MFA: Increase in budget appropriations for government grants to civil society organisations

The Government is proposing that the amendment to its 2020 budget proposal include an increase of 14.9% in the appropriations for discretionary government grants to civil society organisations from the budget item 24.90.50 (‘Certain government transfers’), which means an increase to EUR 1.541 million from EUR 1.341 million. Strengthening the civic space and facilitating civil society participation are among the priorities set out in the Government Programme.

The discretionary government grants from the budget item are for civil society organisations operating in the field of foreign and security policy and for the provision of information on Europe by civil society organisations, as well as for supporting the human rights work of civil society organisations.The appropriations from the budget item are permitted be used for the payment of discretionary government transfers to organisations that are relevant to the work of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The amendment to the budget proposal was submitted to Parliament on 21 November 2019. The discretionary government grants will be made if Parliament allocates the necessary funds in the 2020 Budget.

Foreign Ministry awards government grants annually

The open application process is currently under way for discretionary government grants for civil society organisation activities relevant to Finland’s foreign and security policy and its international commitments in 2020, and will end on 22 November 2019. The open call for applications for discretionary government grants for the provision of information on Europe by civil society organisations in 2020 is also in progress and will conclude on 5 December 2019.

Inquiries: Anna Hakala, Counsellor, Desk Officer, Unit for Security Policy and Crisis Management, tel. + 358 295 350 468.

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.