Start planning the project and writing the application well in advance. We recommend starting the work several months before the deadline of the application process. The competition is tough and it is easier to draft a good application if you are able to put it aside every now and then and come back to it with fresh eyes. Preparing an international and/or a consortium project requires substantially more time than applying for a personal grant. We also recommend reserving some time for having some colleagues and individuals not familiar with the topic read the application. Please note that if you do not contact Research Services until only a few days before the deadline of the application, the services will only have time to check the formal aspects of the application.
Find out about potential cooperation partners, their interest and level of commitment. Agree on division of labour and responsibilities. The main responsibility always lies with the head of the project, in other words the principal investigator.
Agree on the provision and schedule of commitment of the site of research (i.e. Uniarts Helsinki):
The right to approve applications and agreements depends on the total project budget and placement. Total budget = share sought from funder + potential own funding share of the university. < EUR 50,000: Director of the unit EUR 50,000–100,000: Dean > EUR 100,000–1,000,000: Vice Rector > EUR 1,000,000: Rector In joint projects of academies (=more than 1 academy involved) and in projects of focus area research centres, the commitment is given by the Vice Rector, and in applications exceeding EUR 1,000,000, by the Rector. Foundations usually pay personal monthly grants directly to the applicant. They are not taken into account in the total budget figure, i.e. the above approval limits only concern funding that is administered by the university. |
Read the funder’s instructions thoroughly. In addition to the actual application instructions and criteria, we recommend learning about the most common focal points and strategies of the funder and, in particular, the instructions of the evaluators, if available. Ensure that the evaluator will be able to easily find the answers to the evaluation questions in your plan.
Application-phase services
SibA, CERADA, History Forum
Senior Research Funding Advisor Tiia Saarinen, tiia.saarinen@uniarts.fi, 040 860 9538
TeaK, KuvA, CfAR
Advisor Kirsi Rinne, kirsi.rinne@uniarts.fi, 050 440 4150
Personal grants awarded by foundations
The university commitment is given by the director of the doctoral programme/research unit. The template for the commitment is available in Artsi. Various foundations do not require a university commitment. Remember to contact the director of your doctoral programme/research unit even if a university commitment is not required in the application phase.