SPECIAL FUNDS
Application period 1 June – 15 August 2025
In the special fund application call, it is possible for the applicant to target his/her application for a special fund or pooled funds. Special funds are funds from which grants are allocated to areas of research and education or groups of applicants that meet criteria set by donors. The pooled funds thematically bring together several targeted purposes, and they correspond with the selected JEL categories on the application form. The majority of grants are allocated to special funds as part of the general grant preparation process. The application may be addressed to one of the following:
Forest Bioeconomy, Circular Economy, and Clean Transition Value Chains
Pooled Funds
Forest bioeconomy and circular economy offer new business opportunities based on the sustainable use of natural resources and material flows. To promote carbon neutrality and clean transition, various innovative methods, products, and services within value chains can significantly benefit the environment, people, and the economy.
Keywords: resource efficiency, circular economy, value creation, bio-based materials, wood, paper processing, pulp and fiber products, reuse of materials and components, automation solutions, recycling technologies, P2X
JEL-classes (Journal of Economic Literature)
🏭 L – Industrial Organization
- L23: Organization of Production
- L73: Forest Products
♻️ O – Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change
- O13: Agriculture • Natural Resources • Energy • Environment • Other Primary Products
- O14: Industrialization • Manufacturing and Service Industries • Choice of Technology
- O31: Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
- O32: Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
- O33: Technological Change: Choices and Consequences • Diffusion Processes
- O35: Social Innovation
🌱 Q –Environmental and Ecological Economics
- Q55: Technological Innovation
- Q57: Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services • Biodiversity Conservation • Bioeconomics
Industrial Ecology - Q58: Government Policy
All applications will also be evaluated according to the common application criteria.
Special Funds
In accordance with the rules of the special funds and the Foundation for Economic Education rules, grants may also be awarded to special groups of applicants, or for narrower purposes. In the grant round application system, the applicant can submit his / her application to one of the following special funds:
- Automaattisen tietojenkäsittelyn tutkimusrahasto promotes research projects developing digitalisation solutions made possible by various technological solutions, while taking into account possible views expressed by TIVIA (The Finnish Information Processing Association) on the subject or research topic to be funded.
- Liiketalouden liiton rahasto supports Skilla ry registered association’s educational activity and education of its members.
- Lyydia ja Heikki Rautiaisen rahasto supports the studies and other projects aimed at commercial subjects and business economics studies, primarily by the students and staff of the Oulu University of Applied Sciences.
- SKO ry:n juhlarahasto promotes business cultivation and entrepreneurship in Finland by awarding grants for training and research, for the professional development of teachers in business and culture as well as for international interaction.
- Taloustoimittajien 50-vuotisjuhlarahasto accepts grant applications from the Taloustoimittajat registered association’s members for the purposes of educational, research, and publishing projects in their respective fields.
- Teknisen Kaupan Liiton 100-vuotisjuhlarahasto provides support for technical research and training to promote commerce while taking into account the views eventually presented by the Teknisen Kaupan Liitto registered association (the Association of Finnish Technical Traders) on the subject or on the research topic to be financed.