In 2026, the Youth Sub-committee distributed a total of EUR 1,281,540 in operating grants to 145 Helsinki-based youth organisations or youth branches of organisations. The operating grants enable the basic activities of youth organisations and youth branches of organisations in Helsinki: this year the activities will include scouting, support for vulnerable young people and youth entrepreneurship pilots. In addition to this, the grants will be used to support young people's confidence in the future, for example through opportunities to participate in society.
The hiring grant is awarded to support the wage costs of an organisation's permanent staff. The organisation is required to be highly organised, and typically the organisations receiving hiring grants have youth associations, sections, branches or similar in Helsinki under their umbrella. In total, the Youth Sub-committee awarded EUR 840,460 in hiring grants to 22 associations. The performance of all of the grant beneficiaries was also evaluated in 2026. In addition to the recipients of the grants, the process also included organisations that had applied for hiring grants and that were selected on a discretionary basis. A total of 26 organisations participated in the evaluation.
The call for applications for the operating and hiring grants for 2027 will run until 15 December 2026.