General grants for youth associations

The following are eligible to apply for the grant: 

• Youth associations that have been operating for at least one year, and associations focused on promoting civic engagement among young people.
• Youth activities of other associations, provided that these activities are clearly distinguishable from the association’s other activities in both accounting and the annual report. 

The grant is awarded for the regular activities of an association in which at least 30 children or young people under the age of 29 are actively involved. This numerical requirement does not apply to activities for special groups whose target group is limited, for example, due to a disability or other special characteristic. One-time event participants are not counted as active participants. 

Grants are not awarded for: 

• Activities that do not have regular and ongoing content specifically aimed at children and young people
• “Lupa liikkua / Lupa harrastaa” activities (more information about the activity)
• Organizing camps
• Practicing religion or spreading a religious message
• Investments and the acquisition or renovation of fixed or movable property
• Catering, recordings, or publications
• Youth activities of organizations with the right to levy taxes, student organizations, parent associations, educational institutions, companies, or private individuals 

The application period for general grants is once a year (in 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 general meeting. 

Did your community receive a grant last year? 

The use of general grants must be reported in connection with the next grant application. The grant recipient must submit the 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 grants, the community’s need for support is taken into account. Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Number of participants under 29 and the scope of activities 

• The total number of participants in the activities per year.
• The number of regular participants (participants per month), with emphasis on leisure activities for 7–17-year-olds (this emphasis does not apply to youth civic engagement activities).
• The activities are year-round. 

Planning and Goal-Orientation of Activities 

• There are clear plans and descriptions of the activities and their objectives.
• The activities correspond to the objectives of the grant.
• The activities take into account young people’s participation in planning and implementation, openness and equality, and ecological sustainability. 

Financing of Activities 

• The association has a need for support, but its overall financial situation is stable
• Own fundraising is balanced in relation to operational costs and received grants
• The grant recipient may not 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 amount of the grant. 

The grant decision is made by the Culture and Leisure Committee. The applicant will be 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 at the time of awarding. The grant may only be used for the purpose specified in the grant decision. If the decision does not specify the purpose in detail, the grant must be used for the purpose stated in the application. 

Grants are paid once the decision becomes legally binding, unless the decision specifies a different payment schedule or sets conditions for the payment of the grant. 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)