THE GRANT APPLICATION ROUND 2023

For more than 100 years, the Foundation for Economic Education has contributed to the development of Finnish society by supporting research in business and economics by grants. Future orientation is strongly present in our grant activity. The fund builds pathways for scientific research and education also to serve practical business. Grants can be applied for by individuals, research and working groups, and organizations. Three-year grants may be awarded from the research group applications. See more information on the application criteria and guidelines for the grant round.

FOCUS AREAS

The grant round 2023 focus areas of the Foundation for Economic Education reflect the disruption in the current operating environment. The focus areas are interrelated, and their cross-cutting theme is future orientation of research and education with an emphasis on responsibility and the promotion of entrepreneurial ecosystems. The focus areas include current themes such as the sudden changes in the security environment and global trade policy, the green transition of business, and the importance of finance in the early stages of businesses. Researchers are encouraged to carry out pioneering research and to compile and acquire new materials and databases, with the aim of integrating research into innovation ecosystems.

The 2023 grant focus areas, as confirmed by the delegation of the Foundation for Economic Education supporters’ association are:

• Business renewal
• Data economy
• Entrepreneurship, scaling and growth
• Future-sustainable environment
• Leadership competence

Read more: Focus Areas 2023

RESEARCH GROUPS

The researchers are encouraged to conduct pioneering research in a group. The application for a three-year grant for research group is intended for groups of individual persons led by a PI (Principal Investigator). More detailed information is in the research group applications instructions.

SPECIAL FUNDS

Depending on the field of research or the topic, the applicant may be address his/her application to a special fund, or pooled funds.

PERIOD OF USE OF GRANTS

Grants are awarded for projects to be realized in 2024. Individuals, groups and organizations can apply for grant periods of 4 to 12 months. In specific, a research group application is for a 36 months grant period from 1 Jan, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2026. The conference trips, conferences and seminars organized and research visits covered by targeted grants can take place as early as October 1, 2023.

WHO MAY APPLY FOR A GRANT AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

Grants from the Foundation for Economic Education are, for the most part, working grants for PhD research and postdoctoral research. In addition, targeted grants are awarded for a conference trip, study visit or other study trip, conference organization or other designated purpose. Applications can be submitted by individuals, research and working groups, and domestic organizations. The grant applicant must be affiliated with a Finnish university or educational institution. The applicant’s educational background may also be from a non-business research background, and represent new interdisciplinary perspectives. A person who has completed a polytechnic master’s degree (Yamk) can apply for a grant for a dissertation research. If the applicant is a joint project / network of two or more organizations, the application must include a person working on the applied grant.

The focus area is an optional application criterion. In accordance with the rules of the special funds, the round will also process applications from specific target groups. The fulfillment of the objectives set by the donors and the effectiveness of the grants will be enhanced by the pooled funds opened for the round. The foreign applicant must show a clear connection to a Finnish university, research cooperation with the Finnish academic community or particularly good reasons for how the research can benefit Finnish business.

Grants are not awarded to finance Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or Master’s degrees, e.g. Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration, nor MBA degrees. Exchange program studies included in Master’s degrees are not eligible for grants, nor are single course trips, excursions or practical training trips. This limitation does not necessarily apply to projects by groups or organizations. Exceptional funding for the latter as projects by groups or entities may be considered based on the quality of the project plans.

The grant application is submitted in the electronic application system during the application period (June 1─August 15, 2023). Create a user ID  for the grant system and familiarize yourself with the application forms, the focus areas, and the grant application guidelines. The grants will be announced in November-December 2023 on the fund’s website and recipients will be notified by email.