Employment policy project support

Employment policy project support is a discretionary government grant that a TE Office can grant to an association, foundation, municipality or a joint municipal authority for project activities.

The support can also be granted to an association for the establishment and consolidation of a social enterprise and to an association the purpose of which is to examine the chances of establishing a social enterprise[1].

The content of the projects granted support may vary but promoting the employment of unemployed jobseekers must be the main purpose. The activities provided with support may involve job opportunities for unemployed jobseekers that are combined with employment support measures.

The supported activities involve the use of public employment services (such as pay subsidy), which fall under the Act on Public Employment and Business Service. For example, the application for a pay subsidy must be submitted separately and the subsidy is also provided separately even though it is part of the overall employment policy project.

Discretionary grant

Employment policy project support is a discretionary grant. The support can be provided for a maximum of three years so that a TE Office makes a decision on the amount of the support for one calendar year at a time.

At each application round, the TE Office may determine the activities eligible for the support or the target groups whose job opportunities should be promoted with the grant. The TE Office will issue a public notification when applications for employment policy project support can be submitted.

The support may not be granted for business operations. Establishing a social enterprise and consolidating its operations are exceptions to this rule. 

[1] Provisions on the definition, registration and prerequisites for the registration of social enterprises are contained in the Act on Social Enterprises (1351/2003).

Further information: Nina Lehtimäki, nina.lehtimaki(at)gov.fi