Grants/FAQ
Frequently asked questions contain basic information about applying and receiving a grant. If you did not find the answer to your question, please do contact us.
What are the grants available for application?
The Helsingin Sanomat Foundation promotes and supports research in the communications and the communications industry and interdisciplinary futures research.
The Helsingin Sanomat Foundation finances post-doctoral projects that are linked to the communications industry.
In addition, the Foundation awards fellowships to Finnish journalists who are in the middle of their careers to enable them to study at top universities abroad.
Period of applying a grant
The Helsingin Sanomat Foundation distributes grants throughout the year. Decisions are made twice a year and the outcome is informed via the grant application system.
The schedule for returning the application can be found in the grant application system.
Information on decisions
Grant decisions are informed via application system. The decisions are final, and the Foundation will not give any feedback after the decisions.
Awarded grants are also announced on the Foundation´s website.
Evaluation criteria
The applications are assessed by the following evaluation criteria: innovativeness, novelty value, outcome to the academic community, media and society, clarity and feasibility of the research plan, use of funding as well as skills and resources of the research group. Also interdisciplinarity, international cooperation and cooperation between different organizations may be used as evaluation criteria.
Applications may also be sent for evaluation to the members of the scientific committee.
Payment of the grant
If the grant is paid via universitiy or other research institution a written statement from the university chancellor or institution director is required to acknowledge the award and agree 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.
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.
Payments are made on the fifth working day of a month agreed upon with the grantee.
Additionally the payment schedule must be entered to the grant application system before any payments can be made.
Reporting
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 the following reports: 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 (this does not apply to fellowship awards) and a final report, in Finnish or 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.
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.
See further information: www. vero.fi.
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.