awarded yearly.

Termination of payment and return of grant funds

Failure to provide the research or study reports on time may cause termination of further grant payments. The Foundation may also freeze the payments due to unsatisfactory progress of the research project or in the event that a grantee is using funds contrary to the funding decision.

If for any reason the research or study is discontinued, then the Foundation reserves the right to demand the return of the parts of the grant that have already been paid.