Operating and hiring grants are part of the range of grants distributed by the Culture and Leisure Committee’s Youth Sub-committee that primarily support leisure activities provided by associations and youth groups for Helsinki’s early adolescents and young people under 29 years of age. With a total budget of EUR 2,851,000 for youth grants in 2024, operating and hiring grants are by far the largest and most significant single grant allocation for the year.
Operating grants for both large and small operators
The operating grant recipients include large, long-standing and well-established operators with decades of experience in reaching and engaging with Helsinki’s young people. On the other hand, there are also a number of newer, smaller and more specialised operators, which also offer young people opportunities to pursue hobbies and interests that may not have been available in the past.
The operating grant reaches an impressive number of young people in Helsinki, as this year more than 41,000 young Helsinki residents will benefit from the activities provided by the grant recipients. The grant is intended for youth associations or similar applicants that have started their activities in at least the previous calendar year. In addition, two-thirds of their members and/or active participants must be Helsinki residents under the age of 29, more than half must be Helsinki residents aged 7–28. The applicant must also be based in Helsinki.
The hiring grant is intended for youth associations or similar registered operators whose activities require a significant degree of structural organisation or due to the scale and/or nature of their activities. The associations that are eligible for a hiring grant are always defined for a period of three years at a time to ensure the stability and development of their activities. The next policy on hiring grants will be adopted in 2026.
You can apply for operating grants again next year between 1 January and 28 February 2025. If you belong to a youth association, the youth department of an association or a comparable organisation that has started its activities within the last year, you can apply for a start grant for youth associations to help with start-up costs. Start grants can also be awarded to associations that are in the process of restarting their activities. If you have any questions about grants, you can always contact the planners in the Youth Services Partnership Unit. We are happy to answer your questions and help you along.