Liikesivistysrahasto is a Finland-based foundation that primarily funds business/management science research and education, with a clear goal of strengthening Finnish competitiveness and the development of commerce and industry. It supports individual researchers, doctoral and postdoctoral scholars, research groups, and some nonprofit or institutional applicants, with a strong emphasis on applied themes like commercialization, entrepreneurship, growth, leadership, and the green transition. The funder also uses donor-designated special funds to direct money toward narrower topics such as circular economy, forest bioeconomy, and clean transition value chains.
Annual competitive grant rounds, generally open June 1 to August 15, with a mix of individual research stipends and larger multi-year research group grants. Typical support is medium-sized and research-oriented, with doctoral/postdoctoral funding and some grants reaching roughly $150,000-$300,000 for research groups; thematic special calls may fund 4-36 month projects.
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Apply through the annual online grant round during the June 1–August 15 window, and if your project fits a donor-restricted theme, target the relevant special fund or thematic call. Proposals should clearly show relevance to Finnish competitiveness, business impact, and strong research quality; research groups should emphasize PI leadership, international networks, and data access.
Current and upcoming funding from Liikesivistysrahasto that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to individuals, working and research groups, and communities. Applicants answer theme-specific questions in the application form and the application is assessed using general grant criteria.
Deadline: Application period 1.6.–15.8.2026.
Who can apply: Open to private individuals, research and working groups, and organizations. Applicants may come from fields outside business studies and bring interdisciplinary perspectives. Grants are not awarded for lower or upper university degrees.
Deadline: Application period 1.6.–15.8.2026; grants announced in November–December.
Who can apply: Applications are submitted by a Principal Investigator employed by a Finnish university or host organization; group members are typically doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. The organization or network itself cannot apply.
Deadline: Application period 1.6.–15.8.2026.
Who can apply: Applicants: individuals, research/work groups and communities; not for lower or upper university degrees. Applicant background may be outside business sciences if research is relevant. Research group PI must be employed by a domestic university or host organisation and not work on the project funded by the grant.
Deadline: Annual window 1 June – 15 August (next: 2026-06-01 to 2026-08-15).
Who can apply: PI must be employed by a Finnish university or host organisation and not work on the project funded by the grant. Research group members can include visiting researchers from outside the host organisation. Joint organisations/networks (yhteisö) cannot apply for the research group grant as a group (the PI-led group format is required).
Deadline: Apply during the annual window 1 June – 15 August.
Who can apply: Haku avoin yksityishenkilöille, työ- ja tutkimusryhmille sekä yhteisöille. Hakemukseen voi sisällyttää aineiston tai tietokannan hankintakuluja. Arvioidaan teema- ja yleisten hakukriteerien perusteella.
Deadline: Temaattinen haku sisältyy vuosittaiseen hakukierrokseen (1 June – 15 August).
Who can apply: Hakukelpoisuus ja mahdolliset lisäedellytykset määräytyvät erikoisrahaston sääntöjen mukaan. Hakemukset jätetään hakukierroksen aikana ja voidaan osoittaa tietylle erikoisrahastolle tai poolille.
Deadline: Hakuaika 1 June – 15 August (annual).
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.