General grants for organizations providing cultural leisure activities

Non-profit organizations based in Tampere, whose main activity is organizing cultural hobby activities, and which are registered and have been operating for at least one year, are eligible to apply for support.

Grants can be awarded for the core activities of organizations operating in Tampere that organize cultural hobby activities. 

Grants can only be awarded for activities that comply with the general principles for grants of the City of Tampere.

Grants are not awarded for:  

• Activities considered to fall under Project Grants for Culture category
• Small-scale activities (the regular, guided hobby activities organized by the applicant community must involve at least twenty-five (25) active participants. Exceptions are made for special groups and children’s culture, where smaller numbers are allowed)
• Expenses related to excursions or trips
• Internal student organizations of educational institutions
• National organizations or regional chapters
• Support associations for schools or other educational institutions providing basic education in the arts
• “Lupa liikkua / Lupa harrastaa” activities (more information about this activity type) 

The application period for grants is once a year (January). Applications are submitted via an electronic application form. 

The applicant must submit the following documents in addition to the application form: 

• An action plan for the year for which the grant is being applied
• A budget for the year for which the grant is being applied
• The most recent signed financial statement of organization including the profit and loss account and balance sheet with notes, as well as the annual report. The profit and loss account must include account and sub-account as well as cost centre-specific calculation *
• The most recent auditor’s and/or operational inspector’s statement (audit/inspection report) *
• The organization’s rules (unless previously submitted or if the rules have changed) * 

*The “most recent documents” refer to those approved by the association’s annual meeting. 

Did your organization receive a grant last year? 
The use of general grants must be reported in connection with the next grant application. The grant recipient must provide information and documents that allow the grantor to monitor the proper use of the grant. 

If the association has activities other than those for which the grant has been awarded, the documents must clearly show the content and costs of the activities for which the grant has been awarded.

When awarding a grant, the organization’s need for support is taken into account. Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Relevance of activities to the objectives of the grant 

• The activities increase the diversity of the city’s cultural offerings
• The activities promote residents’ participation and well-being, accessibility of culture, equality, and cultural interaction
• Ecological sustainability is considered in the activities
• The activities promote networking and cooperation with other actors 

Number of participants and scope of activities in Tampere 

• The activities are established and regular
• The activities reach a wide audience
• Number of regular, guided hobby sessions/meetings organized by the community
• Number of active participants (an active participant is someone who has regularly taken part in guided hobby activities during the previous operating period)
• Number of members listed in the membership register
• Number of people employed by the organization (all those who have received salary or fees from the organization)
• Number of volunteers working for the organization
• Number of public events open to all (number of public events and/or exhibitions; 1 exhibition = 1 public event) 

Planning and goal-orientation of activities 

• There are clear plans and descriptions of the activities and their objectives
• The activities are evaluated and developed according to needs 

Financing of activities 

• The organization needs the grant, but its overall financial situation is stable
• The grant is always partial funding. The recipient must also have its own fundraising to organize the activities
• Own fundraising is balanced in relation to the costs of the activities and the grants received
• The grant recipient cannot pay salaries or fees that are unreasonably high; a disproportionately large share of administrative costs in the previous financial year’s total expenses will reduce the grant 

Quality and impact of activities 

• The hobby activities carried out are regular, goal-oriented, and generate expenses
• The activities are organized responsibly 

The decision on the grant is made by the Culture and Leisure Committee. Applicants are notified of the decision by email. The city may set specific conditions for the use of the grant, which will be communicated to the recipient when the grant is awarded. The grant may only be used for the purpose specified in the grant decision. If the purpose is not specified in more detail in the decision, the grant must be used for the purpose stated in the application. 

Grants are paid once the decision has become legally binding, unless otherwise stated in the decision or if specific payment conditions are set. If the grant decision does not specify the payment schedule, grants are paid as follows: 

• grants under 10 000 euros are paid in one instalment
• grants of 10 000 - 49 999 euros are paid in two instalments 

Grants can be applied to expenditure that is needed for the financed operations and is moderate in amount. Grants cannot be used for business or investment activities. The acquisition of fixed assets is supported with a grant only for a justified reason. 

The grant must be used during the year in which it has been awarded. If the grant remains unused, it must either be returned or an extension to its period of use must be applied for. 

It is required of the grant recipient that purchases are made responsibly. If salaries or compensation are paid from the grant issued, the recipient of the grant must take care of the withholding tax and other statutory payments. 

Use of the Tampere.Finland logo 

As part of the grant community’s own marketing, the Tampere.Finland logo is recommended for use. In situations where the funding of operations is publicly communicated, Tampere’s coat of arms is always used in referring to the City of Tampere. You can download the logos from the Tampere brand page.

No cooperation with the Russian state 

As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, associations and communities receiving general or premises grants from the City of Tampere are not allowed to cooperate with the Russian state or its official representatives. If this is deemed to have happened, the full amount of the general grant will be recovered and any premises grant will be refused, and no further grant or other support from the City of Tampere will be awarded to the organisation. This condition is based on the policy that the Finnish state has towards Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The City of Tampere will comply with the Finnish Government's policy.

The use of general grants is reported in the next grant application. If necessary, other reports on the use of the grant may also be requested from the beneficiaries. 

The beneficiary must provide information and documentation enabling the grantor to monitor the correct use of the grant. If the association has activities other than those for which the grant has been awarded, the documents must clearly show the content and costs of the activities for which the grant has been awarded.

The beneficiary must organise its accounting and auditing in accordance with the law. 

If the grant is not applied for in the following year, a report on the use of the grant must be submitted in accordance with the timetable set out in the decision. 

Reports on the use of the grant will be submitted by submitting the following documents:

• signed financial statement of organization including the profit and loss account and balance sheet with notes, as well as the annual report. The profit and loss account must include account and sub-account as well as cost centre-specific calculation
• statement of the financial auditors and/or operational auditors (account/operational audit report)