Kone Foundation - Grants for Research and Arts (Herlin Family)

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Enriched Nordic · Found: 2026-03-10 15:31

Finnish foundation by Herlin family disbursing over EUR 66M annually in grants. Supports academic research including environmental sciences with eco-social awareness focus. Open to individuals, working groups, and organizations with Finnish business ID.

Source: https://koneensaatio.fi/en/grants/

Funding Details

Funder: Kone Foundation (Koneensaatio)
Funding Goal: Academic research in the humanities, social sciences, environmental sciences, and artistic research; professional artistic work in all fields; and multidisciplinary projects combining art and research. Annual general grant call plus thematic grant calls on specific topics.
Funding Amount: No defined upper limit for research applications; working groups typically EUR 200,000–500,000. Artistic working groups and organisations up to EUR 250,000. Total grants awarded in 2025: over EUR 66 million. (up to 500.000 €)
Deadline: Annual, typically September (periodic)
How to Apply: Applications submitted through Kone Foundation's online grant service (koneensaatio.apurahat.net). Annual general grant call held 1–15 September. Thematic calls held separately. Application must designate a person responsible for the project.
Target Region: Finland and Nordic region; work may be international but must have connection to Finland
Contact: Kone Foundation, Lauttasaari Manor, Otavantie 10, 00200 Helsinki. koneensaatio@koneensaatio.fi. Tel +358 9 260 0617 (Mon, Wed 11am–3pm).
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 14:11

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be a Finnish individual, working group with Finnish member, or organisation with Finnish business ID
Project must have a connection to Finland (Finnish citizen, Finnish institution affiliation, or work carried out in Finland)

Project Scope

Research must be in humanities, social sciences, or environmental sciences (not psychology, law, theology, business, or medical without interdisciplinary dimension)
Minimum project duration: 6 months for individual applicants; 1 month for working group members

Required Documents

Apply via online grant service at koneensaatio.apurahat.net during the annual call (1–15 September)
Working groups must designate a person responsible for the project

Constraints

Grants are not awarded retroactively; work must start in the following year at earliest in January
Maximum 4 consecutive years for same project; 1-year break required after 4-year funding period
Artistic working groups and organisations limited to EUR 250,000; research has no explicit upper limit

Summary

The Kone Foundation, founded by the Herlin family (owners of Kone elevator company), is one of Finland's largest foundations, awarding over EUR 66 million annually in grants, prizes and donations. It primarily supports academic research and artistic work with connections to Finland. Thematic scope covers humanities, social sciences, and environmental sciences for research; all artistic disciplines; and multidisciplinary work bridging art and research. Within environmental sciences, topics include ecology, sustainability, natural systems, and environmental change. The Metsän puolella (For the Woods) initiative represents a specific environmental programme focused on forest ecosystems. Eligible activities include fundamental and applied academic research, artistic creation, popularisation of research (science communication), and interdisciplinary projects. For research, there is no fixed maximum grant size (working groups typically EUR 200,000–500,000). Psychology, theology, law, and business without an interdisciplinary dimension are excluded. Medical research is not funded. Geographic scope: Projects must have a connection to Finland. Finnish citizens can work abroad; non-Finnish researchers must be Finland-based or affiliated with a Finnish institution. International working groups are eligible if a Finnish participant is included. Eligible applicants include individuals, working groups (including international groups with Finnish members), and organisations with Finnish business IDs. The minimum project duration is 6 months for individual applicants. Deadline: Annual general grant call runs 1–15 September. Thematic calls are announced separately and follow different timelines. No co-funding requirement.

Historical Context

The Kone Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Herlin family (Kone elevator company). It disbursed over EUR 66 million in grants, prizes and donations in 2025. Thematic calls have covered democracy (2021–2025), securitization, language and power. The Metsän puolella (For the Woods) initiative is a separate environmental programme focused on forests.

Why it was added

Major Finnish family foundation (Herlin) funding environmental research; annual general grant call includes environmental sciences

Sources

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