Funding for Media Research and Education

The C. V. Åkerlund Foundation’s general grant call is held annually in March. The call is announced on the foundation’s website, in the media, and on social media channels. Decisions are published in June.

Individual grants can only be applied for in March, while project applications are accepted twice a year. In addition to the March call, project funding decisions are made at the foundation’s October board meeting. Please note that the project application process has two stages: from an idea paper to a full application. A detailed description of the process is available in the application guidelines.

Each year, the foundation awards several hundred thousand euros in grants and scholarships for media-related research and development. The foundation’s funding priorities highlight the thematic areas we especially encourage applicants to focus on.

General Terms for Applications and Decisions

• The funded project must have a connection to Finland and benefit the Finnish media sector.
• For projects, overhead costs can be a maximum of 15% of the total costs (calculated without personnel costs) and the costs must be presented realistically.
• Grants are not awarded for equipment or software purchases.
• To ensure a fair and confidential evaluation process, the board does not give individual justifications for its funding decisions, and the experts remain anonymous.
• We’ve compiled answers to frequently asked questions on our application page. We welcome suggestions and feedback to help improve the application process.

Kindly note that while the application form is in Finnish, applications may also be submitted in English.

The C. V. Åkerlund Media Foundation supports projects that promote the vitality, research, competence, and pluralistic dialogue of the media industry. Below are the Foundation’s current funding priorities:

Promoting fact-based and pluralistic journalism
We support projects that strengthen journalists’ ability to produce in-depth, diverse, and reliable journalism. This includes research and education that enhances journalistic tools and methods. We are also committed to supporting the career development and skills of young journalists and other media professionals.

Fostering contemporary language, narrative, and visual skills
We fund training and research that develop rich language use, narrative techniques, and communication across media.

Advancing responsible journalism
We especially welcome initiatives that support the ethical use of artificial intelligence and data in journalism.

Enhancing cross-platform journalism and audience insight
We support projects that improve engagement with audiences across different platforms. We value actions that build public trust and promote accountability and transparency in journalism.

The C. V. Åkerlund Media Foundation is a non-profit organization guided by a clear strategy and the principles laid out in Finnish foundation law. We actively listen to media professionals and experts and continuously improve our funding processes and communications.

Mission and Vision

The C. V. Åkerlund Media Foundation promotes the vitality, research, expertise, and pluralistic dialogue of the media industry. Our vision is to be a well-known and respected developer of media research and competence.

Our Values

We are guided by:

• Freedom of Speech – A fundamental right we actively uphold.
• Renewal – We encourage bold ideas, new perspectives, and partnerships.
• Responsibility – We keep our promises and act sustainably and ethically.

How We Operate

The foundation awards annual grants and scholarships. Activities are funded by annual dividend income, and we follow the principles of good governance. Read more about good governance and funding priorities.

Board of the Foundation 2025

In 2025, Sonja Saarikoski, journalist and author, and Silja Tenhunen, strategy expert, join the board. Continuing members are Marko Erola, Anne Leppäjärvi, Hanna Listenmaa, Olli Seuri, Mikko Toikkonen, and Tanu-Matti Tuominen. You can also find them here.

Executive Director

Päivi Myllykangas continues as Executive Director, having started on July 1, 2024.